Congratulations on your decision to buy a firearm!

We hope you will have years of enjoyment with your purchase, and we hope you will spread the word about how fun the shooting sports are. There are myriad laws and regulations that must be followed to purchase a firearm, which have been summarized and simplified below. Because new laws and regulations are added frequently, be sure to check with your local firearms dealer before making a purchase to avoid potentially costly mistakes.

Federal and State law requires that you pass a background check before you can purchase a firearm. This is the DROS process. California also requires that you furnish either a hard copy Drivers License, or hard copy California ID card. The only exception is for Military Personnel on active duty, in which case a Military ID card is sufficient. If your Drivers License or ID card does not have your correct address, or has a PO box, you will need to furnish additional proof of residence, as described below.

After the DROS process is started, there is a ten day "cooling off" period, where we store your firearm(s). Literally, you may not pick up your firearm until ten 24 hour periods have elapsed. For example, if you purchase a firearm on the 4th of the month at 2:00, you may not pick up the firearm until after 2:00 on the 14th of the month. Also, the background check expires after 30 days, so if you leave your new firearm for more than 30 days, you will have to start another DROS process, and pay for the background check all over again, plus wait an additional 10 days.

Proof of residency

(Additional proof of residency is one of the following)

• Valid car registration with your name and address (no PO box allowed)
• Recent Utility bill with your name and address (no PO box allowed) Utility bills are Electric bills, Water bills, Garbage bills, Telephone bills (not Cell phone bills), Cable bills, Propane bills, and Satellite bills. Copies of your insurance bill, renewal notices for registration, etc. are not allowed.
• State or Federal permit or ID, with an expiration date, plus your current address. Note that passports are not allowed.
• Current Rental or Lease agreement, with your name and address on it.

Note: If you are not a citizen, you will be required to furnish your resident card, plus 3 consecutive months of recent utility bills to establish residency.

Between Federal, State, and local law, all firearms sold in our store must be sold with a California Certified Lock. If the firearm does not come with a lock, we are required to provide one at additional cost.

Additional requirements for handguns:

Handguns sold in California must be on the roster of handguns approved for sale in California. That list can be found here. The only exceptions are for Active Law Enforcement Officers, and Face to Face Private Party Transactions (see the Transfer Fees tab for a description of PPTs). Handgun buyers must furnish additional proof of residency, as listed above. Handgun buyers must have an active Handgun Safety Certificate. If you do not have an HSC card, you must pass a 30 question test, and pay a fee of $25 to acquire the card. We offer the test in the store, and it usually takes about 20 minutes to complete. Study guides are available online here, or you can purchase a hard copy guide in the store.