Oh, you could legally own a hand gun in CA that was not on their list. I'm quite sure you can get a friend from a free state to buy it for you, and then do a face to face transfer in that state- totally legal. Then when you bring it to CA, you have 60 days to register it. I don't think they will deny you because they didn't drop it off a building. Just make sure you don't get anything with a threaded barrel. They are pretty crazy about that. Didn't you know that threads make .45ACP into a WMD??
At any rate, I'm really not 100% sure rather CA has a ban on bringing in from another state a gun which is not illegal, but not approoved for sale. If they do not, that may be a way to get whatever it is you have your eye on. I for one am counting down days until I get to go back East.