Franklin Armory’s New CA320 Pistol Added to California’s Handgun Roster

By
Dan Zimmerman
-
64

From Franklin Armory . . .

Franklin Armory, a leading U.S.-based manufacturer of firearms and accessories, is pleased to announce that its new CA320 handgun passed the California Department of Justice Laboratory Certification and Handgun Testing process and is now listed on the State’s “Roster of Certified Handguns.” Franklin Armory’s CA320 is chambered in 9mmX19, has factory night sights, and is the first optics ready pistol listed on the roster.

CA320 joins three other Franklin Armory models on California’s list of “Handguns Certified for Sale.” In 2018, Franklin Armory’s CA7 (chambered in 5.56 NATO / .223 Remington) became the first AR pistol ever to be listed on California’s roster of approved handguns. Franklin Armory’s CA11 (.300 Blackout) and CA12 (.350 Legend) AR pistols were added to the list in 2019.

“CA320 builds upon Franklin Armory’s trailblazing track-record of firearms innovation,” said Franklin Armory President Jay Jacobson. “CA320 is further affirmation of Franklin Armory’s enduring commitment to support the Second Amendment rights of Americans living in restrictive jurisdictions.”

California FFL dealers interested in learning more about CA320 are invited to visit Franklin Armory’s SHOT Show 2023 booth #20349. Orders will be accepted starting opening day of SHOT Show.

For more information, visit FranklinArmory.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.

 

[ED: The title of this post originally indicated the CA320 is a semi-automatic pistol. It is in fact a single shot pistol. We regret the error.]

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64 COMMENTS

  1. Ok, this appears to be a sig 320 clone… what did they change or add to make it kommi worthy.
    A bribe maybe?

    • It appears they just have a frame that won’t accept a magazine, meaning it’s a single shot pistol. Revolvers and single shot pistols are not required to adopt microstamping technology to be added to the roster. I believe the intent is that once you get the pistol, you can order a standard replacement grip for $40 through the mail. There is no requirement that the pistol remain a single shot once you possess it.

      Additionally, there was a single shot exemption in place that was removed in 2014. FFLs were bringing off roster pistols into the state, converting them to single shot, and then selling them as single shot exemptions. Since this pistol is coming from the factory as a single shot and was never a semi-automatic handgun, it is not covered by that law from 2014 that removed the single shot exemption.

  2. Thanks for the heads-up. This company goes on my Do-Not-Buy list. My money only goes to companies that support the 2nd Amendment

    • Actually, their claim to fame is their very popular binary trigger systems, which is VERY pro 2A.
      This looks to be a p320 topend on a proprietary frame that includes an m17 style manual safety, something that sig itself could have easily done. Anything that puts more guns into more hands is a good thing on my book.

      • Agreed, the way to turn the tide in California is guns in hands basically.

        I will admit I’m 100% curious to see what gets discontinued if the roster ever goes away.

    • You don’t realize that Franklin Armory just gave a big middle finger to CA gun grabbers, do you?

      • I see it now, pretty fucking brilliant.

        How long before they close that ‘loophole’, like they did with bullet buttons, I wonder?

        It may not last long, but I’m loving the baller move… 🙂

    • You’ve completely misunderstood what’s going on here.

      This is a great dodge around Cali law. It’s laughably simple to turn that into a real semi auto with mags.

      • A company like Beretta can easily do the same thing with their 92, just install a ‘blocker’ mag grips so it won’t accept mags until the blocker grips are replaced with stock Beretta grips.

        Hopefully, bullshit games like this won’t be necessary in a few years when the roster is struck as unconstitutional…

    • Oh, that logic doesn’t always hold up. They found a way to circumvent the law, not truly comply with it. To me, that makes them gun friendly, not some kind of turncoat.

  3. The question I have is I thought the roster mandated microstamping. How’d they do/get around that?

    • So, figured it out. Had to listen to some guntuber go on but it’s a single shot pistol that doesn’t take mags which is how they did it.

    • It isnt a “semi-auto”, it is a single shot pistil that does not have the capacity to accept a magazine. Only “semi-automatic” guns must have the additional safety features, micro stamping and removal of 3 other rostered pistols.

  5. Single shot P320.
    I wonder what modifications had to be made to the FCU and how permanent or impermanent those modifications could be.

    Everything but the FCU is just a part after all. FA sure likes to cause a ruckus.

    • …. have you ever done those “find the five difference between the two cartoons” puzzles ? Guess I missed 3) no mag release.
      My bad.

    • No mods to the FCU, that is the firearm part of the gun. What they did was make it single shot to get it on the California “good” list, and then you *cough* go buy something like a WC grip and now you’ve got a 320 that shoots normally and apparently authorities are not going after anyone as long as you aren’t adding stuff on the gun to make them “assault weapons”. Or so I’ve read. I have no idea, but that is the intent: get a 320 in California, let owners take care of the rest.

  6. A one shot wonder? guess you have to either line up all the perps in a row to get them all, or change your name to Barney Pfife and hope the perp does not have any friends…

  7. I had to go on FA’s website and see if they call it a Semiauto….
    nope, only in the title here.

  8. For every gun that gets added to the roster two or three get removed. Wonder who the losers were.

  9. I don’t know what to think of it. I don’t know what to think of Franklin Armory. Are they trying to get as much money out of kommiefornia as they can. I know I don’t want one of those. Will the enemy use this to say “ we don’t want to take your guns, look at the fine weapons we have approved.”. I don’t think I will be buying anything from Franklin Armory for a while, till I figure it out.

    • You’ll be cutting off your nose to spite your face. Franklin Armory figured out a way to get a gun onto CA’s roster that wasn’t otherwise eligible. Simple swap of a grip that CA doesn’t regulate and voila, a fully functional, fully legal Sig P320 in the state of CA. Fuck ’em.

      • “Fuck ’em.”

        Until California passes a no gun parts by mail law to stop it.

        C’mon, ‘Bruen’, get busy!

    • Exactly.

      But I sure admire the guile of that move.

      Call it Sig 320 freedom week… 🙂

    • Not that easy. Job is here. Family is here. When I retire, we’re definitely moving but until then, I keep on fighting behind enemy lines.

    • Oh, I suppose after a human flees from state to dictorial state 20,000 leagues under the sea will be their new home.
      The Domino effect coming to a state near you.

    • This could end up working very much in our favor.

      California is going to reflexively pass a law like “All gun parts require a background check law” in response, and that should be easy to strike down, along with a whole lot of other California bullshit gun laws.

      That company’s move is further proof that we’re far smarter than they are… 🙂

  14. Good lord , gunm manufacturers producing gunms to be State compliant.
    From muzzle loaders to muzzles.
    Making Progress

  15. Who in their right mind would buy this pos? Certainly no good for carry! Might as well just buy a toy to carry. No good for home either. One shot? Better not miss that drugged out rapist that just kicked your door down. Oh wait, it’s a 9mm. That means it will take at least 7 or 8, or quite likely 17-20 rounds to stop him. Oh wait, there’s 3 rapist/murderers coming in. Whatcha gonna do now?

    • Buy 17 or 20 gunms and shoot faster.
      “Arrrggg,,, If I fall off Me boat I’ll sink like a tombstone, arrrggg.”

    • “Who in their right mind would buy this pos? Certainly no good for carry!”

      The part that’s the registered firearm part is the little fire control group ‘module’

      Since the gun was designed to be modular, you can change nearly everything, frame, barrel, ect. and still legally only have one gun.

      It’s a work-around like the bullet-button was…

  16. “Franklin Armory, a leading U.S.-based manufacturer”? REALLY? WFT is “Franklin Armory” Some kind of spinoff of the Franklin Mint – “collectible” crapola?

    • Most people aren’t in a hurry to show off how dumb they are. Congratulations for being so quick!

    • It’s not crapola.
      The pawn shop gave me 75cents for every collectible gold dollar I brought them.
      I’d have gotten rich if my collection hadn’t have ran out.

    • NeIowa,
      You never heard of Franklin armory?
      They make a line of “binary triggers” that turn semi auto guns into simulated Full Auto machine guns.
      They are a very well known name among The people of the gun.

  17. I’ve already got my P320 that I brought to CA when I moved in here from VA. That said, please immediately follow this up with a P365 variant before CA rewrites their laws (again) and tries to smother your ingenuity.

    • What about for us POTG who live in CA? Are we supposed to just go pound sand because you say so? And don’t say “just go move to a different state then”; life isn’t always that simple.

  19. There are those who poo poo of Franklin Armory and other companies who make weapons and accessories that fall within the letter of the law while completely disregarding the intent of the law. They say that these companies serve as enablers to the anti-2A legislature. Those are the same people who regularly cry out “we will not comply!”, all while living in locations that have minimal restrictions on their gun rights. However, the vast majority of the POTG are law-abiding to a fault, and for those of us who live in restrictive states greatly appreciate that there are still companies out there who are innovating and developing new products for us. When they develop something that the CA legislature doesn’t like, we still usually have some sort of window to buy as many as possible before they change the legislation. And eventually, they push their anti-2A legislation so far in order to close these technological “loopholes” that they eventually make laws so unconstitutional that even the 9th Circuit Court calls them out on it.

    It’s a long, drawn out legal fight; there’s no doubt about it. And is it possible/easier for some people to move to a different state rather than stay in CA? Sure. But for some of us, it’s not. And for those of us who have served, we know that you don’t win a battle by running away to a different place to be in a “safe space”. You change things by staying and fighting. And that’s what we do. We stay, we fight for our rights, and we make changes happen.

    It’s our brothers and sisters in New York who stayed, fought, brought suit, and won the landmark case that will affect how gun laws are viewed and ruled on across the entire nation, to include in Kentucky…

    • ^^^ This! A thousand times this! ^^^
      Well said, Mike.
      I’m also stuck living behind the curtain in the People’s Republic of New Jersey.
      We oppressed people behind the iron curtain in the slave states are deeply grateful when free America provides military aid to us — this time, in the form of a P320 clone.

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