Switch to Larger Caliber with Mag Ban?

[Pilot]

If for some G*d forsaken reason I had to move to a state like NY with their seven round limit, I would switch to a 1911 .45 ACP or .38 Super Commander sized gun for HD.

 

[Lost Sheep]

If for some G*d forsaken reason I had to move to a state like NY with their seven round limit, I would switch to a 1911 .45 ACP or .38 Super Commander sized gun for HD.

Since I am the one who first mentioned a 7 round limit (post 34), I feel compelled to note tarosean's post 35 stating that the New York 7 round limit was overturned.

I currently know of no place in the United States that has a limit less than 10.

Of course, this little nit of a detail does not detract from the principal of your post, Pilot. I just want to keep the record straight.

Lost Sheep

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

Here in Colorado, with our stupid mag capacity law of 15 rounds, standard capacity 9mm's are now limited to 10 rounds.

My Ruger SR40-C fly's in right under the law at 15 rounds, part of the reason I bought it.

The Walther PPX 40 is also good to go at 14 rounds.

I can still order these magazines and have them shipped to the house.

 

[fastbolt]

If there was a mag ban that limited magazines to 10 rounds, would current smaller caliber users switch to a larger caliber? Why or why not?

This question was on the minds of a lot of folks when the fed law and CA's state law was introduced (CA still has their law in effect).

The upshot of it was that some folks thought "yes", and some "folks thought "no" ... and now many years later, the 9mm is still a highly popular caliber in CA.

Now, in my case, I was a cop when those laws were enacted, so it didn't affect me regarding being able to buy, own and use hi-cap magazines. Current CA law allows me to keep my older ones as retired LE, as well.

I own nine .45's, five .40's and six 9's, the majority of which were bought after the fed & state bans had gone into effect. As much as I'm a longtime .45 owner/shooter (and carried a couple of issued ones), I much prefer the smaller & lighter 9's when it comes to retirement CCW nowadays.

So, I guess it didn't - doesn't - matter ... to me.

FWIW, here in CA there was an attempt last year, which narrowly failed, to make the 'grand fathered' pre-ban hi-cap magazines illegal. (Yes, this would've also removed the retired LE exemption.) There's possibly going to be another attempt next year (ballot measure, if it gets enough votes). There have also been 3 cities who have passed their own city ordinances against the pre-ban mags, too (one of which doesn't contain an exemption for retired LE).

Having seen the hand-writing on the wall, last year I placed an order for quite a few 10-rd mags for my one hi-cap gun, just in case the 12-rd mags become illegal for me to continue to own.

When it comes right down to it, since I started in LE work carrying 6-shot revolvers on & off-duty, and a 7+1 Colt Commander off-duty, I consider most pistols that hold more than 7 or 8 rounds in the magazine to be "hi-cap" pistols.

Even back in the days when the double stack S&W M59 was seeing LE use, and the Browning HP was popular for off-duty, the single stack M39 was still seeing a lot of LE use. I knew quite a few guys who could've carried the M59's, but chose to carry the M39's.

Guess it's a matter of perspective.

 

[Jesse H]

I started carrying a gun during the Clinton administration's mag capacity ban. I complied and carried a 10 round .40 magazine, topped off with 9mm.

Now I either carry a G26 or G19 off duty and an additional 17 round mag. If limited to 10 rounds I'd still carry both with a spare neutered mag. I'm confident in quality 9mm defensive ammo and my ability to quickly and accurately shoot them.

 

[Spats McGee]

I started carrying a gun during the Clinton administration's mag capacity ban. I complied and carried a 10 round .40 magazine, topped off with 9mm.

.40 & 9MM . . . do you mean in the same magazine, or am I misunderstanding something? (Wouldn't be the first time I've misunderstood, won't be the last.)

 

[Jesse H]

A 10 round .40 magazine would hold 15 rounds of 9mm. It also functioned fine in the 9mm weapon. This was on the HS2000 (later imported by Springfield Armory as the XD).

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I carry a full-size M1911 with an 8 round magazine, plus one up the spout. With two spare 10-round mags, that gives me 29 rounds on tap.

My Dad and my Uncle Carrol both knew Uncle Billy Tilghman, the "Marshall of the Last Frontier" and one of the Three Guardsmen of Oklahoma. They used to tell how Savage wanted to get him to carry a Savage automatic. The Savage people extolled their slogan, "Ten Shots Quick."

Uncle Billy declined, saying, "It's been my experience if you can't do it with six, you can't do it."

 

[Mr.510]

I carry a 10+1 compact .45 every day. A 10 round magazine limit would mean the 13 round reload I carry now would become a 10 round reload. 21 230 grain HST +Ps on my person rather than 24? Meh, not a big deal (other than the trampling of our rights, of course). If there were a lower magazine capacity limit, like 7 rounds, I would probably switch to a slimmer single stack .45 like the XDS with a mag extension to up the capacity to the legal limit. I see no reason to carry the bulk of a double stack weapon if you're only allowed single stack capacity. I don't shoot wheelguns particularly well or I'd consider a .357 revolver as a carry gun if there were a low capacity limit.