Below are the laws and ordinances for the city of Long Beach, California concerning airguns, BB guns, pellet guns and airsoft guns:
9.52.010 – Sale of ammunition prohibited.
No person as principal, agent or otherwise, shall sell, exchange, give or loan any BB shot, pellet, or other missile designed or intended for use in any spring gun, air gun, air pistol or other pistol or gun, or any cartridge, shell or other device containing any explosive and designed or intended for use in any gun, revolver, pistol, or firearm of any description to any person under the age of eighteen years.
(Prior code § 4180.5).
9.52.020 – Possession prohibited.
No person, as principal, agent or otherwise, under the age of eighteen years, shall have in his or her possession, care, custody or control, any gun, revolver, pistol, spring gun, air gun or firearm of any description, or any cartridge, shell or other device containing any explosive, and designed or intended for use in any gun, revolver, pistol or firearm of any description, or any explosive ammunition of any description whatsoever.
9.62.010 – Permit required.
No person shall shoot or discharge any gun, compressed air gun, rifle, pistol, or other firearm without first having obtained a written permit from the chief of police so to do; provided, however, that nothing contained in this section shall apply to the shooting or discharging of any gun, pistol or other firearm by any police officers or other law enforcement agent in the discharge of his or her official duties, nor to the discharge or shooting of firearms in any licensed shooting gallery, target or other gun or rifle range or any theatrical performance or exhibition.
(Prior code § 4130.5)
9.37.090 – Nuisance defined.
S. The discharge of any gun, compressed air gun, rifle, pistol or other firearm in violation of Chapter 9.62 of this Code.
In addition to the laws and ordinances for the city of Long Beach, the state of California also has several laws on their books concerning airguns, BB guns, pellet guns and airsoft guns. Here are the laws for the State of California:
California State Air-gun laws defined:
California prohibits any person from:
- Selling a BB gun device to a person under the age 18. This includes any instrument that expels a projectile, such as a BB or a pellet, not exceeding 6mm caliber, through the force of air pressure, gas pressure, or spring action, or any spot marker gun.
- Furnishing a BB gun device to a person under age 18 without the permission of the minor’s parent or legal guardian.
- Possessing any instrument that expels a metallic projectile such as a BB or a pellet, through the force of air pressure, CO2 pressure, or spring action, or any spot marker gun, on the grounds of or within any public or private school providing instruction in grades K-12, without the written permission of the school principal.
- Drawing or exhibiting an imitation firearm in a threatening manner in such a way that a reasonable person would fear bodily harm, except in self-defense. An imitation firearm includes any BB gun device, toy gun, replica of a firearm, or other device that is similar in coloration and overall appearance to an existing firearm that a reasonable person would perceive that the device is a firearm.
- Openly displaying or exposing any imitation firearm in a public place. A public place refers to any area open to the public and includes streets, sidewalks, bridges, alleys, plazas, parks, driveways, front yards, parking lots, automobiles, buildings open to the general public, including those that serve food or drink or provide entertainment, the doorways and entrances to buildings or dwellings, and public schools and public or private colleges and universities. This prohibition does not apply to an imitation firearm whose entire surface is certain bright colors, or which is entirely transparent so that the contents are completely visible.
- Knowingly possessing an imitation firearm or any instrument that expels any metallic projectile, such as a BB or pellet, through the force of air pressure, CO2 pressure, or spring action, within the sterile area of a public transit facility, if the sterile area is posted with a statement providing reasonable notice of the prohibition.“Sterile area” means any portion of a public transit facility that is generally controlled in a manner consistent with the public transit authority’s security plan. This prohibition does not apply to persons licensed to carry a concealed weapon.
- Carrying or possessing an instrument that expels any metallic projectile, such as a BB or pellet, through the force of air pressure, CO2 pressure, or spring action, in the State Capitol, any legislative office, any office of the Governor or other constitutional officer, or any hearing room in which any committee of the Senate or Assembly is conducting a hearing, or upon the grounds of the State Capitol, which is bounded by 10th, L, 15th, and N Streets in the City of Sacramento, if the firearm is loaded, or the area is posted with a statement providing reasonable notice.
California law also prohibits purchasing, selling, manufacturing, shipping, transporting, distributing, or receiving an imitation firearm for commercial purposes unless the imitation firearm is one of the following:
- A non-firing collector’s replica that is historically significant and offered for sale in conjunction with a wall plaque or presentation case;
- A BB device; or
- A device where the entire surface is certain bright colors, or which is entirely transparent so that the contents are completely visible.
This prohibition does not prevent the manufacture, purchase, sale, shipping, transport, distribution, or receipt, by mail or in any other manner, of imitation firearms:
- Solely for export in interstate or foreign commerce;
- Solely for lawful use in theatrical productions, including motion picture, television, and stage productions;
- For use in a certified or regulated sporting event or competition;
- For use in military or civil defense activities, or ceremonial activities; or
- For public displays authorized by public or private schools.
California law also prohibits changing, altering, removing, or obliterating any coloration or markings required for any imitation firearm or device as described above in any way that makes the imitation firearm or device look more like a firearm.
California law requires any imitation firearm manufactured after July 1, 2005 to have, at the time of offer for sale in California, a conspicuous advisory in writing as part of the packaging, stating that:
1) the product may be mistaken for a real firearm by law enforcement officers or others;
2) altering the coloration or markings required by law to make the product look more like an actual firearm is dangerous and possibly illegal; and
3) brandishing or displaying the imitation firearm in public may cause confusion and be a crime.
More specifically, this prohibition does not apply to any imitation firearm whose entire surface is white, bright red, bright orange, bright yellow, bright green, bright blue, bright pink, or bright purple, either singly or as the predominant color in combination with other colors in any pattern, or which is entirely constructed of transparent or translucent materials that permit unmistakable observation of the device’s complete contents.
This provision also does not apply to any manufacturer, importer, or distributor of imitation firearms, or to their lawful use in theatrical productions. Cal. Penal Code § 20150.
Any manufacturer, importer, or distributor that fails to comply with this requirement is liable for maximum civil fines of $1,000 for the first violation, $5,000 for the section violation, and $10,000 for the third and subsequent violations.