Firearms and Weapons Charges and Offenses- All you need to Know!

Rifles for sale in California

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Several states of America have strict gun laws and regulation like Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Hawaii and New Jersey to name a few but the number one state in gun laws is California.  It is known to have one of the most stringent and strict gun laws and has a ranking of A in gun laws which it shares with only one other state, New Jersey. California has over 100+ laws, guidelines, rules and regulations right from the point of buying rifles for sale in California to carrying it around to safely putting it in the confines of your home. There are so many gun laws in the state of California that there’s a high probability of getting yourself caught in a firearm related offense.

The firearm laws in California are so harsh and rigorous that a conviction can have devastating consequences for your life and future. Although these laws are meant to ensure that the crime rate and gun related mishaps and incidents remain under control. However, what actually happens is that the innocent and not-so-informed citizens of the state get caught in this web of laws ending up getting convicted for something as simple as carrying a weapon outside, in the open. There is a common phrase that best suits the gun laws in California “Use a gun and you’re done” but if you are a little more mindful, informed and educated then you can have the empowerment of having a legal gun yet staying in the bounds set out by the authorities. Gun stores in San Diego can guide you very well on these basic laws.

Let’s look in depth about the firearms, weapons and ammunition charges and how to protect yourself against a charge.

Most Commonly Charged Gun Offenses in California 

The primary intention of strict California gun laws is to make sure no gun owner is a threat to any individual under any given circumstances. The most common firearm charges that everyone needs to know before owning a gun are as follows.

1.            Penal Code 25850 PC- this is the most common gun offense that many gun owners do innocently. In California, it’s not allowed to carry a loaded firearm in any public place or carry it in your vehicle. This offense can escalate pretty quickly and may go from a misdemeanor to a felony pretty quickly so be very careful.

2.            Penal Code 25400 PC- this one is pretty similar to the earlier offense the difference here is that even if you’re carrying a concealed gun in your car or with you, it should be unloaded. Getting caught with a concealed carry loaded gun on you can lead to severe penalties especially in a public place or near schools.

3.            Penal Code 245 PC- this offense is when a gun owner harms or assaults someone else with a deadly weapon like rifles for sale in California. It is a punishable offense even if the assault is successful or not.

4.            Penal Code 26100 PC- this offense is when a person either drives, fires or even sits in a car that is driving by and shooting a building, vehicle, person or group. You will be convicted in any of the three cases but if you own the gun the consequences will be more severe.

5.            Penal Code 417 PC- another grave crime is brandishing or blunt display of a weapon in an aggressive way like pointing at someone, threatening to harm or pulling the trigger to scare someone. This crime gets heated if someone actually gets hurt.

6.            Penal Code 30605 PC- assault weapons are a serious no-go when it comes to the state of California. Assault rifles like AR-15 which have more than 10 rounds of capacity or have any of the accessories like pistol grip, grenade launchers or flashlights are completely not allowed. Owning an assault rifle in California can lead to a long term in jail.

Different Levels of Offenses

If you’re caught doing any of the above mentioned offenses you will be categorized in two crimes- Misdemeanor and Felony. A misdemeanor means that the offense is not very grave and the person is still very much redeemable. In a misdemeanor the punishment is up to a full year and/or a fine of up to $1000. A felony is a serious offense which can lead to a prison time starting from 1 year till 20 years! Furthermore there are gun enhancements which are additional penalties that can be included to the original offense.

How to defend yourself Against Firearm offenses?

If you are caught for a weapon crime, there are can serious consequences so you must be ready to defend yourself. You can defend by pleading self-defense, accidental firing, lack of knowledge, no probable cause, unlawful search and capture and other solid reasons.

Conclusion

Firearms, weapons and ammunition charges can have life altering consequences, it's best to be more informed and knowledgeable about these before buying a gun.