While PCP air rifles are not classified as "firearms" under California law and are generally legal to own, many retailers like Buds Gun Shop have adopted a policy of not selling them to California residents primarily to avoid compliance risks, legal liability, and logistical hurdles associated with the state's increasingly restrictive, and often ambiguous, gun laws, particularly with the introduction of AB 1263.
Here is a breakdown of why this happens:
Heightened Legal Liability (AB 1263 & FIRA): Effective January 1, 2026, AB 1263 significantly expands the "Firearm Industry Responsibility Act" (FIRA). It increases liability for retailers if a product they sell is misused, even if legal at the time of sale. Retailers fear that if a high-powered PCP air rifle is used in a crime, they could face costly lawsuits in California.
"Gun" Conflation & Compliance Fear: Many retailers have internal policies that treat anything that looks like a firearm or uses pressure to fire a projectile (like PCP airguns) with the same strictness as a firearm to avoid accidentally violating complex, changing California laws.
Administrative Hurdles (AB 1263): AB 1263 imposes strict, new, and sometimes confusing requirements for shipping "firearm-related products" to California, including age verification, mandatory buyer notifications, and adult signature upon delivery. Retailers often find it easier to stop shipping to California rather than managing this administrative burden.

Laws in California are confusing. Buds just doesn't want to get mixed up in possible litigation. Sorry that you can get your PCP air gun.

Good afternoon to you!! The laws for PCP air rifles and laws in California are confusing and complicated. Buds has the right to refuse to sale any product to any restricted state due to any reason. Sorry but I'm just a customer just like you and have no dog in the fight. Just telling you what I know. Hope this helps. Have a good rest of your day.
🇺🇸🇺🇸 'Merica' 🇺🇸🇺🇸

Buds restricts PCP air rifle sales to California because of their very strict and often complex state regulations, one such as AB2571.

Buds doesn't want to be caught up in any laws of a restrictive state, even if the current laws are not restrictive of that item. They are just keeping themselves safe from any possible illegal activity (past, current, or future).

Hi Rick and welcome to the community. Buds Gun Shop restricts PCP air rifle sales to California due to strict, complex, and evolving state regulations, including AB 2571 (marketing restrictions to minors) and increasing age-verification and shipping requirements for gun-related items. Compliance with these, along with specific local restrictions, often makes direct-to-consumer shipping legally burdensome for out-of-state retailers.
Age Verification and Delivery Laws: California requires stringent, verified, and documented age checks for airgun sales. Effective 2026, new rules require positive ID, adult signatures, and specific,, traceable shipping procedures for firearm-related items, increasing compliance hurdles.
Liability and Compliance: California’s AB 2571 prohibits marketing that could appeal to minors, which created high liability risks for companies selling air-powered weapons.
Local Regulations: Certain cities and counties in California have stricter ordinances on airguns than the state-wide Senate Office of Research report.
As a result, many retailers choose to bypass the complexity by not shipping these items to California.
Cheers and stay safe!

The law gives civil liability and heavy compliance requirements to sellers of any potentially restricted item. The cautious legal response to this is just to suspend sale of anything potentially problematic until the full implications can be evaluated, have seen several accessory manufacturers do it. Or beyond that, mistakes happen, ask customer service.