PPT of a pistol with threaded barrel in CA, possible?

[GixxerGuy]

I have a friend that legal has a Mark 23 registered to him, and has had it here in CA for many years. He is moving and selling it, and I would like to purchase it. As some of you may know, this gun comes stock with a threaded barrel. What can I do to have to transferred to me?

Thanks

[jdben92883]

PPT it with an unthreaded barrel one way or another (cut/crown, mill off threads, bonded pressure sleeve, difficult-to-source non-threaded aftermarket).

No other way to do it...the question comes up every so often.

[chainsaw]

Anytime there is a threaded barrel in the gun, it is legally considered an assault weapon in this state.

Let us assume that it is registered as an assault weapon. If it is not, the current owner is already committing a serious crime, and you should not go anywhere near the gun or him/her.

In California, registered assault weapons are de-facto non transferrable; there are some legal exceptions, but they don't apply in practice. So the current owner has four options: (a) keep the gun, assuming it is legal to own in the place where he/she wants to move, (b) turn the gun to law enforcement to have it destroyed, (c) find a dealer with an assault weapons license to sell it out of state, and (d) make it so it is no longer an assault weapon. It seems that the current owner doesn't want to do (a), and option (b) is probably not desirable. Option (c) is possible, but expensive and difficult, and doesn't accomplish what you want. This leaves option (d).

The way to accomplish this is to remove the threads from the barrel first. There are two ways to do that. One, have a gunsmith grind off the threads from the current barrel. Since that barrel is numbered en suite with the gun, this will greatly reduce the value of the gun. Two, buy a spare barrel, and remove the threads from the spare (or get an unthreaded spare to begin with). Then take the threaded barrel out of the gun, and never ever put it back in. I'm quite sure H&L sells barrels as a spare part, and if I remember right (I used to be a H&K fanboy), Jarvis or some similar barrel maker sells MK23 barrels without threads.

I think that after removing the threads from the barrel, the owner may have to contact the state DoJ, and file some sort of form to remove the assault weapon status from the gun. I'm not sure that there is a form for that, nor do I know whether this is legally required. I would consult a lawyer to get an opinion whether the gun has to be unregistered to cease to be an AW, or whether removing the threads is sufficient.

Once the gun no longer has threads, and perhaps once it is unregistered, it can be PPT'ed, just like any other handgun. It may be very hard to find a FFL willing to do that, since most will freak out when they say a MK23, and automatically assume that it is an AW.

There are quite a few MK23s in California; some of them are registered and have threaded barrels, others have been equipped with neutered barrels. I know a person who has 4 of them. They are not all that rare.

[chainsaw]

And now time for an obnoxious, snarky, and condescending remark. I've seen MK23s, held them, and shot them (exactly once). They are big and clunky, even more so than the usual USP 45's. I would not waste my money on one, as a shooter. Perhaps as a collectible, to round out a set of "everything H&K ever built". Other than that, it is just a status symbol. And because of its rather large size, it can serve very well to compensate for being not so well equipped in another department, which seems to me to be the primary reason many people buy very large hand cannons. To be honest, I also own some very large handguns, but I don't think I have to compete in the "who has the largest thingie" category.

Now, a P7M13 or P9S, that's an interesting pistol, and quite shootable. I wouldn't mind owning one of those.

[GixxerGuy]

I have been looking for extra barrels, but only thing I can find is a factory one from HK and they want 500 bucks :/ No luck with Jarvis either...

[GixxerGuy]

I am a huge fan of the p7m13 as well, just hard to find and very expensive. I have gotten to shoot the mark23 on multiple occasions and its just sooooo dang accurate. That's why I would really like it in my collection. No need to compensate lol, im married.

[MMXX]

Can you just PPT the pistol with out a barrel in it? I'm (almost) sure you can own a threaded barrel just not put it in the pistol until you're out of state.

[12voltguy]

LOCK the ZERO rd mag
install a chunk of wood or plastic so it's a sled
single shot exempt
SSE
same way you do an AR15 pistol

[dyson]

block the mag
install a chunk of wood or plastic so it's a sled
single shot exempt
SSE
same way you do an AR15 pistol

you cant have a detachable mag and a threaded barrel. ar pistols have a mag lock.

[Oceanbob]

To avoid the BS I would permanently pin a thread protector on the barrel. Then do a normal PPT.

Also the mags need to be 10 rounds or less.

Neat weapon regardless of your shoe size. I've often considered getting one.

The only thing I don't like about it is the modifications needed to keep it in Kalifornistan. Also I hear the frame is painted and it chips off.

Post some photos for us.

[GixxerGuy]

Cant pin a thread protector because then you wont be able to disassemble and clean, because then the barrel wont fit back through the slide.

So I am pretty much decided on finding another barrel, shaving the threads off, then PPT.

Any help on finding a barrel??

[12voltguy]

you cant have a detachable mag and a threaded barrel. ar pistols have a mag lock.

I ment to type lock the mag,0 rd mag sled
I would think anyone would see that
I have ar pistols,I know they have mag locks

[chainsaw]

If Jarvis doesn't do it, then your only option is probably a stock H&K barrel. Think of it this way: Saving the original barrel preserves more than $500 of value. Expensive, but a good investment.

Note that the MK23 isn't the only pistol with this problem. Another commonly desired pistol is the USP Tactical (which is particularly dumb do want, because it is just a USP with raised sights and the better trigger, once you remove the threads). I own a Sig P210-5 that a previous owner cut the barrel on.

[chainsaw]

Can you just PPT the pistol with out a barrel in it? I'm (almost) sure you can own a threaded barrel just not put it in the pistol until you're out of state.

How would you do the safe handling demonstration? Without a safe handling demonstration it can't be transferred, right? Or does that only apply to dealer sales, not to PPTs?

Plus, while in theory California law doesn't have a concept of constructive possession of AW parts, that theory isn't completely leakproof, as the Nguyen case has demonstrated. Owning a pistol frame without barrel, and a threaded barrel, and the only way to make it functional is to assemble it as an AW is a bit risky.

[GixxerGuy]

I think the safe handling is only for dealer sales, never had to do it on any of my other PPT's. I just cant find anyone with barrels, threaded or non, and I really want to move on this..

Thanks for all the help so far guys!