Understanding the Impact of California’s Handgun Roster Changes

While the Second Amendment guarantees the right to keep and bear arms, states like California continue to chip away at that freedom under the guise of safety regulations. Recent changes to the California handgun roster are a clear example of overreach, placing burdensome restrictions on law-abiding citizens and potentially removing some of the most popular pistols from the market. At Fortress Firearms Training in Fountain Inn, South Carolina, we recognize the danger in allowing such legislation to go unchecked.

What Is the California Handgun Roster?

California’s “Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale” dictates what semi-automatic pistols can legally be sold within the state. In theory, it was created to ensure that only “safe” firearms are available to residents. However, the process is deeply flawed and heavily politicized.

For a handgun to appear on the roster, it must pass a series of state-mandated tests and—most controversially—include specific features like microstamping technology. This requirement has automatically excluded many popular and reliable handguns from being sold in California because the technology is either not feasible or not commercially viable. That alone has raised red flags for many pro-2A advocates, suggesting the intent here isn’t safety—it’s control.

California Handgun Roster Changes Could Remove Popular Pistols from Sale

Until recently, the roster remained stagnant, but under Assembly Bill 2847, sponsored by anti-gun politicians in Sacramento, a new requirement mandates that for every firearm added to the certified roster, three older models must be removed. This deeply flawed “one-in, three-out” approach is unprecedented and threatens to eliminate hundreds of widely-used handguns from the consumer market.

To put this in perspective:

• A Glock 19, one of the most relied-upon personal defense weapons nationwide, may not meet the microstamping requirement for new additions.
• Only a handful of handguns have been added to the list in recent years, but dozens have been removed.
• California residents are losing access to firearms that are trusted by military, law enforcement, and citizens nationwide.

This is not about safety—it’s about phasing out gun ownership by attrition.

Why This Matters Beyond California

Opponents of the Second Amendment often view California as a testing ground for restrictions they want to push nationwide. If these kinds of anti-gun policies succeed in California without resistance, they could soon be attempted in other states. What happens there doesn’t stay there. That’s why it’s critical for gun owners from South Carolina to Wyoming to stay informed and engaged.

Here are a few reasons why this regulation sends the wrong message:

• It undermines consumer choice. Citizens should be free to decide which firearm best fits their defense needs.
• It’s technologically unreasonable. Mandating microstamping on all new pistols ignores the actual limitations of the technology and sets impossible standards.
• It targets the law-abiding. Criminals aren’t concerned with microstamping laws—they get their guns illegally. This only affects responsible gun owners.

Training Over Legislation

At Fortress Firearms Training, we believe that proper training and education are the cornerstones of responsible firearm ownership—not more laws. Rather than penalizing Americans for exercising their constitutional rights, we should focus on equipping them with the knowledge and skills to use firearms safely and effectively.

That’s why we offer comprehensive courses for concealed weapons permits (CWP), firearm safety, home defense, and beginner pistol training right here in Fountain Inn, SC.

Some of our training programs include:

• Concealed Weapons Permit (CWP) Training: Learn the laws, responsibilities, and best practices for carrying concealed in South Carolina.
• Defensive Handgun Courses: Take your skills beyond the basics and learn real-world defensive tactics.
• Ladies-Only Classes: Empowering women through education in a supportive and judgment-free environment.

Unlike legislation that restricts rights and divides communities, our programs bring people together and promote confidence, responsibility, and self-reliance—values too often overlooked in today’s regulatory climate.

It’s Time to Push Back

Proposed and implemented changes like those affecting the California handgun roster are emblematic of a growing trend to regulate the Second Amendment into oblivion. These efforts often arise under the pretense of public safety but result in stripping law-abiding citizens of their most fundamental rights.

We at Fortress Firearms Training believe in liberty, personal responsibility, and the right to defend oneself. We can’t afford to remain complacent while bureaucrats chip away at the freedoms generations of Americans have fought to protect.

How You Can Take Action:

• Stay informed. Laws like Assembly Bill 2847 don’t just affect California—they set precedents.
• Support local and national gun rights organizations. Groups like the NRA and Gun Owners of America are fighting back in the courts and in legislatures across the country.
• Encourage responsible gun ownership. Take a friend or relative to a firearm safety class. Education is our best defense against disinformation.

And above all, if you’re in South Carolina, come train with us at Fortress Firearms Training. We’re committed to protecting the Constitution and helping everyday Americans become confident, competent firearm owners—not by passing laws, but by empowering people.

Final Thoughts

The reality is simple: California handgun roster changes could remove popular pistols from sale, but the real damage is in the precedent it sets. If unelected regulators can decide which arms you’re “allowed” to own today, what will they restrict tomorrow? Today it’s microstamping and impossible certification requirements; tomorrow it could be your AR-15 or your ability to carry concealed at all.

This kind of overreach must be stopped. At Fortress Firearms Training, we believe America’s best protection is an educated, armed, and freedom-loving citizenry. And we’re proud to be doing our part to uphold those principles here in Fountain Inn, SC.