Santa Clarita school shooting weapon

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Aguila Blanca

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Please don't take this thread off in other directions. I'm curious about the firearm the shooter used, so please just discuss that.

Even initial reports said the gun was a semi-automatic handgun, and that it was a .45. He only shot five students before using the last round for himself, so it wasn't a high-capacity firearm like a Glock. My initial thought was that it was a 1911, but then more information became available.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/s...suspect-motive-a-mystery/ar-BBWP5KE?li=AA30Mu

It now appears that the firearm used was some sort of home-built "ghost gun." That could still be a 1911, except for this from the above link:

Federal and state investigators are also trying to determine whether the handgun used by the suspect was made from parts purchased separately and then assembled, law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times.

These so-called ghost guns are unserialized weapons manufactured from parts that can be ordered through the mail or machined parts acquired from underground makers.

The sources said the gun design appears to be unusual but emphasized that officials don’t know its origins at this time.
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That would seem to eliminate a 1911, as I doubt any law enforcement source would label a 1911 as being an "unusual" design. It's all speculation at this point, but does anyone have any thoughts on what it might have been?
 
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Bartholomew Roberts

Moderator
If it is a .45 handgun built on an 80% receiver, that would strongly suggest a 1911. Having said that, relying on MSN for gun info is like having a monkey read you Shakespeare.
 
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AK103K

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Arent the coincidences always interesting in respect to guns they really want to see gone?

They have been going off about the 80% or "ghost guns" in the media in recent months, and now, heres one conveniently being used in one of the favorite venues, and of course, the shooter, yet again, conveniently shoots themselves, and takes away the possibilty of any kind of answers. Really kind of makes you go Hmmmmm, doesnt it?

Sounds like he had issues with function, and had to get the gun back up and running. If it was a 1911 type, using a standard mag, and he dropped one clearing the gun, makes senes that #6 would be his last then.

According to the artcle, he appeared to be keeping count, and then pulled the "Custer".
 
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MTT TL

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Seven shots is a standard 1911 load. However this does not mean that the magazine was full.

“He used literally six rounds that he fired and he saved the last round for himself,” Villanueva said. It was a planned attack, he added.

https://ktla.com/2019/11/15/the-big...-saugus-high-school-shooting-remains-unclear/

The father was a prohibited person due to mental status who had his weapons seized in 2016 during a police raid. He then died a year later. If he reacquired guns before his death he may have home built them.

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/...l-shooter-gun-own-parents-home-564957432.html
 
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dyl

New member
If it was 3D printed with minimal metal components like springs or a barrel liner, it wouldn't last more than a few rounds. Or just one.

If it was 3D printed using popular brand's barrel as an insert, it could perhaps stand multiple firings, but to make it repeating would be a feat. Because you'd need to mill or print out slots for say: a locking block, pins, frame rails, slots for the trigger bar / springs etc. And then buy a slide. And most 3D printers don't have great resolution from what I understand unless you get higher up there in quality. So you would need to do a lot of hand fitting, and use high quality filament. I don't even know if they make 3D printable fiberglass.

For that trouble ou are better off ordering a Polymer 80 lower which takes far less skill. A corded or cordless drill, a pocket knife, maybe a dremel but not necessarily. Then order everything delivered to your door, total cost for budget build ~450-550. But he only fired a few times. Perhaps that was by choice, or because he was using a 10 round mag or something?

Beyond that, there are 80% 1911's sure but those are pretty specialized. You'd need all sorts of jigs and rail cutters and a drill press / milling machine.

There are 80% Sig P320's but I hear they're even harder to do than an AR 80% lower. There's also Sig p226 / 229 80% lowers but they're not easy either.

My guess, is if he did do a 1911 80% build, it wasn't his handiwork. It could be a 45 ACP polymer 80 lower, i see one compatible with Glock 20 / 21 parts. Could be a Glock 43 polymer 80 with limited capacity but that's not in 45. Perhaps 45 caliber was an error.
 
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Aguila Blanca

Staff
I'm curious because my home state passed a "ghost guns" law last year. Sale of 80% receivers became illegal as of passage, IIRC, and they had to be completed before October 1. So I am curious about what this gun is, and how a kid who wan't yet 16 came to be in possession of it.

Multiple news reports have mentioned that the guns in the home were not "registered" to the father. Does California have handgun registration?
 
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HighValleyRanch

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Does California have handgun registration?
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No not registration exactly. But all private party used sales (and of course new sales) since 1991 have to go through an FFL dealer and there is an approved handgun list and all new sales, the gun has to be on the roster for civilians to purchase. So guns purchased privately through private sale prior to 1991 might not be resigstered, but it's not against the law if the sale preceded that cut off date. There is no provision as far as I know that required guns purchase prior to the date to be registered by sale to ones self.

A state with some of the tightest gun laws and of course this still can happen!
 
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44 AMP

Staff
... law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times.
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"law enforcement sources"... means this is not an official spokesperson, stating an official finding, it just means someone who works somewhere in law enforcement gave their opinion to a reporter, nothing more.

relying on MSN for gun info is like having a monkey read you Shakespeare.
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I disagree, the monkey may get something right...:rolleyes:

All there is right now is unsubstantiated speculation, and the authorities are saying "we don't know yet".

All we're doing now is chasing our tails and I'm too old to enjoy that the way I once did. Wait for something definite to be released, THEN we can talk...
 
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Tom Servo

Staff
If it was a "ghost gun," we'd have a definite answer on that. California has an obsession with the idea that criminals are using 3D printers to flood the streets with them, and if this "proved" that narrative, they'd be all over it. So I doubt it.

All we know (and this is from Sheriff Villanueva's statement to the press) is that it was a .45 handgun. Not an "assault rifle" and most likely not a "ghost gun."

This one is pretty much a non-starter for them. If he was an "alt right" person or he had social media posts promoting unpopular political causes, we'd have heard about it. Since the situation doesn't fit the narrative they want to sell, I imagine we won't be hearing much of it in the coming days.

It's worth noting that Governor Newsom signed 15 gun control bills into law just last month, and that he bragged profusely on social media about it. Yet California continues to lead the country in mass shootings.

As for the idea that we have an epidemic or a recent upsurge in school shootings, we do not.
 
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mehavey

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Aguila said:
...California mandatory Registration?
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In effect -- and draconianly -- yes.
The California Department of Justice ("DOJ") retains information about the purchaser and seller of all in-state firearm sales and transfers, and requires that any firearms imported into the state be reported to the DOJ.[14] Furthermore, the Attorney General is required by law to maintain a registry containing the fingerprints and identifying information of the transferee, and the unique identifying information of every firearm transferred in the state, pursuant to §11106.[15] All handgun serial numbers and sales are recorded by the state in the Department of Justice's Automated Firearms System, along with those of many long guns. While there is no requirement for California residents to register handguns owned prior to 1991 with law enforcement, §12025 and §12031 enhance several misdemeanor offenses to felonies if the handgun is not on file in the Department of Justice's Automated Firearms System. New residents must register handguns (purchased outside of California) with DOJ within 60 days.
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mehavey

New member
"... crazy people ...."
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Please, elaborate.

Everything in this string has been a measured discussion of the facts as known,
the implications -- and the caveats -- as to the facts/sources as yet unknown.




As to implications on a broader scale, consider what you read HERE in light of
everything that found its way around every law on California's books.

Very disheartening that these soon-to-be voters are really not actually thinking at all.
 
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reddog81

New member
I’d guess some variation of a 1911. Using an Essex frame and any random slide would probably be considered unusual by your average police officer. Describing an 80% lower would confuse most people and probably be considered unusual. A Colt government model with a threaded barrel and laser grips might even qualify.

What we consider an unusual gun and what your average person considers an unusual gun is probably dramatically different.
 
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Aguila Blanca

Staff
In my opening post, I wrote:

Please don't take this thread off in other directions. I'm curious about the firearm the shooter used, so please just discuss that.
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I shouldn't have even asked the question. This thread is closed.
 
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