Below are all of the laws and ordiances for the city of San Diego, Californina pertaining to airguns, BB guns, pellet guns, air soft guns and the like:
§53.15 Air Guns, Sling Shots, Pointed Missiles, Etc. — Discharge, Propelling Prohibited
That it shall be unlawful for any person to discharge any air gun, or sling shot, or bean shooter, or throw, hurl, heave or propel any sharp pointed missile, or dart, or arrow upon any public street or sidewalk or public gathering place within the corporate limits of The City of San Diego.
(“Air Guns, Sling Shots, Pointed Missiles, Etc. — Discharge, Propelling Prohibited” incorp. 1–22–1952 by O–5046 N.S., contained in O–61 N.S., adopted 10–24–1932.)
§53.15.2 Possession of Air Guns, Pointed Missiles, Etc., by Minors
(a) Except as provided in this section, it is unlawful for any person under the age of eighteen to have in his or her possession, upon any public street or sidewalk or in any public gathering place within the corporate limits of the City any air gun, sharp pointed missile, dart or arrow, described in Municipal Code section 53.15.
(b) This section shall not apply to any minor engaged in supervised or otherwise lawful activity involving such weapons, or who is going to or returning from a place where the minor was engaged in such supervised or otherwise lawful activity.
(“Possession of Air Guns, Pointed Missiles, Etc., by Minors” added 3–17–1998 by O–18472 N.S.)
§53.16 Penalties for Firearms and Other Weapons Offenses
(a) A person is guilty of a separate punishable offense for each firing or discharge of a weapon described in Municipal Code sections 53.10 or 53.15.
(b) Minors arrested for a violation of Municipal Code sections 53.10, 53.15,
53.15.1 or 53.15.2 shall be subject to the provisions of section 602 of the
California Welfare and Institutions Code.
(c) Any parent or legal guardian, or person over the age of eighteen, is also guilty of a misdemeanor, if:
(1) he or she possesses on any premises or within a vehicle under his or
her custody or control, any of the firearms identified in Municipal
Code sections 53.10, and
(2) he or she knows or reasonably should know that a minor is likely to
gain access to such firearm, and
(3) a minor obtains and fires or discharges such firearm in violation of
sections 53.10.
(d) A violation of Municipal Code sections 53.10, 53.15 or 53.15.1 occurring
within 1,500 feet of a public or private day care center, school or school
grounds, is a misdemeanor, and the penalty for conviction of the same is punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000, or by imprisonment in the County jail for a period of not more than one year, or both. A violation of sections 53.10, 53.15 or 53.15.1 may also be prosecuted in accordance with Chapter 1 of the Municipal Code.
(“Penalties for Firearms and Other Weapons Offenses” added 3–17–1998 by
O-18472 N.S.)
§63.08 Possession of Firearms and Other Devices in Parks and Open Space Areas
No persons other than those persons specifically authorized by law or City permit so to do, shall use, possess, transport, carry, fire, or discharge any fireworks, firearm, air gun, archery device, slingshot or explosive of any kind across, on, or into any City park or designated open space area. “Designated open space area” for the purpose of this section shall mean those open space lands owned by the City and described in that document on file in the office of the City Clerk as Document No. 17082. The City Manager shall have the authority to add open space areas to said document as open space areas are acquired by the City.
In addition, no persons shall participate in activities utilizing laserscope–equipped guns or devices in any City park or designated open space area. For the purpose of this section, “activities” shall mean war games in which two or more persons participate, and “war games” shall mean any activity where one person attempts to strike another person with a laser light. For the purpose of this section “laserscope” means a portable battery–powered device capable of being attached to a firearm and capable of projecting a laser light on objects at a distance.
This section shall not be applicable to the extent any portion of a City park or designated open space area has been officially set aside or authorized for use by the public or any individual for any of the above prohibited uses.
With regard to, and only with regard to, unloaded firearms, unloaded air guns, laserscope–equipped guns or devices, archery devices and slingshots, a violation of this provision shall constitute an infraction with punishment as defined in Section 12.0201 of this Code. All other violations of this section shall constitute a misdemeanor and be punishable as set forth in Section 12.0201 of this Code.
(Amended 2–22–1994 by O–18035 N.S.)
In addition the the laws and ordinances of the city of San Diego, residents will also be required to abide by the laws regards airguns, BB guns, pellet guns and air soft guns put into place by the state of California. They include the following:
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.