What is the Marksmanship Club at UCSD?

We are a student organization at the University of California, San Diego dedicated to educating students on the safe, responsible and lawful use of firearms. 

How often does the Marksmanship Club host events?

We coordinate and sponsor shooting trips about once or twice per quarter.

Can we keep firearms in our dorms or anywhere on campus?

No. California Penal Code Section 626.9 states that only under very limited circumstances may a firearm be kept on a University campus. If you are anyone but a police officer, a security guard executing security duties or other authorized government agent  you do not fall under these exemptions and therefore cannot possess a firearm on campus. 

I've heard that UCSDPD will store weapons in their weapons lockers for students. Is this true? 

This was once true, but was discontinued in 1999 due to varying logistical issues.  If you need help storing firearms please contact one of the officers and we will direct you where you can store them off-campus.

What do I need to know in order to join the club?

Just a few things.

1. You cannot be a prohibited person. For a list of misdemeanor prohibitions, see this list here. In addition, one cannot be a felon.
2. You must be able to listen to instructions. While guns are not inherently dangerous, the abuse of a firearm is very dangerous to all involved and all range instructions must be heeded to the letter.

Don't you need a permit to own a gun? 

Not here! While some states have a "Permit to Purchase” and some states have what could almost be a “Permit to Own” (the last vestiges of our slave-era days), California has no such law. However, based on California law, if one is to purchase a handgun either from a dealer or through a Private Party Transfer (PPT) one must possess a Handgun Safety Certificate (HSC), a card that shows one is proficient in gun handling safety and legal knowledge. This card is acquired by paying a 25 dollar fee and taking a 30 question test at nearly any gun shop. 

How do I legally transport my firearm?

For the sake of simplicity and to avoid any legal issues (especially with overzealous police officers), the best way to transport firearms, whether it is a handgun, rifle or shotgun is to use the trunk of a car. A locked trunk is considered by law to be a secure and enclosed locking container so if you have a trunk, use it. If you do not have a vehicle with a locking trunk (like a truck, a hatchback, a van, etc) then you should get a hard container to put your guns into and then lock it with either padlocks or the internal locks (if your case has a set of internal locks.) 

Other tidbits of information: It is legal to carry the ammunition for that firearm in the same case as the firearm but the ammunition cannot be attached in a position from which it can be readily fired. This means that ammo in a magazine that is NOT inserted into the firearm, loose ammunition or even a buttstock shell carrier with ammo in the carrier is completely legal.  

For information on how to deal with police officers (if and when that occasion should arise) while carrying a firearm in your car, please watch all the videos on this site. 

Aren't firearms really dangerous? 

A firearm is no more inherently dangerous than a car, a pen or a knife, all of which are inanimate objects that are inherently devoid of a moral compass or free will. That said, it is the PERSON behind the weapon or wheel that is truly the dangerous entity. Guns do not kill people, people kill people. 

I don't think that I would be able to handle a firearm safely. 

The average car has 24 different operating mechanisms, and inattentive driving frequently (as seen on the news) results in lethal operator error.  On average, firearms have only 6 operating mechanisms.  Even if you don't intend to own a gun, a familiarity with their operations will increase your overall safety should you encounter them in the future.  But predominantly, gun safety is a matter of mindset.  With the exception of the rare mechanical failure, every single firearms accident is due to the operator having neglected one of the fundamental rules of gun safety, which are...

1. Treat every gun as if it is loaded. Do not point it at your friends, your head, your dog. Do not play with a firearm like it is a toy, for it is a weapon capable of grave harm. There is an old saying among the gun owning community, which is "Unloaded guns kill the most people." Safety is PARAMOUNT when handling firearms. 
2. Do not point a gun at anything you don't want to destroy. Just like Rule #1, do not point the gun in a dangerous direction. It is very taboo when handling guns to "muzzle sweep" when moving around or to point the gun in an unsafe direction. Keep your guns pointed down range or at the ground or otherwise safe direction (situation dependent) until you are ready to use said firearm.  
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. This, like all the other rules, cannot be stressed enough. Unless the gun is pointed downrange and you are actively shooting a target, your finger needs to be OFF the trigger and OUT of the trigger guard!  
4. Be aware of your target and what lies beyond it. Bullets fly very far at a very fast velocity. Some bullets have the capability of travelling up to 5 miles before touching earth again and the trip down can have drastic consequences. Every time you fire a gun, you own the bullet that flies forth and you own the consequences of that bullet.  

These rules are stressed, reinforced and strictly followed at each and every outing with the UCSD Marksmanship Club. 

I don't like hunting.  What does this club offer me?

At the UCSD Marksmanship Club, we do not participate in hunting activities. We exclusively use paper or other inanimate targets and no animals are harmed in the process. 

How many types of marksmanship disciplines are there? 

While the UCSD Marksmanship Club is primarily limited to 25-50yd paper target shooting using mainly rimfire firearms, there are a myriad of different marksmanship disciplines that one can enter into. Below is a partial list of the many disciplines.

-Long range

-IDPA (International Defense Pistol Association) (right?)

-Trap/Skeet shooting

-Three Gun (Rifle, Shotgun, Pistol)

-Cowboy Action Shooting

-Quick Draw

-Civilian Marksmanship Competition

-10m Air Rifle/Pistol

-Many, many more. 

Are AR-15s and AK-47s legal? 

Yes, rifles of the AR-15 and AK-47 variety are legal in California, though they are contingent on a variety of rules. For more information, please visit the California Assault Weapons Flowchart. If there are any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask a club officer, as the rules can be seemingly convoluted. 

How can I get more involved with marksmanship or other Second Amendment related activities?

If you would like to get more involved with firearms related activities, the club would greatly appreciate people with their own firearms to join the UCSD Marksmanship Club and participate in UCSD Marksmanship Club sanctioned shoots. 

If you have and can show a proficiency in firearms handling and safety, participating in range master activities would be greatly appreciated. Our club is currently working on getting some ex-Special Forces personnel to aid us with range master duties but students that are willing to participate are always welcome.

If you do not own a firearm (or maybe even plan to own one in the future!), we encourage you to come out and participate in our shoots. The whole point of this club is to educate our peers on the safe, responsible and lawful use of firearms and non-gun owning students are our biggest target audience. 

If you would like to do anything politically outside of the club to further the protection and progress of California’s 2nd Amendment Rights, a great place to go and become more informed is Calguns.net, California’s Premier Gun Forum.