Gunforge: I've Done the Impossible

I've bought a new 'assault weapon' in California. Legally.

Bought it today. AR-15, carbine model. Rock River Arms upper, CMMG lower, 16" barrel, 6-position collapsing stock, flash hider, 10 round magazine. $1150 assembled and out the door (well, it will be out the door in 10 days). A little pricey, but I figured I'd never get one so what the hell? She looks like this, although with a traditional-style, removable carry handle and a smaller magazine:



What's the catch?

California's assault weapon law is mostly predicated on a gun having a detachable magazine. If it has a detachable magazine, it's an assault weapon if it has any of several features (pistol grip, flash hider, etc.). The definition of a detachable magazine is a storage device for ammo that can be removed without a tool.

So, some ingenuous type came up with a device that replaces the standard mag release on an AR type rifle. To release the mag with this device, you need a tool--like, say, the tip of a bullet--to push in a small detent. To insert a mag, you just slide one in like always. Voila. The magazine is not detachable, but can be quickly attached (and relatively quickly removed). Also, the receiver is not modified in any way, so if the gun someday moves to a less restrictive jurisdiction, the conventional mag release can be installed.

I know the legislature will get around to closing this loophole in another year or two, but that will likely mean I'll just have to register the gun. In the meantime, I can leave my Pre-ban AR at home and go plink with the new one and not have to worry about 'imperial entanglements.'

Next, I'm going to build an AR-10...

Gotten a whole pineapple up your ass?

It's been done, sorry, the Guiness people won't be interested.

...oh, sorry, I thought you were going a whole other way with that for some reason.

Spoilsport.

Well, Kudos to you.

I'm happy for you!

(Also jealous)

Let's save the fruit suppository jokes for the Red Room.

Just remember, when buying mags, silicone springs with mag-pull followers.

Picked her up today.

She's...beautiful.

I also saw a cool .22 rimfire upper assembly that looked very cool. It comes with a 10 shot magazine that is embedded in a 30-round AR magazine housing, so when it's all put together, it looks exactly like a CAR.

I like you Paladin. I'd shoot with you any day.

Well, here she is. Right next to her older, taller, near-twin sister.

I'm just so... about her!

The 30 rounder will snap in just fine (as will any AR mag), but, alas, it becomes an illegal assault weapon if I do it.

The only way to get a new rifle with a big clip is to (1) already own the clip and (2) buy a rifle that does not have a pistol grip. There are some non-pistol gripped ARs on the California market and, I s'ppose they're better suited for defense than a model with an attached magazine, but Jehosophat! are they ever ugly.

An ar with a non-detachable magazine and no pistol grip?

That's got to be... HELL to load.

Actually, you have two choices in California:

1) NO pistol grip but a detachable magazine, in which case the gun loads as normal. The grip just looks really ugly.

Or, what I have...

2) Pistol grip but with a non-detachable magazine. The magazine has to be removed with a tool. In my case, the magazine release has to be activated with a tool (a bullet, a pen, etc.) because it's down in a hole too small for my finger to enter. The gun still LOADS normally: snap a magazine in, charge it. But UNLOADING takes a couple of seconds longer.

^
Could Elwood's finger fit that release?

Okay, I've gotta ask. Why do all the civilian M4/16s have the plastic heat guards instead of rails system with the slides? I freaken hate that shit.

You can buy 'em with rails already. I have rails on mine.

But, it's the one figure the United States Army doesn't have to deal with. Cost. Plastic hand guards are cheaper than aluminum rails.

LE price for a Bushmaster 16" M4 clone: $799
LE price for aftermarket quad rails: $60
LE price for a Bushmaster 16" M4 clone with Bushmaster quad rails: $999

^
I woulda thought that the LE discount would be a little better than that.

Academy sports sells "optics ready" Bushmaster M4 clones with a receiver length Picatinny optics rail and the heavy oval handguards for $879 (and I've seen them on sale for less than that).

My figures are 6+ months old. It's been that long since I've looked at AR's. But, LE doesn't get a lot of discounts on a lot of weapons. GLOCK is by far the best, letting their LE dealers actually sell them below cost (and offering a rebate to the dealer) just to get them in the officer's hands.

I can buy a holsters and accessories cheaper than anyone out there, guaranteed. But, how much I save on the weapon to go in it depends on what it is and who makes it. For instance, SIG is miniscule and Browning offer no discount to LE or LE-only dealers.

Damn! I paid almost $200 for my Surefire rails.

I should note that my new carbine does have a rail on top of the receiver (the carry handle is removable). This makes sense for me because the only thing I want to mount on it is an EOS holographic sight.

However, a lot of tricked-out ARs with rails on the forearm do look pretty cool: forward pistol grip, tactical lights, etc. I may get some forward rails down the road.

Can you post a link to your sight please?

I wrote EOS above (I'm thinking Canon cameras)...it should've been EOTech (a division of L3).

Anyhow, here is the sight I'm interested in. It projects a holographic ring and dot into the reticle and it runs on AA batteries. It will mount on my rifle's rail.

That's a nice scope.

I'm surprised your state overlords would allow you to own it.

I ain't got it yet.

When are you planning on getting this?

Here's a picture of Bridgette in bench rest mode. She's usally sans bipod and scope replaced with an Eotech, leaning on the nightstand.

The rails are Midwest Industries. You simply take the stock handguards off and replace them with their two-piece rail. Good enough for a run-and-gun carbine.

I'll probably order it next week.

I'm thinking I may try to buy another AR-type rifle while the getting's good. I'm CERTAIN California will get around to closing this little loophole before too long (though, strangely, it seems to still be under the radar).

I'd really like an AR-10 with some good optics. I've also been shopping for a .45 (tried the Springfield XD45 last week and it rocked!). Then there's that Benelli shotgun I've had my eye on. Alas, all of those things aren't in the budget.