Question Regarding Purchasing Handgun With Respect to Upcoming Election

The thing is, no one really knows. The legislation that would contain a ban hasn’t been introduced yet. What we generally go off of is previous bans as well as the language of proposed bans that were not passed. That doesn’t mean that we know what will and will not be banned, but it gives us something to go off of.

That said, generally magazine bans tend to go after the magazine itself, rather than “a gun which can accept a magazine over X rounds”. I believe there are some exceptions, but generally the gun won’t be banned (at least on account of magazine size). If a ban states something like “all weapons capable of accepting a magazine with >10 rounds”, that would effectively ban almost every weapon that takes a detachable magazine.

The other part of it is grandfathering. Many of the previous proposals include a clause that essentially says “if you possessed the weapon or magazine before the law was passed, you can keep it”. Some legislative proposals allow for transfer between people after the ban goes into effect, some don’t. That is why leading up to a ban, people tend to buy a lot of magazines.

Anyway, I would recommend you go ahead and buy a pistol that holds 15 rounds, and probably several extra mags. Most people who shoot a lot want 10+, but minimum I’d want 6. That means you have enough extra mags to have dedicated range-use mags and you don’t have to unload your defensive ammo every time you want to go to the range. Most likely you will be able to keep the gun and mags. On the chance that mags are not grandfathered, you just have to destroy the mag and buy some new “legal” mags. If you have to turn in the gun itself (ie forced confiscation), there’s likely going to be a whole lot of other things to worry about.

I wouldn't waste a lot of time trying to predict the future. The candidates political views are well known, but how well they would succeed in enacting new laws is another story, let alone predicting how any new laws would withstand legal challenge.All you're going to do is make your head hurt.

In times past, it was almost a universal practice to "Grandfather" the possession of existing weapons and magazines when new bans came out. That's changing a bit now due to some recent case law concerning the "takings" clause of the Fifth Amendment, but the concept ain't dead either.

Also consider that if you're selecting a CCW weapon, most 15 round capacity semi-autos are gonna be too large to comfortably carry and conceal. If you're limited on funds, make sure that you choose wisely. A CCW weapon don't do you no good if you're not carrying it.

Subject said:

Hello, I just became a member of this forum today, and am not entirely familiar with forums in general. Hello back to you, and, WELCOME! I apologize if my question has already been answered. I understand this is not the introduction thread so I will try to get straight to the point.

I just got my CPL. I am a college student and I do not have a lot of money. I would like to buy a handgun. What state are you in please. I cannot answer specifics of the patchwork of individual states laws. There are websites specific to that. I CAN answer a generic '' I M a student''. Even if you are 21 or over, most colleges have a prohibition, unless specified, of having weapons on campus. I was encouraged by instructors and family and friends to get a model that supports around 15 capacity magazine. However, Biden's VP has a strict view on guns and I am not sure what will legally happen if Biden wins the election. As others have stated, 15 rounds in a handgun is a wee bit harder to conceal. As to the upcoming elections, my crystal ball is broken, I would suggest buying now based on CURRENT regs. Again, as others have stated. I cannot afford to buy a gun just to have it taken away. I could technically buy a gun with less round capacity, but 500- 600 dollars is a lot of money to me. To you? That's a lotta smack to everyone! hehe.
I would prefer to get what I want, but I would really like to see if anyone knows what will happen to people with 15+1 handguns if Biden gets elected.Getting what you want vs. what you NEED is further tempered by, what is AVAILABLE. Plus additionally , availability of AMMO.

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Hope that helped, friend. Again, welcome! FYI in parting, forums are VERY specific to topic gender, if you post in legal it would be more to a certain court case; SCOTUS outcomes. Various etc. This thread being an example IMHO of what should have been in ''General Gun Discussions'' perhaps. Don't sweat it, your training wheels will come off soon 'nuff.

And I sincerely hope you find the EXACT answer(s) to your questions, you are at the correct forums!

You might consider a model that offers both high capacity and compact magazines, like this ruger sr9c.
Bases covered.

Extended magazines are available for many makes and models.....

Subject said:

Hello, I just became a member of this forum today, and am not entirely familiar with forums in general. I apologize if my question has already been answered. I understand this is not the introduction thread so I will try to get straight to the point.

I just got my CPL. I am a college student and I do not have a lot of money. I would like to buy a handgun. I was encouraged by instructors and family and friends to get a model that supports around 15 capacity magazine. However, Biden's VP has a strict view on guns and I am not sure what will legally happen if Biden wins the election. I cannot afford to buy a gun just to have it taken away. I could technically buy a gun with less round capacity, but 500- 600 dollars is a lot of money to me. I would prefer to get what I want, but I would really like to see if anyone knows what will happen to people with 15+1 handguns if Biden gets elected.

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no one is gonna take away any guns. get yourself a nice .380 if you can. easy to conceal if you get the CCW permit. i cannot recall prices, but i was thinking they are a "bit" cheaper than a 9MM..many brands to choose from

RickD427 said:

I wouldn't waste a lot of time trying to predict the future.

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Ditto that. And anyway, your selection is going to be restricted by availability. Shop without regard to election results.

Welcome to exercise of your Constitutional rights.

The 9th circuit just overturned California's magazine ban, and the supreme court even without Barrett is more conservative. I wouldn't lose a ton of sleep over some of Biden's gun control proposals. I doubt gun control is real high on his list of priorities, the courts are conservative and even if the senate flips blue it'll likely flip back in the midterms as is typical. I also think AR's are the more likely first target of any gun control measures even though I think that's really stupid and misguided given the statistics on gun violence.

For a first handgun, I think a midsize 15+1 is about perfect. The two best for the money imo are the Glock 19 or M&P 2.0 Compact. If you do want to be under 10 rounds and have a smaller gun that's more concealable, I'd look at a Shield, Glock 26 or a Glock 43x or 48. The Shield is probably the best value for the dollar of any handgun and is super reliable. The Glock 26 is great because it has compatibility with Glock's double stack magazines. The 43x/48 are nice because they have 10 round mags but you can get aftermarket 15 rounders if you want.

Even if they do manage to force through a magazine limit ban, nationwide, or in your state, most gunmakers make 10 round mags, and those that don't, will in that situation, or your current mags will probably be grandfathered.

I echo the "don't worry about the future because we can't predict it" crowd, and the platform I'd be most concerned with a biden presidency would be AR 15s.

But still, the "common use" legal argument made in California will make it an interesting SCOTUS case if they push it, and I don't think they will if biden wins.

Most manufacturers have firearms with the 10+1 format which is acceptable in most states. Carrying an extra mag should give you all the firepower you need while complying with anticipated new federal laws. If the Feds play with the gun laws it will be in the form of taxing heavily and eliminating the internet sales of ammo and firearms. They don't have to "take your guns" to render them all but useless for sporting purposes. People that think the government is powerless to totally limit your ability to own and use firearms are sadly misinformed.
The current ammo shortage which is not government created has made my point. Our range which is normally packed is down by 75% just based on the current ammo shortage.
If I were you, I would look at Ruger's lineup of high quality low cost semi-autos. Buy a couple of extra mags and hunt for ammo.

Go to a range, rent a bunch, and buy the one you like. If intended for CCW, get a compact model. That's all there is to it.

Stick to a well-known brand in a self-defense caliber and it will be reliable, effective, and probably last a lifetime. Ruger will often be the best bang for buck in a big name, but definitely buy the one that you enjoy shooting.

And training is far more important than the gun you choose. Good luck!

1. The CA decision has been submitted for en banc review. It is not a done deal.

https://crpa.org/news/blogs/brief-filed-in-duncan-v-becerra-case-standard-capacity-magazines/

2. We have no idea if a Biden ban bill was passed whether it would grandfather older magazines. Speculation is worth spit.

3. Money may be tight but training is important. It might be better to save up your money for a quality handgun then buying a piece of crap. A Glock or SW semi could be found with a .LE. 10 round capacity.

Anything that comes standard with 15 rounds is likely to be a fairly large gun, maybe too large for comfortable concealed daily carry.

I'd pick a gun that fits your desired size for carry. A smaller capacity gun that you'll carry is better than a larger gun that sits in the drawer.

Anything from a small Ruger LCP in .380 to a Sig 938 in 9mm to a Glock 26 9mm, all might suit your needs. The Glock will accept larger capacity mags, too, but at that point might be difficult to conceal.

"I would prefer to get what I want, but I would really like to see if anyone knows what will happen to people with 15+1 handguns if Biden gets elected."

No mind readers here that I know of. As far as the future, even large capacity guns can take reduced capacity mags.

Back in 2012, I knew someone that bought a Beretta Nano. A subcompact 9mm, and after Sandy Hook they were going to sale it because "you know for sure they're gonna do something now, might as well get rid of it."
The way I see it, a Biden presidency is just gonna be a repeat of the Obama one and thus we don't have much to worry about. We can't predict the future, and going off of what we've already seen in restrictive states, your >10 mags will be able to be grandfathered anyway.

Now , as for gun suggestion. I second Armored Farmers suggestion for the SR9c. Ruger makes a great sub compact pistol that's very comfortable and they have GREAT customer service. Another great one is the Sig P938, a 9mm John M Browning style pistol (as you become more knowledge in the gun world, you'll soon learn who John M Browning was.) Because of the Browning design, they were able to make a really small pistol that still shoots very comfortably. It has a 6 round capacity I believe. Everyone in my family is a fan of the p938.
You could also get a Glock 26, a double stack 9mm that holds 12 I think. You can also fit any longer Glock mags in here. But be careful because Glocks are expensive right now.
We're recommending 9mms because thats about the perfect 1st time gun caliber. It's perfectly serviceable, everyone knows it, and it doesn't recoil as bad as bigger calibers.

Speedo66 said:

15 rounds is likely to be a fairly large gun, maybe too large for comfortable concealed daily carry.

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Sez you....

Many great CCW guns hold fewer than 15....Walther PPS, SW Shield, SW 642, SW Shield EZ (fantastic gun)...

Firearms are a mature technology and most have been optimized for some specific tasks (compact carry, high cap. duty carry, uber precision, etc...). Design decisions are a balance of competing factors and to get A, you often have to give up some on B. So the best bet is to think through what your "realistic" needs are and then sprinkle in your personal "wants". Once you know what you're really looking for, these decisions become much more streamlined.

Also, don't underestimate how much easier it is to shoot a handgun with a really good trigger pull well, than it is one with a creepy, gritty, long and heavy pull.

Buy what you want now. None of us are fortune tellers, but there is enough legal prescient with the "ban" states that you will not lose your gun

Don't be scared of buying a larger handgun; don't buy into the notion that you can't effectively conceal a larger handgun. Don't be afraid of possible bans, either. That's just plain giving up. Let's not give the anti faction any wins while the laws are still on our side.

Speedo66 said:

Anything that comes standard with 15 rounds is likely to be a fairly large gun,

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Nope. Here's some examples of a pistol that holds fifteen rounds, with mags that can be had for seventeen. Plus, a larger gun is far easier to shoot much more effectively.

I was 60 years old before I bought my first "new" pistol. Now there are a lot of used guns that are in very good condition. I don't believe in spray and pray. Why does the average person need 15 rounds? If you read about police battles over the last 50 years, very few of them needed more than 10 rounds. And you are not a cop. Most experts will tell you the first 3 rounds are most important. Revolvers can hold 5 or 6. And there are speed loaders for revolver reloadings. On the other-hand, practice with a 8 or 10 cartridge auto. You don't empty the gun and reload; you shoot up to the last round in your gun, drop the mag, insert another and keep shooting without breaking your stride, You just made your 8 or 10 rounder a 16 or 20 round gun. Bottom line to all this, Annie Oakley said it best, "practice, practice, practice." with what you got.

Another gerrmane point not brought up here is that, in our present times, what ought to be bought is going to be severely limited by what is available to be bought.

It may well be that stores may only have SCCYs in oddball calibers. Or exactly three Glocks of equally oddball caliber or size footprints.

What may help is for OP to go check the local LGS, pawn shops and the like, and ask of that selection, what might be best.

Subject said:

Hello, I just became a member of this forum today, and am not entirely familiar with forums in general. I apologize if my question has already been answered. I understand this is not the introduction thread so I will try to get straight to the point.

I just got my CPL. I am a college student and I do not have a lot of money. I would like to buy a handgun. I was encouraged by instructors and family and friends to get a model that supports around 15 capacity magazine. However, Biden's VP has a strict view on guns and I am not sure what will legally happen if Biden wins the election. I cannot afford to buy a gun just to have it taken away. I could technically buy a gun with less round capacity, but 500- 600 dollars is a lot of money to me. I would prefer to get what I want, but I would really like to see if anyone knows what will happen to people with 15+1 handguns if Biden gets elected.

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Welcome aboard! Buy a Hi-Point. For $250.00 you can be reliably protected and and as long as you keep a burlap sack over it - you can even take it to the range.

What I purchased 4 of when the last ban was proposed, just to have in case, 40 round, totally not practical, but currently legal in my state!