California
Permanent URL for this collectionhttps://dspace.firearmsresearchcenter.org/id/frc0001/3205
California
This jurisdictional hub aggregates FRC holdings related to California. It supports research on the state’s firearms history, technology, law, policy, and culture from the Spanish and Mexican periods through statehood to the present.
- Legal sources: statutes and session laws, administrative code, attorney general opinions, appellate decisions, and select municipal ordinances.
- Historical materials: newspapers, photographs, maps, catalogs, defense and aerospace industry records, law-enforcement and sporting archives, and oral histories tied to California people and places.
- Research outputs: technical reports, academic studies, training manuals, and curated datasets relevant to the state.
Cite the Firearms Research Center and the item’s handle/DOI when using materials. Rights and licensing vary by item.
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Item type:Item, The General Orders of the Board of Supervisors Providing Regulations for the Government of the City and County of San Francisco 95 (1881)(1880)Imposed license rates for sellers and keepers of gunpowder and shooting galleries.Item type:Item, S. Garfielde, Compiled Laws of the State of California 643-44 (1853)(1850)Ch. 125, div. 4, §§ 40-41: Prohibited dueling. Should the opponent be killed, violators and their seconds shall be punished in state prison for a term not less than one year but no more than five years.Item type:Item, Ordinance No. 237, in San Jose Common Council & Mayor (1854)(1854)§That from and after the approval of this Ordinance the Marshall shall every month make out a list of the houses, in which Gunpowder is kept, with the quantity, and shall report the same to the Mayor, and the Mayor shall deliver a copy of such list to the Foreman of the Fire Company.Item type:Item, Charter and Revised Ordinances of the City of San Jose 91 (1882)(1882)§§ 2-4: Prohibited the use or possession of any slung-shot, rubber sling, or other instrument or device by which missiles are hurled or projected. Also prohibited the wear or carry of any slung-shot, knuckles, or other similar instruments. Also prohibited the sale, or transfer to any minor under the age of twelve, any revolver, pistol, or other means to shoot bullets or missiles. Only public officers may wear or carry any pistol, dirk, or other dangerous weapon.Item type:Item, Ordinance No. 51: To Prevent the Carrying of Deadly Weapons, in The Santa Barbara Daily Press, June 2, 1876, at 1(1876)Allowing the mayor to issue a license to carry a concealed weapon to "to any peaceable person whose profession or occupation may require him to be out at late hours of the night."Item type:Item, San Francisco Municipal Reports for the Fiscal Year 1874-5, Ending June 30, 1875, at 886 (1875)(1887)General Orders, Order No. 1,226-Prohibiting the Carrying of Concealed Deadly Weapons, § 1. Approved July 9, 1875: Prohibited the concealed carry of any pistol, dirk, or other dangerous or deadly weapon.Item type:Item, Ordinance No. 264, in San Jose Common Council & Mayor (1854).(1854)No person shall discharge any fire arms of any description whatever in that portion of the city included within Main St & the Guadalupe river, and between Julian & William streetsItem type:Item, Charter and Ordinances of the City of Stockton 240 (1908)(1891)Ordinance No. 53: Prohibited the wear or concealed carry of any pistol, dirk, Bowie-Knife, slungshot, sand-club, metallic knuckles, or any other dangerous or deadly weapon.Item type:Item, San Francisco, Charter for the City 142 (1898)(1898)Every Police Officer shall, upon the arrest of any person charged with the commission of crime, search the person of such offender, and take from him all property and weapons, and forthwith deliver the same to the prison§keeper, who must deliver the same to the Property Clerk, to be by him kept until other disposition be made thereof according to law?Item type:Item, Charter for the City and County of San Francisco: Proposed by the Board of Freeholders, Elected in Pursuance of the Provisions of Section 8, Article XI, of the Constitution of the State of California 31 (1883)(1883)Empowered the local supervisors to regulate the sale and use of guns, pistol, firearms. Prohibited the sale of any toy cannon, gun, pistol, or other toy weapon to any minor or children.Item type:Item, Ordinances and Joint Resolutions of the City of San Francisco 220 (1854)(1853)Ordinance No. 498, section 13: Every person, house, or firm engaged in keeping a pistol or rifle shooting gallery, shall pay for a license to carry on the same, the sum of ten dollars per quarter, in addition to the amount of the powder license.Item type:Item, General Orders of the Board of Supervisors Providing Regulations for the Government of the City And County of San Francisco: Also, Ordinances of Park Commissioners 8 (1884)(1880)General Order no. 1,603-Relating to the Police Department, § 22-Prohibiting the Carrying of Concealed Deadly Weapons. Approved September 17, 1880: Prohibited the concealed carry of any pistol, dirk, or dangerous or deadly weapon.Item type:Item, San Francisco Municipal Reports for the Fiscal Year 1874-5, Ending June 30, 1875, at 887 (1875)(1872)Prohibited the carry or discharge of firearms within Golden Gate and Buena Vista park.Item type:Item, The General Orders of the Board of Supervisors, City and County of San Francisco 13 (1869)(1869)Prohibited the discharge of any cannon within the city, in the part of the county between Larkin and Ninth streets, or in the streets forming the water. Violators fined not less than one hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days.Item type:Item, Ordinance No. 84, in R.M. Clarken, Charter and Ordinances of the City of Sacramento 173 (1896)(1876)Prohibited the concealed carry of a pistol, dirk, or other dangerous or deadly weapon without a license.Item type:Item, General Municipal Ordinances of the City of Oakland, California 15 (1909)(1909)Prohibited the carry of firearms, shooting of birds, or throwing of stones or other missiles within the boundaries of any parkItem type:Item, 1849 Cal. Stat. 245(1849)An Act to Incorporate the City of San Francisco, § 127: Prohibited the carrying, with intent to assault any person, any pistol, gun, knife, dirk, bludgeon, or other offensive weapon with the intent to assault another person.. Punished by fine of up to $100 and imprisonment for up to 3 months.Item type:Item, An Ordinance to Prohibit the Carrying of Concealed Deadly Weapons, in St. Helena Star, December 9, 1884, at 2(1884)Prohibited the concealed carry of any pistol, dirk, sword, slung-shot, or other dangerous or deadly weapon. Violators fined not less than ten nor more than fifty dollars or imprisoned not less than one day nor more than thirty days.Item type:Item, City Ordinances of the City of Needles, in The Needles Eye, November 29, 1913, at 3(1913)Chapter 4, Article 4-Concealed Weapons, §§ 60-61. Approved November 28, 1913. Volume 25, Number 48. (Needles, California): Prohibited concealed carry of pistol, revolver, dirk, derringer, dagger, Bowie-knife, razor, brass knuckles, slung-shot, sand-bag, or other dangerous or deadly weapon.Item type:Item, 1851 Cal. Stat. 360-61(1851)An Act to Reincorporate the City of San Francisco, § 13: Granted the city of San Francisco authority to regulate houses for the storage of gun-powder and other combustibles.Item type:Item, 1874 Cal. Stat. 465(1874)An Act For the Protection of the Property At East Park, in Sacramento County, ch. CCCXXI (311), § 1: Prohibited discharge of any gun, pistol, or firearm within the grounds of East park of SacramentoItem type:Item, Fred L. Button, General Municipal Ordinances of the City of Oakland, California 218 (1895)(1890)Sec. 1, An Ordinance to Prohibit the Carrying of Concealed Weapons, No. 1141: Prohibited the wear or concealed carry without a permit of any pistol, slung-shot, brass or iron knuckles, sand club, dirk, Bowie-knife, iron bar, or other dangerous or deadly weapon.Item type:Item, Ordinance No. 10: An Ordinance Prohibiting the Carrying of Concealed Deadly Weapons, and Fixing the Penalty Therefor, in The Lompoc Record, August 21, 1888, at 2(1888)Prohibited the concealed carry of any pistol, revolver, dirk, stiletto, or other dangerous or deadly weapon.Item type:Item, Charter and Revised Ordinances of the City of Los Angeles 39 (1873)(1873)Prohibited discharge of any gun, pistol, rifle, or other description of fire-arms, or discharge of any air-gun within city fire limits. Violators fined give dollars for the first offence, ten dollars for the second offense, and not more than fifty dollars and imprisonment not exceeding ten days on the third offense.Item type:Item, The Ordinances of the City of Monterey: A Municipal Corporation of the State of California Under a Freeholder's Charter: Classified with Appendix Containing the Charter of Said City: February, 1913, at 112 (1913)(1892)Ordinance No. 49-To Prohibit the Carrying of Concealed Weapons, §§ 1-3: Prohibited the wear or concealed carry of any dirk, pistol, sword-cane, slung-shot, or other dangerous or deadly weapon.Item type:Item, Wm. M. Caswell, Revised Charter and Compiled Ordinances and Resolutions of the City of Los Angeles 85 (1878)(1878)Ordinance 35: Prohibited brandishing a weapon unless in self defense. Ordinance 36: Prohibited the carry of any dirk, pistol, sword-cane, slung-shot, or other dangerous or deadly weapon within the corporate limits of the city of Los Angeles. Violators fined not more than one hundred dollars, and imprisoned at the discretion of the mayor not to exceed ten days.Item type:Item, Charter and Revised Ordinances of the City of Eureka 251 (1905)(1878)Penal Ordinances, Ordinance No. 55- Prohibiting the Carrying of Concealed Weapons, §§ 1-4: Prohibited the concealed carry of any pistol, dirk, or dangerous or deadly weapon. Violators guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by fine not exceeding one hundred dollars, or imprisonment not exceeding ten days, or both.Item type:Item, Jener W. Nielson, Charter and Ordinances of the City of Fresno, California 52 (1916)(1891)No. 221, § 8: Prohibited the concealed carry of any pistol, firearm, slungshot, dirk, Bowie-knife, or other deadly weapon without written permission from the President of the Board of Trustees while within city limits. Violators guilty of a misdemeanor.Item type:Item, Jener W. Nielson, Charter and Ordinances of the City of Fresno, California 58 (1916)(1891)No. 221, § 53: Prohibited any junkshop keeper within city limits from hiring, loaning, or delivery to any minor under eighteen any gun, pistol, other firearm, dirk, Bowie-knife, powder, shot, bullets, any weapon, combustible, or other dangerous material without written permission from the parent or guardian. Note: California did not mention this only applied to junkshop keepers in their Rupp filingItem type:Item, L. W. Moultrie, Charter and Ordinances of the City of Fresno 30 (1896)(1896)Prohibited the concealed carrying of any pistol or firearm, slungshot, dirk, Bowie knife, or other deadly weapon, absent written permission.Item type:Item, Ordinance No. 6, in The Fresno Republican, November 7, 1885, at 3(1885)Prohibited the discharge of firearms within the corporate limits of the city. Violators guilty of a misdemeanor. Also prohibited the concealed carry of any pistol, firearm, slung-shot, dirk, Bowie-knife, or other deadly weapon.Item type:Item, L. W. Moultrie, Charter and Ordinances of the City of Fresno 37 (1896)(1896)Prohibited the transfer to any minor under the age of 18 any gun, pistol or other firearm, dirk, Bowie knife, powder, shot, bullets, or any combustible or dangerous material, absent written consent of parent or guardian.Item type:Item, 1931 Cal. Stat. 2316-17(1931)Ch. 1098, § 1: Prohibited noncitizens, felony convicts, or drug addicts from owning, possessing, or having under their custody or control any pistol, revolver, or concealable firearm; violators subject to fine or imprisonment.Item type:Item, 1923 Cal. Stat. 696-700(1923)Prohibited committing a felony while armed with weapons named in §1 or while armed with any pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed upon the person, without having a license to carry. Violators shall be punishable by felony, with imprisonment in a state prison for not less than five nor more than ten years.Item type:Item, 1933 Cal. Stat. 925(1933)Ch. 337, § 1: Required every person, firm, or corporation who knowingly posses or transports any form of shell, cartridge, or bomb containing or emitting tear gas is guilty of a public offense. Violators sentenced to state prison not exceeding two year or by fine not exceeding two thousand dollars, or both.Item type:Item, 1933 Cal. Stat. 1169-71(1933)Prohibited a person, firm, or corporation from selling, possessing or transporting a machine gun. Punishable by imprisonment up to 3 years and/or fine up to $5,000. Also expanded machine gun regulations by prohibiting most sales and possession, broadly defining machine guns, authorizing permit revocation, licensing dealers, and requiring detailed sales records and inspections.Item type:Item, 1927 Cal. Stat. 938(1927)ch. 552, §§ 1-2: Prohibited a person, firm, or corporation possessing a machine gun. Punishable by imprisonment up to 3 years and/or fine up to $5,000.Item type:Item, 1931 Cal. Stat. 2317(1931)Ch. 1098, § 9. Required every person in the business of selling, leasing, or otherwise transferring a pistol, revolver, or other firearm capable of being concealed, shall enter the time of sale, date of sale, name of the salesman, place it was sold, the make, model, manufacturer's number, caliber, and other marks of identification on such pistol, revolver, or other firearm.Item type:Item, Nathan Newmark, The Political Code of the State of California: As Enacted in 1872, and Amended in 1889: With Notes and References to the Decisions of the Supreme Court 963 (1889)(1889)§ 153: Any Municipal Council shall provide, by ordinance, all funds receive for licenses of the storage, manufacture, sale of gunpowder, blasting powder, gun cotton, fireworks, nitro-glycerine, dualine, or any explosive oils or compounds, or as a municipal tax all the same. These funds will be collected into a "Fireman's Charitable Fund."Item type:Item, 1875 Cal. Stat. 627-28(1875)Allowed the city of San Jose to regulate the storage of gunpowder and other combustibles and explosive substances within the incorporated limits of the city.