Vegans in the Shooting sports

Yeah, the counties do tend to require residency.

I dont blame anyone for ignoring gun laws but you should be aware that the penalties are very harsh if you get busted. And there are many good rifles legally available with minimal hassle, by California standards anyway. It's also good to realize that all electronic communications are monitered. It seems like I hear about someone getting busted every week for something they posted to a forum or on Myspace, etc...

As for using rifles for self-defense and your concern about over-penetration - it depends on the caliber and ammunition used. With the right caliber & ammo choices, rifle rounds can penetrate less than pistol or shotgun rounds. For example, .223/5.56 is popular for just that reason. With the 7.62x39 round that is usually used in AK variants, I'd go with a lower-velocity soft-point. Additionally, you can often change the angle of your shot to minimize or eliminate hitting someone or something that you dont intend to.

If you haven't done so already, I strongly suggest investing in high quality defensive firearms training with whatever guns you'll be using for that purpose.