Pointless Laws Governing Hunks of Metal

Got an e-mail from Mike (who you might recognize from Lissa's place) asking for some guidance on finding high standard capacity magazines for one of his pistols while remaining within the confines of MA law and the MA AWB. Here's his query:

Jay,

Do you think pre-AWB Sig magazines would likely be available for sale at the gun show in Marlboro this weekend? I'd like to track some down for my P229 both in .40 and 9mm--I'm considering a conversion barrel for it.

If they do have them, is there anything obvious to look for as far as identifying the manufacture date? Obviously, any LE-only stamps imply post-1994, as would any marked as .40/.357, but is there anything else you know of? I ask because I know you've gone through it for your P226.

Thanks, Mike

Dealing with the AWB in a land where the AWB has expired is a minefield for the gunnie who wishes to remain on the right side of the law (even if the law is an ass). I tried to sum it up as best I could:

Mike,

The cold, sad truth is that NOBODY knows, not even the powers-that-be.

You see, when the Assault Weapons Ban was put into law, it was easy. Magazines with capacity over 10 rounds were stamped, quite clearly, LAW ENFORCEMENT ONLY. If it had a stamp, it was illegal for you or I; if not, it was okay. With the expiration of the ban, though, things got exponentially more complicated. Glock has outright stated that there's no way to tell a pre-ban from a post-ban. Sig uses the same mold they used before the ban, to the best of my knowledge.

Also to the best of my knowledge, there has not been a single prosecution in MA for someone possessing a post-ban, illegal magazine.

If the vendor sells it as "pre-ban", and the following conditions apply, I'd say go for it:

1. No LEO markings. That's a given.

2. The magazine is for a firearm that existed prior to 1994. For example, someone claiming a "pre-ban" Smith & Wesson M&P magazine is lying.

3. The magazine company existed prior to 1994. This is more applicable to things like AR-15 magazines - there have been a bunch of companies that sprang up after the ban ended. Sticking with factory magazines, esp. for Sig, is the way to go here.

4. There's no date code on the magazine. I do not believe that Sig dates their magazines.

The pre-bans that I have for the P226 have been purchased by people I trust who have represented them as pre-ban. Most of them look like they've got honest wear on them (another good sign). One actually came with the original wrapper that has "PRE-BAN" printed right on it - that's a good sign. A reader sent me an AR-15 magazine still in the original wrapper with a 1989 date code on it. Both of these are very good to have - if in a worst case scenario you got a SUPER overzealous DA who was bound and determined to charge you with something, having a dated wrapper or wrappers shows that you're trying your hardest to obey the law.

Another thought is to contact Four Seasons about pre-ban magazines - they're on the pricey side, but you'll have a receipt from a gun store that verifies the magazine is
pre-ban.

If it's okay with you, I'd like to publish this as a screed about what we gunnies in MA have to go through. I'd like to use your original e-mail as a springboard...

Hope this helps!

Jay

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So that's it in a nutshell. We in MA walk a tightrope every time we buy a "pre-ban" magazine - I've had guys at gun shows try to sell me magazines clearly marked with LEO stamps, claiming that because the AWB had sunset, the mags were okay in MA (despite the state AWB). Finding pre-ban magazines in a post ban world is tough, but it can be done - one suggestion to find pre-ban magazines is to offer to fund replacement of pre-bans in a free state; frex, a friend in NH who may have a couple old pre-ban AR mags and will swap for two new ones (make sure they handle the non-pre-ban mags from start to finish, of course).

That said, anyone out there in Free America have some SigSauer P229 9mm pre-ban magazines they might like to swap Mike for some new ones?

That is all.