The idiots in California have put so many regulations on gun sales it is ridiculous. I recently purchased an Uberti reproduction of a Colt single action revolver in .44-40 WCF. It took over an hour to fill out the required paperwork for the registration, etc. After the ten day waiting period expired, I returned to pick up my gun and learned I now had to fill out MORE paperwork, including a paper listing information attesting to the make and model of my gun safe (!), and sign SEVEN more times under penalty of perjury, taking forty-five more minutes, before I could pick up my property!
Even then, under California law, I had to demonstrate that I knew how to safely handle the gun by loading it with dummy rounds, before the shop could legally deliver the gun to me! I have had fifty years of gun handling experience, used to teach hunter safety course, and teach gun handling, and managed The Old Sacramento Armoury gun shop. . . so this was a piece of cake. They were quite impressed that even through they had showed me the gun was empty, I checked it myself after the salesman handed it to me. Imagine my shock when they told me that I FAILED their test! Why???
I failed because I had touched the trigger.
But I had touched the trigger because on any Colt type single action after you have loaded it with only five rounds—leaving an empty chamber in the cylinder—you are supposed to lower the hammer from the half-cock position to place the hammer on the empty chamber and the ONLY way to properly handle a single action of this type requires releasing the hammer by using the trigger. It is considered VERY UNSAFE to keep, carry, or holster a loaded Colt single-action on the half-cock position because it can fire if dropped and hits the hammer and breaks the sear! In fact, It’s why the later Ruger, Colt, and some other SA revolvers were redesigned with transfer bars or trigger/hammer safety blocks. I had checked and this gun did not have these safety features. I pointed out this is the ONLY perfectly safe way to carry a Colt style single-action without a transfer-bar hammer or safety block, which this Uberti model indeed did not have!!!
But California requires a FAIL if the customer so much as touches the trigger on a loaded firearm during the handling demonstration. . . regardless if that is the proper technique or not. . . but THIS gun requires the release of the hammer that can only be accomplished by holding the hammer with the thumb while releasing the trigger to lower the hammer to a safe position, or all the way down on an empty chamber to MAKE THE GUN SAFE!
I can understand the reasons for not touching the trigger on a modern semi-automatic, but in this case it’s just plain STUPID!!! Of course the gun sales people knew this and we all got a laugh out of it. . . But that IS the regulatory requirement. Touch the trigger, void the sale, they tell me. Sheer idiocy. I suspect they just warn new buyers.
Where’s all the fun for rednecks any more?
I live in CA and I will not be purchasing any more Firearms here. I made a point to get everything I needed before they went crazier with the Gun Laws.
I am well aware that you can’t own too many Guns, but recent changes in the Law require ALL Guns to be Registered, even Long Guns.
My Brother who lives out of State is taking care of a few other pieces for me. I’ll pick them up when I establish Residence out of State. Too many obligations right now so we can’t leave for greener pastures.
Yeah, this is the new and approved America.
So... did you finally get the gun or not?