High Cap magazines

[Teufel]

Am I correct in understanding anything I come into the state with is fine as far as magazines are concerned?

 

[Canis-Lupus]

Hi-Capacity Mag Bans States.

Thank the Brady Bunch,
The states I could find that still ban civilian use or ownership of any magazine over 10 rounds are per:
BlackWarrior firearm and gun parts, firearm and gun accessories, high capacity magazines, military and law enforcement training (nice site)
"States which do not allow high capacity are restricted to the 10 RND only rule are CA, MD, MA, NJ or HI." Throw in DC as a no nothing given!
One thing I have noticed is most larger (good) capacity mags are way more expensive than the normal capacity ones ($30 for 5 more rounds?), if U try to buy hi-capacity cheapos, then count on a spring that has a life-time proportional to how long U keep it fully loaded/unused. D wire 'music string' springs tend to do better but I would not trust my life on say my Beretta with a 15-round clip (the above site sells 15-rd mags for the Beretta 92 at $16 a pop, cheaper than most Beretta 10-rd normal/manufacturer made ones) hanging off the butt if I had not just loaded it. Proper seating is also a prob, I have noticed with 'lock & load one 30-round clip' (no click!) kinda makes U wonder what will happen when U try 2 chamber a round, blow your hand off maybe?
Mags that tend to stay good full or empty are those normally designed for military style semi's like a 30-rd clip for an AR-15 or bull-pup, other examples exist but rule of thumb in 30 years of firing plenty of weapons, the cheaper the clip purporting to hold more than the manufacturer of the pistol/rifle produces is a F2F (failure to feed) or a misfire waiting to happen. 'Cheaper than Dirt' © pre-ban 50-rd mags for your Glock will probably fail when the BG gets a bead on U. 'Murphy's law of pre-ban hi-capacity cheap mags.'
Welcome home from the 'Rak!

Canis-Lupus

 

[LeavingMass]

You can't bring high cap mags into Massachusetts, unless it was manufactured before September 13, 1994

A high-cap magazine in Mass. is any magazine that can hold more than 10 rounds

 

[lsbbigdog]

I was told it's illegal to purchase them in MA , but not to have them. That's what the dealer told me when I purchased my first hand gun (S&W Sigma) . I actually ended up purchasing 2 17rds mags from a site . They were from used Law Enforcement training guns l. They wouldn't ship to MA , so I had to have them ship to a relative in another state. Then she shipped them to me.

 

[Teufel]

I was told it's illegal to purchase them in MA , but not to have them. That's what the dealer told me when I purchased my first hand gun (S&W Sigma) . I actually ended up purchasing 2 17rds mags from a site . They were from used Law Enforcement training guns l. They wouldn't ship to MA , so I had to have them ship to a relative in another state. Then she shipped them to me.

That's what impression I was under.

If what Lupus said is true though I have to now find either pre-ban mags or order some 10 rd's for my Glock since the ones that came with it hold over the 10 limit...

 

[LeavingMass]

I was told it's illegal to purchase them in MA , but not to have them. That's what the dealer told me when I purchased my first hand gun (S&W Sigma) . I actually ended up purchasing 2 17rds mags from a site . They were from used Law Enforcement training guns l. They wouldn't ship to MA , so I had to have them ship to a relative in another state. Then she shipped them to me.

you may be breaking the law ( in possession of post-ban high cap )

 

[lsbbigdog]

you may be breaking the law ( in possession of post-ban high cap )

I no longer have the mags or firearm. I might have at the time. I only own 1911's now and i don't have any mags over 10. I just went with what was told to me by some one who i thought new the laws and they make it so hard to translate them when you read the.There seem like there is no black and white with the gun laws in MA.To many gray areas and opening to too many different interpretations.

 

[joeren]

Canis-Lupus, add to the 10 rd only rule the fine state of NY (unless manufactured before Sept 13, 1994)
I can still find some pre-ban 12 rounders for my HK USPc in .40 but they arn't cheap and CDNN sells the 10 rd mags for $10.00

Cheers
Joe

 

[tattedupboy]

Am I correct in understanding anything I come into the state with is fine as far as magazines are concerned?

What in the world makes you want to go there? Why can't you just stay where you are with your hi-cap mags? At least you'll be free!

 

[Teufel]

What in the world makes you want to go there? Why can't you just stay where you are with your hi-cap mags? At least you'll be free!

lol

It's still home in some ways.

I'll keep the others for when I'm not in MA.

 

[OldOwl]

How can you tell when they were manufactured? I don't see any stamps on any of my 10 round mags. I don't see the big deal really. It takes a second to change mags and there's no law against how many you can carry.

 

[Producer]

Ban on hi-cap magazines

MGL Chapter 140 Section 131M - Assault Weapons Sales Ban - bans the sales, transfer or possession of assault weapons or large capacity feeding device not lawfully possessed prior to September 13, 1994.

This law was not affected by the lifting of the Federal ban. In other words, you can buy, sell and possess the stuff in other states, but not in Massachusetts.

In case you have never seen a "ban-era" (1994-2004) hi-cap magazine - it has engraving on it - "For Law Enforcement Use Only" - etc., etc. Very easy to spot. Post ban hi-cap magazines have no such markings, and in many cases would require an expert in that type of firearm to determine if they are pre-ban or post-ban. (Meaning the magazines that were designed along with the firearm to fit into the grip of firearm. Rifle box magazines are also covered.)

Authoritative individuals have suggested that this law (post-ban hi-cap prohibition on magazines that are identical to pre-ban, legal mgazines) is perhaps unenforceable (the possession charges you see in the media are almost always for those who don't even have a permit.)

Due to the convoluted and poorly understood Mass firearms laws, perhaps hundreds, if not thousands, of firearms owners who have moved into the state since 2004 probably have lots of now-legal-elsewhere "ban-era" magazines and post-ban magazines, not knowing they are illegal here. After all - in many cases the only difference is the date of manufacture.

 

[OldOwl]

Just wondering. How can you tell when a mag was made?

 

[Dannan]

As mentioned when the federal ban sunsetted, MA passed their own law.

New guns in MA have a capacity limit. You can buy older guns while they are still out there either from a private sale or a dealer. You can still find them, though you pay more.

MA also made it more complicated in 1998 and created 2 classes of licenses to carry, LTC A and B. A is the one to have, you can carry concealed and you can have high capacity. Class B, and an FID card for long guns don't qualify to have large capacity.

 

[Dannan]

Sorry, I saw elsewhere it was described right. Class B license to carry allows ownership of non-large capacity handguns but you cannot carry. You can also own large capacity long guns. My error.

GOAL, Gun Owners Action League is an organization to join for MA. Here is a good summary of different licenses. Link Removed Here is another one about some general verbage on what is high capacity. Link Removed

Here is one that talks about large capacity and "assault weapons". Link Removed

 

[snatale42]

Teufel, did you wind up moving back to MA? I'm about to pull the same crap and move back from VA, if you moved back already how'd the LTC process go?

 

[OldOwl]

Most people in MA keep their hi capacity mags for when they come to collect them, from what I understand.

 

[Dannan]

Old Owl, you can still get the magazines. You can get them individually or with a used gun. They just have to be certain vintage and you have to have the right permit to own them. See a dealer or gun show and you will see choices.