https://youtu.be/f586VbyE5nI

California has long been home to onerous and unconstitutional weird and wacky gun laws. It’s rare that I hear about a new regulation in California that actually makes me do a double-take, but I found one.

The roster of accepted handguns in California has been a nuisance to shooters for quite some time. In an effort to get around possession of prohibited pistols, gunsmiths would modify guns from semiautomatic to single-shot to remain compliant. Convenient? No. Practical? No. Thumbing their noses at state government? Yes.

Never missing an opportunity to infringe on the civil rights of its citizens, California law has been amended to single out these altered handguns. The new section of the California penal code now outlaws “a semiautomatic pistol that has been temporarily or permanently altered so that it will not fire in a semiautomatic mode.”

With the advent of polymer 80% GLOCK lowers, amateur gunsmiths can now make their own pistols just as they can with AR-15 rifles. This has also allowed California-based Inlander Arms to use Polymer80’s GLOCK frames to build a bolt-action-only pistol using their Easy Bolt design.

This is a big deal because beginning in July 2018, all 80% builds will have to be registered with the California Department of Justice, including photos proving how the gun was originally assembled. If you can’t prove the gun was originally built as a single-shot pistol, you’re out of luck.

The $150 Inlander Easy Bolt converts the slide – mounted on a Polymer80 frame – into a single-shot pistol without interfering with or modifying any of the parts of the slide and frame that interact with one another.

Once installed, the gun constitutes a purpose-built bolt-action pistol, thereby complying with California law. You load one round at a time into the breech and then operate the bolt to both charge the pistol and extract a spent casing. Inlander Arms recommends removing the extractor from the gun during your build process.

By utilizing this roundabout product, Californians have once again proven that necessity is the mother of all invention and that where there’s a will, there’s a way. Oh, and don’t forget that you can’t stop the signal, either. Once again: Convenient? No. Practical? No. Thumbing their noses at state government? You betcha.

 

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29 COMMENTS

  1. To clarify a bit, under the prior law, many guns could not legally be sold in the state because they were not on the Roster. To circumvent the Roster, the single shot exemption allowed a buyer to get a special slide and long barrel, and to buy the gun in that configuration (along with all of the parts taken off in order to make the gun compliant). the buyer would then convert the pistol back to semiautomatic, and usually the gun smith would “buy” the long barrel and slide (to be used for the next conversion). This added about $100 to $150 to the cost of a gun, and the resulting gun was registered, but at least you could get the gun you wanted. This end run was outlawed, and somehow I don’t think that many 80% buyers will go this single shot route and instead just go ahead and register their builds.

  2. I would love to see a federal law disallowing the sale to police departments any item not allowed for any non LEO in all states. If an item is too dangerous for John or Jane Q Public then it is clearly too dangerous for John Law as well.

    • A federal law removing all carveouts for police and government officials would be the sweetest wine.

    • This could be passed on the state level. Why should LEOs be placed in danger by using a gun that has not been tested and approved? And if they do, should this not prove that the handguns they use to be safe for the citizens too? The same would go for the legislatures that are also exempt from the list. It could be called the “Safe Guns for Law Enforcement” proposition.

      • Why? Because such a law affecting law enforcement nationally would quickly create the necessary pressure to eliminate these ridiculous restrictions.

  4. The bolt should be on the other side for right handed people for streamlining function. That way the support hand operates it. This configuration would be good for a lefty.

    • It seems possible that the design was never intended to be practical, or logical, or convenient. It is mostly a big F.U. to California legislators.

      Also, no open carry in California. Where do you get a holster for this monstrosity, and how in the hell would you conceal it?

  5. That’s absolutely rediculous. Just get a revolver? Oh wait let me guess, California has probably banned double action revolvers already too?

    • Actually, many revolvers are falling off the roster on a yearly basis. I think we are down to maybe 200 left. The law about registering the 80% is by Jul18, if the build does not have a serial properly engraved or otherwise permanently affixed upon the firearm, then the person is required to apply to the CADOJ for a serial that will be assigned to them.

  6. I have a Savage 502 bolt action pistol. It’s in .22 and has a left handed bolt. Unusual design.

  8. Seriously, Califus and American residents – at what point do you just say “eff it” and procure any weapon you want irrespective of the laws on the books because they are too onerous?

    • Believe me, PLENTY of folks in CA have done just that. Of course, those actions were then followed by a large number of tragic boating accidents, but that probably goes without saying

      • Tragic boat accidents don’t let people shoot their favorite pistols at their local range. Any gun you want to shoot that falls in a restricted category is a gun you have to carry registration paperwork to the local range

        • That is simply not true. You see guys shooting restricted stuff at ranges in California all the time. No one says anything do you think an RSO or even a cop standing next to you at the range knows when you bought it, or if you are or are not in law reinforcement or are exempt some other way?
          And I see guys who from virginia shooting stuff at ranges in Maryland that you cant registerin maryland. No one at my maryland Walton is going to ask if you are from maryland or Virginia.

          Any gun you want to shoot that falls in a restricted category is a gun you have to carry registration paperwork to the local range
          for all practical purposes you are wrong, and if you have been to California you would know it.

          Moreover 3D printers and CNC getting cheaper, smaller and more cable, and able to work with harder and harder materials, make your luddite views something that is going to be gone soon. You will be able to buy the harder to make parts (barrels slides), as they are what is uncontrolled and make several versions of lowers

          If you have a seven round mag for most semi auto pistols you can already make a 15 rounder out of with sheetmetal, a vice and a file. same with 30 round ar mags. That is very low tech.

  12. A picture of that thing belongs in the dictionary next to the entry for “obnoxious” with a footnote telling you to “see also” the entries for “stupid”, “pointless” and “governmental tomfuckery”.

  13. But wait… shouldn’t that be classified as a SBR? I mean… it needs two hands to operate and the barrel is under 16″! My god, that means it’s an ultra deadly assault weapon!

  16. Its a clever legal workaround. But the idiots put the bolt on the wrong side. The guy has to keep switching back and forth from one hand to the other. If they put the bolt on the left hand side, a RH person would be able to “operate” the bolt with their weak hand. Bozos.

  17. When you’re out poppin caps in CA, just hold yo Block fowty on its side so you can reach the bolt handle with your left hand.

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