In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

Rossi Ranch Hand Legal in California?

A-6 IntruderA-6 Intruder Member Posts: 2 ✭✭
edited September 2013 in Ask the Experts
Getting mixed signals regarding Rossi's Ranch Hand as far as it's legality in California. Some say it cannot be sold in the state at all, some say it can be sold as a single shot (different ideas of how to make it a single shot), and others feel it is legal. Any thoughts from you great people?

A-6 Intruder[?]
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,892 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    For this type question, I find it easiest to use Davidson's Gallery of Guns website to get a quote; based on your zip code, they will determine whether or not a gun they have in stock can be delivered to you.

    The final authority on what you can buy is your local dealer. It's best to talk to him, he may be able to suggest a similar gun that DOES meet state/local requirements.

    Neal
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • yoshmysteryoshmyster Member Posts: 22,014 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    This is one of the odd guns. I've seen one (other branded mare's leg) at Gun Vault in Mountain View. The story around the camp fire is they can get them in to the state as a "single shot" with a magazine tube blocked. Now after one gets it home the owner can remove the block. Kind a like the AK pistol I saw at the gun show in Cow Palace last year.

    If the mare's leg at Gun Vault was a .45 LC I would've bought it but it was a .38/.357 [V]. Now the "trick" is to find the FFL who will get it in for you.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • dfletcherdfletcher Member Posts: 8,178 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by A-6 Intruder
    Getting mixed signals regarding Rossi's Ranch Hand as far as it's legality in California. Some say it cannot be sold in the state at all, some say it can be sold as a single shot (different ideas of how to make it a single shot), and others feel it is legal. Any thoughts from you great people?

    A-6 Intruder[?]


    I'm in CA.

    The Rossi Ranch Hand is a lever action pistol, I bought one a while back.

    In order to be sold in CA from FFL dealer stock a handgun must be on the "CA OK Roster" or have an exemption. Some examples of exemptions are C & R, SA revolvers or single shot handguns such as the T/C Encore. In its factory configuration the Rossi is not on the "CA OK Roster" and thus can not be brought into CA and sold "from inventory" by an FFL. The Rossi can be put into exempt status by plugging the tube magazine and the FFL selling it under the single shot exemption. This is perfectly legal, it's not a loophole, there's no "if you do it you'll get in trouble". Single shot exemption is done all the time.

    Once the Rossi is bought from FFL dealer stock the owner removes the plug and can use it as a repeater. Again, perfectly legal. If the owner gets tired of the Rossi, as I did, he can sell it in repeater form and doesn't need to retun it to "single shot" status. This is because the "CA OK Roster" applies only to FFL dealer sales, not to private party sales.

    Al perfectly legal - and a foolish law.

    The bad news is some FFL dealers don't want to be bothered. The good news is, if you decide to get rid of the Rossi it's a quick sale. I got tired of mine (plus the wood is terrible) pretty quickly. When I went to the gun store to put it on consignment (as a private sale) there were 2 or 3 guys lined up to buy the darn thing even before I signed it over.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Sign In or Register to comment.