Air gun laws in California

Every person who sells any BB device to a minor is guilty of a misdemeanor.

(a) Any person who, for commercial purposes, purchases, sells, manufactures, ships, transports, distributes, or receives, by mail order or in any other manner, an imitation firearm, except as authorized by this section, is liable for a civil fine in an action brought by the city attorney or the district attorney of not more than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for each violation. (b) The manufacture, purchase, sale, shipping, transport, distribution, or receipt, by mail or in any other manner, of an imitation firearm is authorized if the device is manufactured, purchased, sold, shipped, transported, distributed, or received for any of the following purposes: (1) Solely for export in interstate or foreign commerce. (2) Solely for lawful use in theatrical productions, including motion picture, television, and stage productions. (3) For use in a certified or regulated sporting event or competition. (4) For use in military or civil defense activities, or ceremonial activities. (5) For public displays authorized by public or private schools.

(4) A BB device that is an airsoft gun that expels a projectile, such as a BB or pellet, that is 6mm or 8mm caliber which meets the following: (A) If the airsoft gun is configured as a handgun, in addition to the blaze orange ring on the barrel required by federal law, the airsoft gun has a trigger guard that has fluorescent coloration over the entire guard, and there is a two centimeter wide adhesive band around the circumference of the protruding pistol grip that has fluorescent coloration. (B) If the airsoft gun is configured as a rifle or long gun, in addition to the blaze orange ring on the barrel required by federal law, the airsoft gun has a trigger guard that has fluorescent coloration over the entire guard, and there is a two centimeter wide adhesive band with fluorescent coloring around the circumference of any two of the following: (i) The protruding pistol grip. (ii) The buttstock. (iii) A protruding ammunition magazine or clip.

§ 1272.1 Applicability. This part applies to toy, look-alike, and imitation firearms ("devices") having the appearance, shape, and/or configuration of a firearm and produced or manufactured and entered into commerce on or after May 5, 1989, including devices modelled on real firearms manufactured, designed, and produced since 1898. This part does not apply to: (a) Non-firing collector replica antique firearms, which look authentic and may be a scale model but are not intended as toys modelled on real firearms designed, manufactured, and produced prior to 1898; (b) Traditional B-B, paint-ball, or pellet-firing air guns that expel a projectile through the force of compressed air, compressed gas or mechanical spring action, or any combination thereof, as described in ASTM F589-85, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Non-Powder Guns.
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(c) Decorative, ornamental, and miniature objects having the appearance, shape and/or configuration of a firearm, including those intended to be displayed on a desk or worn on bracelets, necklaces, key chains, and so on, provided that the objects measure no more than thirty-eight (38) millimeters in height by seventy (70) millimeters in length, the length measurement excluding any gun stock length measurement.
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§ 1272.2 Prohibitions. No person shall manufacture, enter into commerce, ship, transport, or receive any toy, look-alike, or imitation firearm ("device") covered by this part as set forth in § 1272.1 unless such device contains, or has affixed to it, one of the markings set forth in § 1272.3, or unless this prohibition has been waived by § 1272.4.
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§ 1272.3 Approved markings. The following markings are approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission: (a) A blaze orange (AMS STD 595A-17 color 12199) or orange color brighter than that specified by the AMS standard color number, solid plug permanently affixed to the muzzle end of the barrel as an integral part of the entire device and recessed no more than 6 millimeters from the muzzle end of the barrel. (b) A blaze orange (AMS STD 595A-17 color 12199) or orange color brighter than that specified by the AMS standard color number, marking permanently affixed to the exterior surface of the barrel, covering the circumference of the barrel from the muzzle end for a depth of at least 6 millimeters. (c) Construction of the device entirely of transparent or translucent materials which permits unmistakable observation of the device's complete contents. (d) Coloration of the entire exterior surface of the device in 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.

Air Guns: Mailable air guns (refer to 431.7 ) that do not fall within the definition of firearms under 431.1 and are capable of being concealed on a person are mailable, but must include Adult Signature service per DMM 503.8. Mailers must comply with all applicable state and local regulations.

Air Guns: Air guns (refer to 431.7 ) that do not fall within the definition of firearms under 431.1 (a) are mailable. Shipments containing air guns with a muzzle velocity of 400 or more feet per second (fps) must include an Adult Signature service per DMM 503.8.