California’s ban on so-called assault weapons violates the Second Amendment, a federal judge ruled Friday. The government through the law “bans an entire class of very popular hardware—firearms that are lawful under federal law and under the laws of most states and that are commonly held by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes,” U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez, a George W. Bush nominee, wrote in his 94-page ruling in Miller et al. v Bonta et al. “Under no level of heightened scrutiny can the law survive,” he added. California laws prohibit the manufacture, use, or sale of an “assault weapon,” defined as a semiautomatic rifle with certain characteristics such as a fixed magazine that has the capacity to hold more than 10 rounds. People who violate the laws face a felony or a misdemeanor and could land prison sentences of up to eight years. James Miller, a California resident who has a concealed carry …