California “Ammo Control” Measure Heading to the Ballot Box

It’s no secret that California is a terrible place to be a gun owner. Now they’re looking to make it even worse by requiring a background check at the time of purchase for any ammunition. The same measure would strengthen the state’s ability to steal guns from those whom it deems unworthy of owning them. To top it off, it would also reportedly make it illegal to *possess* a magazine capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammo.

And voters are being asked to decide whether this will become law or not.

Is it a good idea or a bad one to leave such things up to a popular vote? Depends on who you ask. Personally, I think it’s a bad idea.

Pure democracy is, after all, mob rule. That’s why the USA was founded as a Constitutional Republic; the clear and concise tenets of the Constitution restrict the powers of the various levels of government and guarantees that certain rights may not be denied under any conditions–including when a majority may be opposed to those rights for whatever reason.

That’s the premise, anyhow. But we live with the reality of our Constitution being abused and violated every single day, and it gets worse all the time.

Back to the California ballot measure: It’s horrible. Besides ammo background checks and the criminalization of magazines holding more than 10 rounds, it makes it easier for the state to take guns from people who bought them legally but were deemed unfit to own them at a later date. Those same people would not be allowed to buy ammunition.

Also: Lose a gun or have it stolen? Better report it to Big Brother, or be deemed a criminal!

Owners would be required to report lost or stolen guns to law enforcement. And the measure would reverse part of a 2014 voter-approved initiative by making it a felony to steal any gun, no matter its value.

Let’s face it, California’s government already does a bad enough job of safeguarding citizens’ individual freedom (which is really their only job). How ’bout not trying to do an end run around the legislative process?

Sigh. Why not try some real, true freedom? We haven’t had that for quite a while. Maybe it’s time to really give liberty a chance.

I guess we’ll have to wait until this fall to see how it pans out for the left coast. Unless the state legislature passes an equally oppressive measure before then.

Russ Chastain

Editor & Contributing Writer Russ Chastain is a lifelong hunter and shooter who has spent his life learning about hunting, shooting, guns, ammunition, gunsmithing, reloading, and bullet casting. He started toting his own gun in the woods at age nine and he's pursued deer with rifles since 1982, so his hunting knowledge has been growing for more than three and a half decades. His desire and ability to share this knowledge with others has also grown, and Russ has been professionally writing and editing original hunting & shooting content since 1998. Russ Chastain has a passion for sharing accurate, honest, interesting hunting & shooting knowledge and stories with people of all skill levels.