Spirit of the Sportsman

In California Legal Carbines parts 1 and 2 we examined Legal Standard Rifles and Legal Rifle Modifications. Now we will discuss Alternate Platforms.

Disclaimer: Consult the office of the California attorney general and your own legal counsel in order to verify you are in compliance with the law.

If we re-examine our definition a “carbine is created by taking a full-sized rifle and making it more portable usually by decreasing the size and weight”. This definition includes rifles which are not semi-automatic. Here are few California legal carbines that are not considered ‘assault weapons’ because they use alternate platforms:

Single Shot Carbines

Whether the rifle is bolt-action, break-open or straight-pull, a single shot rifle is not considered a semi-automatic and therefore not considered by the state of California as an ‘assault weapon’. Normally, single-shot rifles have a magazine well that is cut down or completely removed.

DPMS/Panther Single Shot AR

Barrel: 20″ Length w/A2 flash hider (birdcage), 4140 chrome-moly steel heavy barrel
Chamber: 5.56×45mm/223 Remington
Operation: Manual rotating bolt
Weight: Empty – 8.7 lbs.
Length: 38 1/4″
Action: No Mag Well, Single shot reload

Bolt-action Carbines

Bolt-action carbines are highly effective as they are usually quite accurate and normally fire a full-size high power rifle cartridge with ease. As the reload is manual, they too are not considered ‘assault weapons’ by the state of California.

Savage 10 FCM Scout

Caliber: 308 Winchester/7.62 x 51mm
Length: 20.5″ (barrel) 39.75″ (overall)
Weight: 6.65 lbs
Magazine: 4-round box magazine
MSRP: $799.00

Lever Action Carbines

Portable, lever action rifles have served as effective carbines for more than a century. The manual action makes them California legal.

Marlin Guide Gun

Caliber: 45/70 Gov’t.
Capacity: 4-shot tubular magazine
Action: Lever action; side ejection; solid top receiver; deeply blued metal surfaces; hammer block safety.
Stock: American black walnut straight-grip stock; cut checkering; ventilated recoil pad; tough Mar-Shield® finish; swivel studs.
Barrel: 18.5″ with deep-cut Ballard-type rifling (6 grooves).
Overall Length: 37″
Weight: 7 lbs.
MSRP: $600.00

Internal Magazine Well Carbines

Whether by original design or by modification, internal magazine well rifles cannot accept a detachable magazine and are therefore not deemed ‘assault weapons’ whether they are semi-automatic or not. A carbine with an internal magazine well is usually loaded by manually opening the breach and loading the magazine one by one or with the use of a stripper clip. Several internal magazine well rifles have been effectively used by militaries throughout the world.

Bushmaster Carbon 15 “Top Loader” Carbine

Caliber: 5.56mm or .223 Rem.
Magazine Capacity: 10 Rounds (Internal Magazine)
Overall Length: 37” [93.98 cm]
Barrel Length: 16” [40.64 cm]
Weight unloaded: 5.8 lbs. [2.63 kg]
Mode of Operation: Gas Operated/Semi-Automatic

“The unique Carbon 15 “Top Loading” Model has been developed specifically for the California market (and other States with similar restrictions). It offers traditional AR-15 type features, rugged Carbon Fiber composite molded Receivers for light weight and durability, and a 10 Round Internal Magazine – loaded by simply pushing in the Receiver Takedown Pin and then pivoting open the Receivers. This exposes the Internal Magazine components – which are permanently fixed in position within the Lower Receiver. Then cartridges can be inserted into the Magazine Feed Lips in the same manner as any removable AR-15 type Magazine. Internal Magazine capacity is limited to 10 Rounds, and the bottom of the Magazine Well is sealed.”

Pump Action Carbines

Although found most frequently as a feature on shotguns, pump action rifles have been around for more than a century and exist on modern rifle platforms.

Remington 7615

Caliber: 223 Remington
Mag. Cap. 10
Barrel Length: 18 1/2″
OA Length: 38 1/2″
Avg. Wt. (lbs.) 7 1/8
MSRP: $955

Part 1
Part 2

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Deneki Outdoors would like to remind us that photographing a trophy fish enriches the fishing experience.

Deneki Outdoors photographer-guide, Cameron Miller shows us  how to photograph a trophy fish.

‘Fish Hard, Rest Easy’

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The Grand Canyon state would like to join Alaska and Vermont as being the only states in the union that allow concealed carry without a government issued permit and the New York Times does not approve!

“Arizona’s permissive gun laws gained national attention last year when a man openly carried an AR-15 rifle to a protest outside a speech by President Obama.”

*Can you believe the nerve of the guy?!…exercising his constitutional rights in the presence of the man sworn to defend the U.S. constitution?! Does he think he lives in America or something?!*

Now, gun rights advocates are hoping for even fewer restrictions on where they can have a firearm. Among their top goals is to make Arizona the third state where it is legal to carry a concealed weapon without a permit. Bills in the House and the Senate would also eliminate background checks and training classes for people to carry hidden guns. ”

While we believe it is in the interests of all citizens to expand gun liberties, it is ultimately a question for the good people of Arizona to decide and not Appletini-sipping editors of a dying medium that seldom leave Manhattan and couldn’t tell a carbine from a concubine.

State Senator Russell Pearce of Arizona, left, says gun laws are only “handcuffing good people.”

…right of the people…

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In a society that increasingly values hedonism over individual virtue, the Boy Scouts of America stands out as the USA’s greatest force for building virtuous men. This year the BSA celebrates it’s centennial.

“They are young symbols of virtue: honest, trustworthy, doers of good deeds and builders of campfires. For a century, the national organization Boy Scouts of America has been living its pledge to do its duty for God and country.
Scouts celebrate 100 years of camping, character building and serving others.

Scouts camp, hike and earn merit badges in wilderness survival, computers, farm mechanics, chemistry and more. But while most of Scout activities center on having fun outdoors and exploring nature, these experiences are meant to build character, self-reliance and citizenship. ”

The Scout Motto:
“Be Prepared”

The Scout Slogan:
“Do a Good Turn Daily”

The Scout Oath:
“On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.”

The Scout Law
“A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.”

The Outdoor Code
“As an American, I will do my best to be clean in my outdoor manners, be careful with fire, be considerate in the outdoors, and be conservation-minded.”

The Scout Sign
“The middle three fingers are raised and the tips of the little finger and thumb joined, with the upper arm held horizontally and the forearm vertically.”

The Scout Salute
“The hand is held in the same position as in the Scout Sign, with the pointer touching the forehead or hat brim. This is a modification of the salute used by militaries around the world.”

The Scout Handshake
This is the traditional handshake done with the left hand instead of the right. Several conflicting reasons have been given for this modification
-The left hand is closer to one’s heart.
-A soldier must keep his right hand free to grab his weapon.
-In warfare using simple weapons (practiced in the medieval period, as well as by southern African tribes which Baden-Powell met), a warrior carries a shield in his left hand. To shake with the left hand, he must drop his shield, indicating good faith.

The BSA Scout Oath and Law have remained unchanged since they were first developed in 1910.

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When you think of Phoenix, fishing is not the first activity that comes to mind.

City Limits Fishing with Mike Iaconelli shows us different.

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In California Legal Carbines (part 1) we discussed California laws regarding carbines and some of the legal carbines available to consumers in the golden state. Today we will discuss legal carbine modifications.

Disclaimer: Consult the office of the California attorney general and your own legal counsel in order to verify you are in compliance with the law.

Since one of the ways the state of California defines an ‘assault rifle’ is by feature and therefore illegal, modifying a carbine to remove the banned feature is a method to comply with the AWCA. Here are a few legal rifle modifications:

Stock Modifications

One way to avoid the banned feature defined as “a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon” is to modify the stock so it does not use a pistol grip.

The Monte Carlo Stock
If you convert your pistol-grip stock into a ’straight’ or ‘Monte Carlo’ stock, you comply with California law.

The U15 Modified Stock
Another legal modification is to turn the stock ’straight’ and to make sure it does not “protrude conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon”

Monster Man Grip
Yet another stock modification is to make the stock handle a protrusion from the ’straight’ stock.

*Update*
Exile Machine ‘Hammerhead’

Another good stock modification is the Exile Machine stock adapter/grip.
This device helps affix a standard buttstock to the rear of the rifle normally used for a pistol grip. A good cheek-weld is maintained by attaching a recoil spring tube and due to the narrow design, a proper firing grip is established with adequate reach to the trigger.

Detachable Magazine Modifications

If your rifle is modified so you cannot eject a magazine then it no longer has the feature of being a “semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine” and is therefore not legally an ‘assault weapon’.

Bullet Button

The bullet button is a device that modifies a carbine so the magazine cannot be ejected without a tool.

“The BULLET-BUTTON is a product that allows the shooter to drop a magazine with the use of a tool. It prevents finger manipulation of the mag release, and creates a condition allowable under CURRENT INDIVIDUAL INTERPRETATIONS of California law.
This does not create a detachable mag situation, but creates an attachable-fixed magazine condition. A bullet tip can be used as the tool, as can any small object such as Allen wrench, or small screwdriver.
This button CAN NOT be used with magazines greater than 10 rounds in capacity. To do so in the state of California on an unregistered assault weapon, would be a felony.
The BULLET-BUTTON installs in less than a minute, requires no gunsmithing, or cutting on any part of the rifle. The installation is not permanent, and can be reversed just as quickly.”

The Bullet Button magazine lock is also available for AK-type rifles

Prince-50


The Prince-50 is a device which ‘locks’ a magazine in the magazine well with an allen wrench.

Non-centerfire Rifles

Since we defined a carbine as a rifle which uses full-sized rifle ammunition in part 1, portable rifles that fire non-centerfire ammunition like the 22 long rifle caliber are not covered by this discussion.

Part 1
Part 3

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“Don’t bring a knife to a gunfight” is good advice.  In a gun versus knife fight you are at an advantage if you are the man with a gun.

“Don’t underestimate a man armed with a knife” is also good advice.   Just because you are an advantage if you are the man with a gun, the advantage is lost if the knife-wielding attacker can close the distance and make contact.

Failure to maintain adequate distance during a knife attack may lead to very negative results.

An excellent method to train in gun versus knife attacks is the Tueller Drill.  The Tueller Drill was developed by officer Dennis Tueller from the Salt Lake City Police Department to demonstrate how quickly an attacker can cover 20 feet.  The average man can cover 20 feet less than 2 seconds!

The Tueller drill teaches rapid decision making during knife attacks.  If you carry a firearm for personal defense, these videos from the Counter Terrorism Institute of America are required viewing.   The videos below were taken during one of the recent  CTIA advanced concealed carry classes.

Notice the emphasis paid to lateral movement and shooting on the move.

Tueller drills were run using airsoft guns and/or real firearms loaded with simunition.  Simunition convert firearms into paint-ball guns.

As the knife-attacker rushes forward, the man with the gun moves laterally to avoid the attacker and maintain distance between himself and the knife-attacker while simultaneously firing on the knife-attacker.

CTIA Gun Fight Training

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Members of the Open Carry Movement met in a restaurant in Walnut Creek, California to remind folks that the second amendment is not dead (yet) in California.

“Gray skies and a spattering of rain didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of about 100 members of the Open Carry movement, who showed up Saturday morning displaying unloaded guns at a restaurant in downtown Walnut Creek.

The group hopes to make it easier to legally carry a loaded gun in California and has been gathering in Bay Area restaurants for the past few months. The original meeting place for Saturday was to have been nearby California Pizza Kitchen, but that company made it clear Open Carry wasn’t welcome, so the group moved to the Buckhorn Grill.

“We’re not politically involved. We’re a restaurant and we’re serving food,” regional manager Tom McLaughlin said as he welcomed the group into his establishment. Both Peet’s Coffee & Tea and the Pizza Kitchen have banned guns from their premises in response to recent requests from the national Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, while Starbucks refused the campaign’s request to do so.”

We applaud the members of Open Carry and the independent-minded executives at Starbucks Coffee.

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I was recently asked by a friend “which is the best California legal carbine?” This question, like many others can best be answered with the phrase “it depends”.

Let us begin by defining terms:

California Legal: For the purposes of this discussion we will presume that the consumer is an adult citizen, NOT a law-enforcement officer and a resident of California who is NOT legally prohibited from owning a firearm and that the firearm has yet to be purchased by the consumer.

Carbine: A carbine is created by taking a full-sized rifle and making it more portable usually by decreasing the size and weight. Since a ‘carbine’ is a portable version of a full-sized rifle, the carbine must use full-sized centerfire ammunition.

Best: We will judge which carbine is ‘best’ based on a combination of factors: reliability, effectiveness and cost.

California Legal
Disclaimer: Consult the office of the California attorney general and your own legal counsel in order to verify you are in compliance with the law.

California maintains the most prohibitive and confusing state laws in the western United States on certain semi-automatic rifles which they refer to as ‘assault weapons’ and therefore deem illegal.

“Assault” is a behavior, not a set of features. An ‘assault weapon’ is any device used while engaging in an assault of a person from a broken beer bottle to a explosive. The legislators of the state of California have a different view.

Instead of bemoaning the lack of logic in the ‘assault weapons’ ban, let us learn to deal with the ban. Knowing California state law regarding firearms is a good way to stay out of trouble.

The legislation which established the California ban is known as the Roberti-Roos Assault Weapons Control Act of 1989 (AWAC). The AWAC covers rifles, pistols and shotguns as well as magazines (ammunition feeding devices) over 10 rounds. For the purposes of this discussion we will discuss only rifles covered under the ban.

According to the AWAC, a firearm is an ‘assault weapon’ if it falls into one of three categories:

Category 1: Specifically Named Weapons
If the weapon was named specifically by name, then regardless of features it is an ‘assault weapon’. The first legislation banned weapons by make and model such as ‘Colt AR-15′. This led companies to rename their weapons to legally sell them in California which in turn led to California legislators to expand the ban to categories 2 and 3.

Category 2: AR15 and AK “series” of firearms
If the weapon is from the AR15 and AK “series” of firearms, California considers it an ‘assault weapon’. This is perhaps the most confusing and ambiguous piece of legislation in the AWAC and was made worse during a court decision known as Kasler V Lockyer which essentially placed a blanket ban on all weapons that were even remotely similar weapons specifically named. In short, if the rifle is ‘anything like’ an AR or AK type weapon, it is illegal. The obvious follow-up question is ‘define and AR or AK type weapon’ which is why category 3 exists.

Category 3: Ban By Features
California classifies a rifle as an ‘assault weapon’ if the rifle contains any combination of two or more characteristics named below

12276.1 (a) Notwithstanding Section 12276, “assault weapon” shall also mean any of the following:
1. A semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and any one of the following:
1. A pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon.
2. A thumbhole stock.
3. A folding or telescoping stock.
4. A grenade launcher or flare launcher.
5. A flash suppressor.
6. A forward pistol grip.
2. A semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds.
3. A semiautomatic, centerfire rifle that has an overall length of less than 30 inches.
4. A semiautomatic pistol that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and any one of the following:
1. A threaded barrel, capable of accepting a flash suppressor, forward handgrip, or silencer.
2. (B) A second handgrip.
3. A shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel that allows the bearer to fire the weapon without burning his or her hand, except a slide that encloses the barrel.
4. The capacity to accept a detachable magazine at some location outside of the pistol grip.

As you can see, this means the vast majority of magazine fed, semi-automatic carbines are illegal in California. Instead of debating the merits of California law, we will discuss which carbines are legal.

There is a ‘grandfather’ clause for weapons and magazines. The weapons must have been legally purchased by the owner AND must have been registered with the California department of justice BEFORE the ban took effect. Even when fully registered, the ‘assault weapon’ cannot be sold, transferred (even by inheritance) or transported anywhere except to a shooting range.

As semi-automatic weapons are banned by two or more specific characteristics, the key is to have only one of the specific characteristics to remain legal. A rifle that is a semi-automatic carbine that accepts a detachable magazine you have used (1) of the banned features. Add one more banned feature and the state of California considers it an ‘assault weapon’ and therefore illegal.

These are some of the carbines that are not considered ‘assault weapons’ because they have only one banned feature (semi-auto carbine that accepts detachable magazines):

Kel-Tec SU-16CA
Calibers: .223 Rem, 5.56mm
Weight unloaded: 4.7lbs. 2.1kg
Length: 35.9″ 912.0mm
Length Folded: 24.9″ 632.7mm
Barrel length: 16.0″ 406.4mm
Magazine Capacity: 10 rounds, M-16 compatible
MSRP: $ 770.00

“The SU-16CA is a hybrid of the SU-16C and SU-16A rifles. It comes with the same 16-inch barrel with Chrome-lined bore and chamber and 1/2-28 threads as the C model. All features from the C model are retained and combined with the stock of the A model. The SU-16CA will come with 2 10 round magazines that store in the stock and all the same Parkerized parts as the C model. Like the A model, the SU-16CA can be folded for storage and it will not fire in the folded position. This allows for it to be purchased in most states that still have an “Assault Weapons Ban”.

The SU-16CA is legal because it has only (1) banned characteristic, it is a magazine fed semi-automatic rifle that uses centerfire ammunition. Notice it does not have the accessories found on other Kel-Tec rifles such as a flash hider, pistol grip or bayonet lug. The Kel-Tec uses the familiar AR-15 type magazine in various capacities but comes standard with a 10-round magazine.

Ruger Ranch Rifle
Manufacturer: Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. Ruger.com
Model: Mini-14/30/6.8
Calibers: .223 Remington/ 7.62 x 39 mm/ 6.8 mm
Action Type: gas-operated, center-fire semi-automatic rifle
Barrel: matte finish chrome-moly steel; 16 1⁄8″
Magazine: 10-round steel detachable box
Overall Length: 35 3⁄8″
Weight: 6 lbs., 12 ozs.
MSRP: $650.00

The Ruger Ranch rifles come in three different calibers and use a proprietary Ruger magazine in various capacities but comes standard with a 10-round magazine.

“The Mini-14, Mini Thirty, and Mini-6.8 are small, lightweight semi-automatic carbines manufactured by the U.S. firearms company Sturm, Ruger. The Mini-14 non-target versions can fire both the popular .223 Remington cartridge and the similar military 5.56×45mm cartridge. The target model Mini-14 rifles are chambered only for the .223 Remington cartridge. The Mini Thirty uses the 7.62×39mm and the Mini-6.8 fires 6.8 mm Remington SPC. Since 2005, all models are marketed under the name Ranch Rifle.

M1A Scout Squad/SOCOM
Manufacturer: Springfield Armory
Model: M1A Scout Squad/ SOCOM
Operation: Gas-operated autoloader
Caliber: .308 Winchester/ 7.62 x 51 mm
Capacity: 10 rounds
Barrel Length: 16.25 inches
Overall Length: 37.25 inches
Weight Empty: 8.9 pounds

What appears to be a flash suppressor is actually a ‘muzzle break’ which is not on the California list of banned characteristics. The M1A uses a proprietary M1A magazine available in various capacities but comes standard with a 10-round magazine.

Saiga Rifle
Manufacturer: Saiga (Imported by European American Armory)
Model: Auto-loading rifle
Operation: Gas piston-operated autoloader
Caliber: 5.45 x 39mm, .223 Remington, 7.62 x 39mm, .308 Winchester/ 7.62 x 51 mm, various shotgun cartridges
Capacity: 10 rounds
Barrel Length: 16.25 inches
MSRP: $325.00

The Saiga is a Russian-made carbine that uses the AK-47 action, accepts AK-type magazines (10-round standard) and has all banned characteristics removed.

Part 2
Part 3

Purchasing a rifle that has only one of the banned features directly from a fully licensed firearms dealer is my first recommendation to folks looking for a California legal carbine.

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Where would we be without American women?

Lost.

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