by Archer » 13 Nov 2019 13
CA instituted ammunition eligibility checks about half way though this year.
They charge folks who've bought a gun and are in the DROS (dealer record of sale) system a buck each time they buy ammo for this check. IF you are purchasing a firearm and have been cleared to pick up the firearm the fee is waved as the check for the firearm is considered enough. If you aren't in the system buying ammo cost you an additional $19 full background check and does NOT put you in the system for next time. People from outside the state cannot purchase ammo in CA.
AFTER you've passed the check they make you sign a release for each caliber and they report each SKU purchased along with the number of rounds to DOJ. Note each caliber NOT each different cartridge chambering. So .38, .357, .38 Super is all the same form.
I've purchased ammo with a firearm twice since they enacted this stupid portion of this stupid law.
At one of these transactions I ended up with 3 boxes of .38 Super by mistake. I can't recall ANY other time I've purchased the wrong ammo in all the years since I was 16. Ammo is non-returnable so now I've got .38 Super and don't even know anyone who has one. I don't think CA has a legal mechanism for me to gift this ammo if I wanted to. I think there are one or maybe two .38 Super firearms on the DOJ Roster of Approved Handguns for Sale in CA but I don't really want to purchase a $800 to $1000 gun because I've got 3 boxes of ammo for it.
I have finally broken down and purchased ammo twice paying the $1 fee for the eligibility check.
Once was over 1K .22LR, a couple hundred 6.5 Grendel and a couple boxes of handgun ammo.
The guy in front of me was trying to buy a single box of .40 S&W 50 count hollow points. He picked up a second box when I mentioned if I was going to get taxed extra I wasn't buying any piddly amounts.
The second time was a case of 1000 9mm NATO that the local sporting goods shop had one a mediocre sale. I could have beaten the price mail order but I'd still have to have it shipped to a shop and go through the registration crap plus pay the shop receiving fees. I might have saved around $20 or so on the same ammo. Better to encourage this shop to keep selling rather than go all Walmart on us.