An Xrlq leaves California at 70mph, at what point does he become a Virginian
Xrlq’s secret is out so I can blog about it now. In 2008, the Republican Presidential candidate will lose in California by one more vote. While he and I had dinner the other night, he asked how much savings there was in building your own AR-15 vs. buying one. I said considerable. His eyes lit up. Mine did too because every time an AR-15 is brought into this world, SayUncle smiles, an angel gets its wings, and one more of Diane Feinstein’s brain cells dies. I even recommended that he head on over to Coal Creek Armory on his way out in the morning and snatch up a Rock River Arms lower receiver for $109 (good price!). Then he said he’d do that if he was willing to go to jail. I said my understanding was that a rifle (not a handgun) could be purchased legally out of state.
Then, he got into a few issues that I figured I’d ask readers (particularly those that deal in firearms) about. Xrlq said he thought his residency was still California until he actually arrived in Virginia. A Californian in California cannot legally possess an AR-15 lower receiver made after the date their ban on weapons that look like assault rifles went into effect. So, my questions:
Can someone with a California residency (and I assume drivers’ license/ID) purchase said lower receiver in another state? I would assume they could but the law would be violated if it ever went to California. I recall reading it’s not uncommon for some Californians to have entire gun collections at friends’ houses in other states.
Assuming Xrlq was legally prohibited from buying said lower receiver as a California resident, at what point does he become a Virginian? He seems to think it’s when he enters Virginia with the intent to stay. In other words, he thinks that under Federal law he would have to go to Virginia with the intent to stay there then come back to Tennessee to legally purchase the lower receiver.
Any way, congrats to Xrlq and welcome to a free state.
February 22nd, 2006 at 2:00 am
CA residents can purchase lower recv’s out of state, but they have to leave them out of state as CA residents can’t import banned guns or parts, and RRA is on the no-go list. He would have been able to order and legally purchase an off-list lower AR receiver (Mega, Lauer, Gunsmoke and a few others), like I just did as a CA resident in CA. But even that appears to be a gray area.
As far as being able to purchase them out of state, I think there is a minimum residency requirement for most states for handguns, NFA guns or SBR’s. When my buddy moved to Kentucky, I remember him saying he had to wait at least 6 months to buy anything or apply for a CCW, but he was able to buy a lower after he got a KY drivers license and had a lease agreement in that state (intent to stay).
Congrats to Xrlq. Will the last one out of CA please turn the lights off?
February 22nd, 2006 at 2:15 am
He could pay for it, and it would be “his”, but it would have to live in our vault until he got himself proof of residence in a free state that would let him put it on a 4473.
February 22nd, 2006 at 8:53 am
Virginia: Free State? Maybe on guns, but the Commonwealth has a law against everything and two laws against most things. And if you think you are getting away from taxes by leaving California, think again.
February 22nd, 2006 at 9:56 am
I think he is correct, he doesn’t become a resident until he enters the state with the intent to remain for a period of time and manifests that genuiness of that intent by establishing an ongoing physical presence.
BTW, where in Virginia is he moving to?
February 22nd, 2006 at 9:59 am
Well, not sure he wants to disclose that but the city has been the subject of some ATF shenanigans (wink, wink).
February 22nd, 2006 at 10:00 am
VIrginia will never be known as a tax haven, but it is compared to California. Income tax tops out at 5.75%, while California’s is upwards of 9%. Sales tax is 5%, vs. California’s is 7.25% statewide, and 7.75% in most localities. Even property tax is a relief, due to the lack of other non-tax taxes in CA that push the real rate close to 2% – vs. .63% in the county I’m settling in. Add to that the fact that the property values are much lower to begin with, and you end up paying a fraction of the property tax you would for a comparable home in CA. The one area where VA really does nail you relative to CA is automobile registration.
February 22nd, 2006 at 12:44 pm
XRLQ can only buy a rifle in a state that is on the perimeter of CA until he gets to VA and sets that up. Make perfect sense?
February 22nd, 2006 at 12:56 pm
Disgusting. Let’s keep in mind that he ought to be able to buy any firearm anywhere at anytime, possess and move it wherever, whenever with zero registration/liability/legal consequences.
Like a power drill. A mower. A hammer. A box of dishwashing detergent. A roll of barbed wire. A car battery. A camera. The government was specifically prohibited from infringing on this right.
Used to be a free country.
February 22nd, 2006 at 1:08 pm
Josh (at the top) is correct. The big danger is all the gray areas in the PRK (Peoples Rebuplic of Kali) laws. The attorney (hack, spit) general can just up and add some things to the ban list, as can some Kali DOJ department who’s name escapes me right now.
The current Kali AWB is uninterpitable. Several county district attorneys offices are quitely sueing the AG and DOJ to get it clarified.
February 22nd, 2006 at 2:10 pm
Just as an example. the AR-7 “survival .22 rifle” is legal in Kali. The old pistol version with the identical action is an “assault pistol” since the magazine is forward of the trigger guard!
5 more years…..
February 22nd, 2006 at 2:25 pm
“The one area where VA really does nail you relative to CA is automobile registration.” and California is only better because Arnold Dumped Davis.
February 22nd, 2006 at 2:28 pm
err – … because Arnold dumped the Davis era auto registration “non”-tax.
February 23rd, 2006 at 7:52 am
That’s mostly right, though it goes back further than Davis. IIRC it was the Wilson Administration that lowered the non-tax tax in the first place. Prior to that, CA’s vehicle registration “fee” was just as bad as Virginia’s.
I did, however, think of one legal right I lost by moving from CA to VA: the right to detect radar. I considered mentioning medical marijuana, but due to the interference from the feds, that right isn’t worth much anyway.
February 23rd, 2006 at 9:44 am
It was nice to meet X on his way through Illinois.
But on to more pressing matters — how tough is it to build an AR, and how much savings are we talking about?
🙂
February 23rd, 2006 at 9:45 am
Pretty easy to build and all the instructions can be found at ar15.com. In terms of savings, you can buy a new bushmaster for between $800 – $1200. You could build a comparable rifle for under $600. But count on $600 when you factor in 5 or so magazines.
February 23rd, 2006 at 9:51 am
I added up the cost of building my AK, and even with a G2 trigger and upgraded receiver it only cost me $225.
Just sayin’ is all… 😉
February 23rd, 2006 at 9:53 am
Yeah, but with an AK you can’t hit a barn at 600 yds. Just sayin’ is all.
February 23rd, 2006 at 10:50 pm
Didn’t see full instructions over there — just a way to order a book about building one. What little I did see, though, looked WAY over my head. Guess I’ll wait till I can afford a “built” one.
February 23rd, 2006 at 10:54 pm
This thread has everything you need including pics of how to:
http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=4&t=226782
If you can turn a wrench, you can build one. If you need help, let me know. I can walk you through it.