By Ralph Weller
CalNRA Contributing Editor

13 October, 1999 – We are beginning to receive confir-
mations from recipients of letters demanding destruction or
turn-in of rifles registered with the California Department
of Justice (DOJ). Essentially, certain rifles registered
with the Department of Justice after March 31, 1992 that are
listed in the 1989 Roberti-Roos Assault Weapon law are the
subject of the letter. This is not to be confused with the
SKS detachable magazine buyback program currently underway
by the DOJ. This is not the same. The new confiscation
order covers various firearms registered after March 31,
1992.

There is no money allocated by the state to buy back
these firearms. This is confiscation, pure and simple.

Handgun Control, Incorporated filed a lawsuit about two
years ago claiming that rifles registered after the March
31, 1992 cutoff date were done in violation of the 1989
Roberti-Roos law. The court agreed with HCI and the ruling
now forces the Department of Justice to demand their de-
struction or that they be turned in to a law enforcement
agency for disposal. This is the same Handgun Control, Inc.
that continually claims that it does not want to ban fire-
arms, just implement reasonable and common sense gun control
laws. Confiscation appears to be on their list of reason-
able and common sense measures.

We reported a few months ago the Cal DOJ was contem-
plating such an action but delayed the confiscation orders
pending an internal legal review by DOJ lawyers. Apparent-
ly, very quietly and without fanfare, they have launched the
confiscation orders to, what is believed to be, about 1500
law abiding citizens of California. The notice says that
failure to comply will result in criminal charges being
filed.

We urge those of you involved to review the following
page very closely and contact the law offices of Chuck
Michel. Mr. Michel and others are contemplating legal
action against the state and you may qualify for free legal
help.

http://www.calnra.org/plaintiffs.html

This action was avoidable if the legislature had taken
the appropriate legislative action this past session. The
same could have been done on the SKS decision as well.
However, they chose not to take any action and allow the
state to confiscate firearms. For the first time in Cali-
fornia history, law abiding citizens are being ordered to
turn in their guns under threat of criminal prosecution.

We hope to have a copy of a confiscation order (names
omitted) on our site sometime this weekend.

NRA Members’ Council of N. San Diego

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If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility
of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom,
go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms.
Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your
chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that
ye were our countrymen. — Samuel Adams, speech at the
Philadelphia State House, August 1, 1776.