Skip to main content
Help Center Community Shop

Are 15 Round Mags Legal in California?

floorguy24
I'm trying to find out the true answer due to the conflicting answers I'm getting from various people/officers I've asked on this. I'm referring to my Beretta 92 9mm to be specific.

My local Police Department says only 10 round magazines are legal, no matter what. Nothing bigger for hunting, sport shooting or home protection.

My local gun shop says they're only legal if they or the pistol were manufactured before 2001.

My local gun club/shooting range says there are no limitations on the shooting range. I've seen 30 round clips and bigger being used out there.

Who either knows for sure, or EXACTLY where to find this information?

Any input would be very helpful.
0

Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • Laredo Lefty
    In Cal magazines holding 10 rds or less are legal. Hi-caps, over 10 rds, are legal if they were possessed prior to the ban going into affect. Law enf officers are exempt.

    This is from the Cal DOJ website FAQ's #9..........

    9.If I have a large-capacity magazine, do I need to get rid of it?

    No. Continued possession of large-capacity magazines (able to accept more than 10 rounds) that you owned in California before January 1, 2000, is not prohibited. However as of January 1, 2000, it is illegal to buy, manufacture, import, keep for sale, expose for sale, give or lend any large-capacity magazine in California except by law enforcement agencies, California peace officers, or licensed dealers.

    (PC Section 12020 (b)(19-29))
    0
  • mark christian
    If the high capacity magazine was in CA on or before 31 Dec., 1999 it is legal to own and to use in all lawful shooting activities, but these magazines may not be sold or transferred inside this state, except in specific circumstances (virtually none of which will apply to the average person). After 31 Dec., 1999 a permit from the CA DOJ is required for the importation of all high capacity magazines into CA and for all intents and purposes these permits are only issued to dealers. CA law allows law enforcement officers to obtain high capacity magazines, but not as direct purchases from out of state suppliers, LEO magazines must be purchased from CA dealers so that the transactions can be registered.

    I am a dealer here in CA and this is how the regulations read.
    0
  • Riomouse911
    I am guessing that the dealer must register the sale, I have never had to do anything nmore than show my work ID to purchase hi-caps. No dealer has ever asked me to fill out paperwork etc on my end, and that's for pistol and rifle mags.

    For non-sworn people (and even retired LEO), the 10 round limit is the rule in Ca.

    As for the range, they're not going to check the purchase date of anything brought in (And I don't think they have the ability to do so even if they wanted to, at least none of the ranges I've been to). So as long as the shooter is not a clown, I'm guessing they're welcome to shoot what they brought.
    0
  • brickmaster1248
    How can they determine if a mag had been "grandfathered" in or brought over from Nevada or some other state after the 2000? Or is it an unenforceable law?
    0
  • rsnyder55
    Some mags are stamped LEO and some are stamped with the date of manufacture. Other than that, I don't think it is.
    0
  • mark christian
    There is really no way unless you are dumb enough to have a former LEO restricted magazine in your possession with a date stamped on it after the cut off.
    0
  • gruntled
    I already had several magazines over 10 rounds for various firearms before the cut off date.
    If I take them out of state to go shooting in Nevada or Arizona for example can I bring them back into the state?
    How would I prove I already owned them or would I need to?
    0
  • brickmaster1248
    quote:Originally posted by mark christian
    There is really no way unless you are dumb enough to have a former LEO restricted magazine in your possession with a date stamped on it after the cut off.



    Thats what I figured. Sorry to OP for hijacking his thread.
    0
  • mark christian
    Your question actually demonstrates how hard this law is to enforce and unless someone goes out of their way to be stupid and get caught with a magazine that can be dated there is really no way to enforce it.

    I owe you an apology because I hit the wrong button on my moderator "control panel" and edited your post by accident. I managed to restore it as you originally posted, but it did result in leaving the little edit tag at the bottom. My apologies.
    0
  • mark christian
    Here is an example of the date stamp that can trip someone up:
    [img][/img]P99magazine.jpg
    The magazine is dated from 1994 and while the CA cut off date is 1999 there is a big problem: None of the restricted magazines were legal for private purchase until the Crime Bill expired in 2004, four years after the 1999 CA ban cut off date. If you've got one of these sitting in your P99 and you are not a cop or a gun dealer then even Barney Fife can figure out that it was not in your possession before 31 Dec., 1999.
    0

Please sign in to leave a comment.

Recent Activity