When was the California magazine capacity ban?

[UberPhLuBB]

Were high capacity magazines banned with the 1999/2000 assault weapon ban or was there a seperate law made before or after that?

 

[billwiese]

Were high capacity magazines banned with the 1999/2000 assault weapon ban or was there a seperate law made before or after that?

Same time. The last date to acquire a hicap mag in California was 12/31/1999, just as it was for a 'by features' SB23 assault weapon.

Bill Wiese
San Jose, CA

 

[UberPhLuBB]

Ok that's what I thought.

Now what about the "Military/Law Enforcement Only" rollmark? Or does only the date matter?

 

[Combat-wombat]

Well, if a magazine was stamped "military/law enforcement only" it can be reasonably assumed that it was manufactured in the time period that the federal "assault weapons ban" was in place. The ban expired in 2004, 4 years after the cutoff date for legally purchasing a "high-capacity" magazine in California, putting the "military/law enforcement only" magazines on market. I'm not a lawyer, but I'm guessing that because you could only practically obtain Mil/LE-stamped after 2004, it would be easy to prove the guilt of the party in possion.

 

[UberPhLuBB]

Because a magazine is marked Mil/LEO, only someone in law enforcement or the military could get one. They exist, and citizens have owned them during the federal ban. Maybe they took them from the Army. Maybe they got them from friends in the army.

Regardless, can you be prosecuted for a law that no longer exists (the federal ban)? I'd liken it to being charged with owning alcohol made during the prohibition period. Can you be charged, and can you win if charged?

 

[CAnnoneer]

I wonder how many years it will take for Feinstein to push through the 5-round limit.