Arsenal’s SAM7SF-84C, top, and SAM7UF-85C, bottom. The last of these guns is on their way to stores now. (Photo: Arsenal)
Arsenal, Inc. will no longer manufacture two models of California-compliant rifles due to recent changes to the state’s firearms laws. Arsenal is one of the top-tier manufacturers of AK-pattern rifles in the US and their products fetch a price premium wherever they are sold.
Recently California legislators passed a series of laws as part of a gun control package that gun rights supporters dubbed “gunmageddon.” The package was built on seven laws that expanded California’s “assault weapon” laws and banned the popular Bullet Button.
These laws curb or ban the sale of many rifles popular across California and the rest of the country. Due to this many companies will have to halt some or all sales to state residents.
“Arsenal Inc. appreciates the Second Amendment supporters and our enthusiasts from California and we remain dedicated to the right to bear arms for everyone,” said Arsenal in a statement.
“However, given the current laws and regulations in California and with less than three months left for the new laws to take effect, we regret to announce that the production of two of our California compliant rifles, the SAM7SF-84C and SAM7UF-85C,” said Arsenal. “All components for making the SAM7UF and SAM7SF into fixed-stock California-compliant rifles have been manufactured and the last units have rolled out of our production lines.”
The last batch of Arsenal rifles include two models, one with a tubular stock, side optics rail, enhanced pistol grip and thumb safety. The other model features a fixed underfolder-style stock and standard controls and no rail or included muzzle device. Both are built on Bulgarian-made milled forged receivers with chrome-lined hammer-forged barrels. They come equipped with 10-round non-detachable magazines that can be removed with an included tool.
If you’ve been thinking about getting one of these premium AK-pattern rifles your time is growing short.
See Also: U.S. Appeals Court Shuts Down California Gun Store Ban
Arsenal won’t be alone in this. Vendors across the country will be forced to abandon the state for the foreseeable future. Additionally, California uses a roster of approved handguns that’s also rapidly shrinking.
Other parts of California’s new gun control package include background checks on all ammunition sales and a total ban on magazines and magazine components that can hold ten or more rounds of ammunition.
And in the immediate wake of passing this latest gun control package, some California legislators are looking to pass even tougher gun, magazine and ammo bans with the upcoming November ballot. The new legislation, Proposition 63 or the “Safety for All Act” will look to make existing anti-gun laws even harder for voters to repeal.
Proposition 63, led by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, would amend the state constitution to include the new gun control bills.
The proposed legislation “largely duplicates several of the laws passed by the governor and the legislature,” explains the Fresno Bee. “If approved, Proposition 63 would become part of the state Constitution, thus requiring future voter approval to tweak or eliminate gun control provisions resulting in unintended consequences.”
California is the gun control laws proving ground for all other states that have similar intent of depriving the American citizen of their 2nd Amendment rights. Once they get their laws passed, other copy-cat states (examples; Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York) will be soon to follow. Couple that with a Hillary Clinton picked Supreme Court, and you have the final countdown to total gun prohibition, registration, and ultimate confiscation. The future of the 2nd Amendment looks dim.
Screw CA, I can never go back.
So few of the guns I own could cross the border.
It’s so sad, commie California is getting worse and worse when it comes to anti-gun laws.
Why do the people of Cal.not vote all the anti gun leaders out and take their state back? It seems like they want the free states to feel sorry for them and come rescue them.Sorry but this is in your hands,get out and vote it’s not that hard or pack up n let the anti’s have it that can be their state n they can leave the rest of us alone.But then when all the crimes go up they’d want us to bail them out of that.Kind of scary how we’re already calling them free states.If Hillary goes in that’s what it’ll be,n that’s real scary.I have never been nervous about an election till now,n it’s not just about guns,she truly wants to be a dictator. Thanks for your time.
What you fail to realize is that California has been taken over by a bunch of liberal loons who have lost the ability to use common sense. Couple this with the huge influx of hispanic voters who tend to vote democrat and are basically people who vote for their own benefit, not the common good and you have the mess that we now live with.
Spoken like a like a true gentalmen
ALL gun and ammunition manufacturers need to discontinue sales of all arm and ammunition to any state or local agency in the Peoples Republic of California immediately. If the people can’t have it the government should not have it either.
EXACTLY
Forgetting that NOT ONE SINGLE CONSTITUTIONAL LAW has ever been passed, hitting them where it hurts is the only option; Financial, or if the People can’t have have, then the tyrannical government cannot, either.
I fully agree! No more sales to any state or state agency with these type of restrictions. No more guns or ammo….including to law enforcement. Same should be done for federal agencies enforcing these type of idiotic pointless laws. Say NO to the Police State!!!! And yes, the ultimate goal is a total disarming of the entire populace except the govt. They are just trying to be not-so obvious about it. Let them pass these laws and time will show that it DOES NOT stop criminals from breaking the law. It does NOT make citizens safer. It puts people in danger.
What a terrible and horrific assault on our constitutional rights by wack job libernazis. Thank God I don’t live in that screwed up bankrupt state (financially, constitutionally and morally). I can only force myself to visit them get the hell back out of it. Hope it falls into the ocean. If Hillbillary and her corrupt mindless sheep following ilk come into power we will need our right to bear arms. Locked and loaded
I wanted to add that ARs can still be legally sold after the law goes into effect if one of two conditions is met: either it is a “featureless” build having a standard stock configuration (which allows for a removable ten round mag) or the magazine of a nonfeatureless rifle to be permanently fixed so that it must be top loaded. Leastways this is the intent of the law. There may be a third option that has yet to be tested. The law requires that the action must be “disassembled” to remove the mag, meaning that the upper and the lower have to be separated. To go back in time, when the original ban went into effect in 1989, the only way to load a fixed magazine AR was to pop the rear pin, open the action, and load from above. However, just as that law was circumvented by the California Bullet Button, an enterprising individual has designed a mag release device that only operates if the two receivers are slightly separated, speeding up the whole reloading process. The legality of this device has not yet been established. (As an aside, all existing AR rifles will be deemed “assault weapons” as of the first of the year, and must be registered within one year. The big question is, since they will join the ranks of “assault weapons” banned in 1989, whether people will be allowed to remove their bullet buttons and put in standard mag releases.)
I do not know what happens with the AK rifles. I am not terribly familiar with these rifles, but as I understand it, if the magazine is permanently fixed, they cannot be top loaded without field stripping the rifle. Not something anyone wants to do. So other than grandfathered guns (which will now be nontransferable “assault weapons,” the only legal weapons, as far as I can tell, will be top loaded SKS style rifles.
The Fresno Bee is wrong. Although many voter initiative propositions amend the state constitution, Prop 63 purports to amend only the Penal Code, and can be amended by a majority vote in the Legislature of a bill signed by the governor. In fact, one of the bills signed by Brown purports to amend proposition 63 should it be passed. (Whether or not that maneuver works is yet to be seen.)
Second, the ammo law that has been signed and goes into effect does not require a “background check” as that term is commonly used and understood. It merely requires that the buyer’s name be checked against the California APPS list (armed prohibited persons system), which has a list of all California felons, those involuntarily committed to a mental institution, and those subject to a restraining order. It is not the same full blown (10 day) background check performed for the purchase of a firearm, nor a NICS check. Newsome’s loathsome Prop 63 requires an ammo license ($50, good for four years), plus a NICS check for each purchase (fee unspecified). While neither law expressly bans internet sales of ammo, all ammo has to be sent to a licensed ammunition vendor so that the required record keeping and background checks can be performed. Both ban bringing ammo into the state personally, unless processed through an ammo vendor. (Tag on $10.) Neither law goes into full effect until 1/1-18, so we have a bit of time to stock up. Despite protestations to the contrary, neither law will do anything to reduce crime, but both will work to make the sport of shooting too 3xpensive, thus attacking gun culture at its roots.
As to the Roster, the downward spiral has slowed, as only 100 models have dropped off in the last couple of years, leaving us with 770 handguns of both types from which to choose (the majority of which are revolvers I would think). Colts are history, except for one single model, and the same for Ruger, except for revolvers. This is as intended. Hopefully the next attorney general will realize that “microstamping” does not exist and reverse the executive order of current AG Kamala Harris that imposed the new pistol ban. (She is running to replace Babs Boxer in the US Senate where she can continue her anti-gun crusade.)
I urge California to do as Connecticut and New York have done and NOT comply. This is ridiculous and only effects legal gun owners. Try getting the Sig Sauer 320 in CA as you cannot because it’s banned. I am so sick and tired of the sheep in California mindlessly being lead around by legislators who are violating their oath to defend the Constitution. One day these Liberals will see they have stepped to far, unfortunately that day will be when Patriots start shooting these traitors to the Constitution. They are most definitely domestic enemies.
Thank you for the sane explanation of the laws.
We just introduced our limited edition ‘Nobody Needs An AR-15! Well, Nobody Needs A Whiney Little B-i-t-c-h. Yet Here You Are’ tee. Get it here – https://teespring.com/your-ar15