Guns

A gun is generally referred to as a firearm by educated owners and in writing. Common firearms include handguns, rifles and shotguns. UC Davis and other public schools and facilities have strict regulations about possession of firearms, so please remove any guns from yer truck rack before coming to campus. Freshmen may register and store firearms with the UC Davis police department if they wish to keep firearms while living in the residence halls. In an attempt to encourage firearm safety, the Davis Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies periodically distribute free gunlocks as part of Project Childsafe so we can avoid accidental shootings — when available, locks are in the lobby behind the forms shelf. To learn about specific laws concerning gun ownership in California, please educate yourself on the California Department of Justice website.

• Handgun: A short gun intended to be held and fired with one hand. Handguns are a legally defined item and are subject to fairly strict ownership laws. For example, you must be 21 or older to buy one of these.
  

• Rifle: A gun intended to be held with both arms, and to be fired from the prone, standing and kneeling positions.
  

• Shotgun: A smoothbore firearm for firing round shot or large slugs.

1. All guns are always loaded. Even if they are not, treat them as if they are.
   

2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy. (For those who insist that this particular gun is unloaded, see Rule 1.)
   

3. Keep your finger off the trigger till your sights are on the target. This is the Golden Rule. Its violation is directly responsible for about 60 percent of inadvertent discharges.
   

4. Identify your target, and what is behind it. Never shoot at anything that you have not positively identified.

— Jeff Cooper

And for the children "If you see a gun, stop, don't touch it, go tell an adult."

• Big 5 Sporting Goods
  

• Vacaville Surplus & Guns - Across the street from The Shooting Gallery
  

• Guns and Gear of Vacaville AKA "Guns Fishing & Other Stuff" - Vacaville
  

the only place around here to get bulk lead shot (for reloading your shotgun shells!)


• River City Gun Exchange - Sacramento
  

good selection of new and used rifles, shotguns, and handguns, hunting and military surplus ammo


• The Gun Room - Elk Grove
  

a little further drive, but worth the effort.


• Many years ago, Davis Lumber had a sporting goods section. There also used to be The Shooting Gallery Inc. in Vacaville.
  

• Walmart - In California, Walmart sells only BB/airguns (since 2003), but they do sell extremely cheap 12 and 20 ga. shotgun shells.

• Go to gun store, pick out a gun ("I want THAT one!"). They'll help walk you through the rest.
  

• If you've picked a handgun, they'll ask you if you have a HSC (Handgun Safety Certificate). If you don't, leave. If you want one, you'll have to take a written test and pay about $25. If you have one, continue.
  

• Fill out a long boring form with your address, etc. For the background check. Make sure to answer NO to the Yes/No questions (e.g. Have you ever been judged mentally incompetent? NO... Have you ever been convicted of a felony? NO...) Unless of course the answer is Yes. If it is, just leave. You can't buy a gun.
  

• Put your thumbprint on the back of the form.
  

• They'll put your info into the magic computer, and keep your form on file for a few years. For handguns, the state government keeps your records too. Before you leave, they'll tell you whether you failed the background check or not. If you're a normal person, there should be no reason for you to fail. If you're a criminal, you should fail. At least that's the way it's supposed to work.
  

• If you passed, congratulations!
  

• Pay the store for your gun, some do half now/half later, others require full payment.
  

• Wait the state-mandated 10 day waiting period
  

• Then you can pick up your gun, provided of course that you have a gun safe. If you do not own a gun safe then you have to buy a cable lock. What, you already have a cable lock? No, you need to have bought one in the last 30 days, and have the receipt. The idea is for you to end up with a lock for each gun.
  

• For handguns, when you pick it up you're required to do a safety check with a store employee.
  

• People trafficking in firearms should be aware that in California, all transactions must be conducted through a licensed firearms dealer. Dealers are required to process private party transfers upon request, and may charge a nominal fee, not to exceed $10 per firearm. "Antique firearms" and curio or relic rifles/shotguns over 50 years old are exempt.

• Yolo Sportsmen's Association — Outdoor, County Road 29 and Aviation Avenue, Woodland. Near Yolo County Airport (must bring own guns)
  

• The Gun Room - Indoor, Elk Grove

• Safety First.
  

• Absolutely no practical jokes or horsing around. Guns are not toys.
  

• Each range has different rules. Take the time to learn the rules of the range you are at. The phrase "But they let me at..." should NEVER be uttered.
  

• An armed society is a polite society isn't just a quote from Robert Heinlein. Slow down and leave your ego behind.
  

• Never point any gun at anyone else. This means paying attention when moving the gun, or moving with the gun.
  

• Guns are loud. JabberWokky has a good friend who can't hear on his left side because a jackass thought it would be funny to fire off a round with the gun next to his head.
  

• Guns are sexy. Women at ranges tend to be offered plenty of assistance. Sometimes they can use it, and sometimes they know more about firearms than anybody else there. Offering assistance to newcomers is polite. Assuming every woman is new is not. They also aren't at the range to star in next year's Stacked and Packed calendar. They are there to practice.
  

• Guns should be left unloaded with the action open and the safety engaged (if it has one) except for when you are firing.
  

• Never put your finger on the trigger until you are ready to fire. If you are holding a gun, leave your index finger extended along the side of the firearm, only going inside the trigger guard when you are pointing at your target.
  

• It's bad manners to ask to look at another shooter's weapon. OTOH, if someone complements you on the quality of your weapon, you are obliged by custom to offer to let him/her look at it.
  

• The proper protocol for handing a weapon to another person is to do the following in the other person's presence... 1) point the weapon downrange 2) open the action 3) inspect the chamber for brass or a live round and clear it if necessary 4) hand the weapon to the other person grip or butt first with the action still open. The other person should verify that the chamber is empty as soon as he/she receives the weapon.
  

• Never dry-fire another person's weapon unless invited.
  

• Many of these and more are taught in safety courses. It is recommended that you attend one before you buy a gun. Most ranges schedule safety courses at various times.

Highly recommended to anyone even considering owning a firearm.

• Garen Wintemute