High Cap Mags?

[johnbergsing]

As it turns out at this moment, it looks like I may be relocating back to California for the first time in almost 10 years. Since I left, I've purchased some handguns with magazines that exceed the California cap of 10 rounds. If I end up there, do I have to get rid of my magazines and purchase the 10-round variants?

 

[Turkules77]

Yes. Just give them to a friend under the premise that if you ever move back, you would like them back. Doesn't have to be a friend in Alabama, any friend that lives in a state where the mags are legal to own will work.

 

[Firefighterchen]

Yes. Also make sure the firearms are California compliant.

Also.....this may be nit picky/semantics...but magazine over 10 rounds I do not consider high capacity magazines unless the firearm was designed for a magazine with less than 10 rounds (ie: most 1911's). If my firearm comes with a 15 round magazine, that is the standard magazine for my firearm. If I buy a 20 round magazine, I would then consider it a high cap magazine.

On another note...you can always get a different magazine spring/follower to limit your magazines now to 10 rounds...may be a cheaper solution than selling/giving away and re purchasing new magazines.

 

[cmj0968]

If it were me, I'd but a couple of 10 rounders and stash the hi caps. The 10 rounders will usually have a dimple in them so that you can physically load more than 10. You can always drill out the dimple if you move back.

 

[Everooski]

You don't need to get rid of them but you do need to purchase 10 round magazines. If you dismantle you high cap magazines into just parts you are legally aloud to bring them into and possess them in California. Also Firefighterchen brought up a very good point. Make sure that your pistols are on the Roster for Certified Sale, you can do so here Roster of Handguns Certified for Sale - Firearms Division - California Dept. of Justice - Office of the Attorney General

 

[be_free]

Disassembling the "high-cap" i.e. standard size magazines was a good tip, I'm in the same seat, a returning CA that have enjoyed GA gun laws for a year now, but not much longer. Man, for all the $$$ I'm going to have to spend to get new 10 rds mags to my 5-6 guns, I've could've bought a whole new gun... oh well.

 

[Brandon Combs]

You cannot import those large capacity magazines (> 10 rounds). However, you may either disassemble the magazines or convert them (in some permanent fashion) into a form compliant with California law. Note that possession of large capacity magazines is not itself a crime under the Penal Code. For more, see: Link Removed.

-Brandon

As it turns out at this moment, it looks like I may be relocating back to California for the first time in almost 10 years. Since I left, I've purchased some handguns with magazines that exceed the California cap of 10 rounds. If I end up there, do I have to get rid of my magazines and purchase the 10-round variants?

 

[Treo]

Also.....this may be nit picky/semantics...but magazine over 10 rounds I do not consider high capacity magazines unless the firearm was designed for a magazine with less than 10 rounds (ie: most 1911's). If my firearm comes with a 15 round magazine, that is the standard magazine for my firearm. If I buy a 20 round magazine, I would then consider it a high cap magazine.

It is semantics but not the way you think.

The antis started the whole high capacity magazine thing to get people conditioned to the idea that anything over ten rounds was "high capacity", then they started talking about banning "high capacity" magazines when they were really talking about standard capacity magazines.


As for the topic at hand, unless the OP intends to live in California forever why not just put the standard capacity magazines in a box and leave them at home?

 

[Brandon Combs]

Remember that the gun culture created "assault weapons".

It's important to use the legal definition as applicable to the facts. In California:

As used in this part, "large-capacity magazine" means any
ammunition feeding device with the capacity to accept more than 10
rounds, but shall not be construed to include any of the following:
(a) A feeding device that has been permanently altered so that it
cannot accommodate more than 10 rounds.
(b) A .22 caliber tube ammunition feeding device.
(c) A tubular magazine that is contained in a lever-action
firearm.

 

[Lowjiber]

As it turns out at this moment, it looks like I may be relocating back to California for the first time in almost 10 years.

I'm sorry. That happened to me once too.