Being the owner of a firearm is with certain responsibilities. One of those responsibilities includes being aware of new legislation that is related to firearms. A person needs to be particularly aware of any updated firearm legislation that applies to any firearms they own. For example effective January 1, 2017 firearms equipped with something, commonly known as “bullet button” is now considered an assault weapon.

The initial law that was passed banned assault weapons, which included the AR – 15. Banning semi-automatic rifles with detachable magazines were included in the next law that was passed, and were considered assault weapons as well. So, how does a bullet button come into play?

What is a “Bullet Button”?

First it is important to understand what a “bullet button” is and how it’s being used on semi-automatic rifles. The way the law was defined it required that a magazine must be a permanent part of the rifle in order to fall outside of the assault weapon laws that were passed. A magazine would be considered permanently attached to the rifle if it required some sort of tool in order to remove it.

The “bullet button” was designed to make it very easy to use a small tool to push back the cover which is over the release. Once the small tool is pushed through to the release and pop the magazine out.

Updated Firearm Legislation

Pulled straight from the California DOJ Bureau of Firearms website:

Effective January 1, 2017, “Bullet Button” Firearms are Considered Assault Weapons

“Pursuant to Assembly Bill 1135 (Stats. 2016, Ch. 40) and Senate Bill 880 (Stats. 2016, Ch. 48) effective January 1, 2017, the definition of assault weapon is revised.”

“These bills require that any person who, from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2016, inclusive, lawfully possessed an assault weapon that does not have a fixed magazine, as defined in Penal Code section 30515, including those weapons with an ammunition feeding device that can be readily removed from the firearm with the use of a tool, shall register the firearm before January 1, 2018, but not before the effective date of the regulations adopted by the DOJ.”

UPDATE AS OF: Sun Oct 22 2017 15:29:24 GMT-0400 (Eastern Daylight Time):

The ability to register an Assault Weapon pursuant to Assembly Bill 1135 and Senate Bill 880, is now available. Additionally, pursuant to Assembly Bill 103 (Stats. 2017. Ch. 17), the assault weapon registration deadline has been extended through June 30, 2018.

The purpose of this legislation is to further define what the meaning of a fixed magazine is, to close the loop hole on “bullet buttons” and place any “bullet button” firearms into the correct category, assault weapons.

For further information and/or clarification please go to: https://oag.ca.gov/firearms. On the same webpage there is a link to help you register your assault weapon, should any firearm you own fall into this new legislation.