Are you looking for one specifically marked StG44 or will MP44, MP43, or MKB42 suffice?
You can own the PTR-44 in semi-auto with a grip modification. You can also possess the original 30 round magazines with a block to prevent more than 10 cartridges from being loaded.... I have seen wooden dowels used inside the mag body. For blanks, the magazine is not restricted.
Are you looking for one specifically marked StG44 or will MP44, MP43, or MKB42 suffice?
Send an original mag to CA to be BLOCKED!! Have to wonder about that.
CA is a good place to be F R O M for gun folks.
Pete
A wooden dowel is not considered a "permanent block" as required by law. The CA law is very strict and very clear about import, manufacture, sale and acquisition of high cap mags. In a state where even a (still) legal bullet button can confuse LEO's enough to have them seize your weapons, having an assembled high cap mag laying around is like playing with rattle snakes. Ignorance will not play out in your favor.
http://wiki.calgunsfoundation.org/Large-capacity_magazine_restrictions
Being in CA can you own one ? Machine guns are not allowed.
There is no exception for reenacting or using blanks (Sheriff's office is not who you need to discuss this with - CA DOJ is the authority you should be dealing with) -
If you don't have:
i. a high capacity magazine permit (need a business license number), or
ii. a DWP (Dangerous Weapons Permit) (need a VERY clear reason why you need it) - you cannot import a hi capacity magazine into CA (not in parts or temporarily restricted.)
You may be confused with a "blank-only" high capacity magazine - this has a spacer permanently installed at the front of the mag that does't allow for live ammunition.
If your FFL gives you a 30 round mag that isn't permanently converted to ten rounds and you have neither of the above permits, he is breaking the law.
We run a lot of legally registered movie machine-guns with blanks (rentals and inventory), and on many we have to add the spacer to the magazines to get them to work right - even the Privi 8X57 long nose blanks are a good 1/4 inch shorter than live ammo, military .308 is considerably shorter than live, and many belt feds also require a spacer.
Ref, sending a high capacity mag to California as long as they have either of the above - they are GTG - an 01 FFL on it's own cannot accept the mag, but must have the $100 a year high capacity permit that most 01 FFL's have -
To have a machinegun in CA (in addition to federal taxes):
1. DOJ DWP dangerous weapons permit:
With Machine gun license tab and machine gun permit tab's -
You should also have the DD, AW/.50 and SBR/SBS tabs as they are only $30 per year per tab and come in useful.
I also run with:
2. C&R FFL. (This is good for a surprising number of older class 3 weapons.)
3. DOJ COE. (Certificate of Eligibility - for easier purchasing in CA.)
4. DOJ EFP. (Entertainment Firearms Permit for handling firearms on set and renting firearms from CA rental houses)
The FFL is renewed every three years.
The other three are yearly - and the DWP charges yearly per registered firearm, too - but they do let you know when you need to renew your license.
More details are on the CA DOJ site.
Please go there for your legal info. - don't base your personal freedom on internet legend. Sheriff's office hokum or guesswork - it's serious stuff. and one or two reenactors getting busted for making mistakes will resonate with many of us who circulate in those worlds but make a serious financial effort to stay legal!
It's a headache but it's the law - and we love the state, for many reasons - I have a house in AZ, but prefer the coast, with the exception of the copious gun-laws - and the traffic
Pit.
PS - You likely know this already - PTR44 with a solar tactical grip is CA legal - but it is not a registered AW, so regardless of whether you owned the 1944 dated magazine before the ban in 2000 or not - the moment you attach that hi-capacity mag to the rifle you have converted the PTR44 into an unregistered AW - whether you are shooting blanks or not - this is important info. that is often misunderstood however DOJ are very aware of it.
Of course if your mag has been permanently altered to 10 rounds or less - then it is GTG.
I'm using it for blank firing... LA County Sheriffs understand the intent of the law is with live ammo as I asked them. As they explained, possession is not illegal and the mags can be brought into CA with a CA high capacity mag permit to an FFL. Yes... it's a pain but I still love CA.