Neither extreme is going to happen. The state has a relatively close balance of liberals and conservatives despite what you might think. All of the coastal communities are liberal, all of the inland communities are conservative. Just be glad the capital is in Sac. and not SF.
Unfortunately, the 1999 "features" law will never be repealed, and doubtless they will modify it to include the M14/M1A and Mini-14 type weapons in the next decade. As for handguns, it's not looking good, especially with the new "safety testing" that in effect prevents you from buying a kit or frame from a dealer. Banning handguns failed in 1982 or so, when there was a proposition that failed by 2:1 margin. Look for increasingly slim margins in public opinion leading to an outright ban on the *future* sales or transfers of handguns. The legislature knows they will never be able to do an outright ban on possession, so they are satisfied with having gun owners die out without being able to give assault weapons (and some day, handguns) by will. Currently if you receive an assault weapon by will or intestate succession, it has to be removed from the state within 90 days, sold to a licensed dealer, or surrendered to a sheriff or police dept.
This state has been very successful at generational control; after the 1989 law, "gen-X" may still possess assault weapons that are registered, but "gen-Y" born in early '80s and later will now be forced to settle for 10 round Mini-14's since it's illegal to give, lend, sell, or import high capacity magazines as of Jan. 2000. Few young people these days have enough money and are serious enough about the issue to buy their gear now. I was lucky to get hi-caps for my M1A before Jan. 2000
but they are easy to get in other states by creative methods. I've been telling people to start out with the biggest, baddest hardware they can, because it will be outlawed one day.
I have this desire to write to the legislature and ask them if they would mind using vaseline while they violate my ***
