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Pre-Ban magazines
dustinfox
Member Posts: 393 ✭✭✭
What is the deal with "Pre-Ban" magazines? Please forgive my ignorance on the subject and feel free to simply point me to another thread or web site . I understand that there was a ban on "high capacity" magazines from 1994 - 2004 and that there are magazines around which were manufactured prior to the ban. But from a buyer or seller stand point, what does this mean to me today? Are there legal traps to watch out for? Are Pre-Ban magazines valued more? How do I know if my magazines are Pre-Ban? Is a Colt 5.56 magazine with no date on it a Pre-Ban?
Thanks much in advance!
Thanks much in advance!
Comments
It would only affect you if you lived in certain States or Cities that had laws restricting magazine capacity. When these laws went into effect, they "Grandfathered", the magazines then in existence. As magazines generally aren't marked with their date of construction, it makes for a very confusing situation.
Thanks! It sounds like it probably means very little then in terms of selling on GB since I personally would not be willing to test that grandfather clause.
What is the deal with "Pre-Ban" magazines? Please forgive my ignorance on the subject and feel free to simply point me to another thread or web site . I understand that there was a ban on "high capacity" magazines from 1994 - 2004 and that there are magazines around which were manufactured prior to the ban. But from a buyer or seller stand point, what does this mean to me today? Are there legal traps to watch out for? Are Pre-Ban magazines valued more? How do I know if my magazines are Pre-Ban? Is a Colt 5.56 magazine with no date on it a Pre-Ban?
Thanks much in advance!
Sometimes "pre-pre-1994 ban" magazines (yes, I mean to say that "pre-pre") will be better quality than "just-pre-1994 ban" magazines.
Manufacturers were turning out magazines at such a hectic pace just prior to the 1994 ban that quality plummeted. There are still some of those "just-pre-1994 ban" magazines that are still floating around. Some can be tweaked/tuned and made to work reliably, some are just complete junk. Knowing which are which takes a person with a good amount of experience -- or a function-test in a firearm.
The "law enforcement use only" marked ones are an indication of 1994-2004 manufacture -- and is usually a good indicator of good quality since production wasn't being rushed.
Post-2004 magazines can be hit-or-miss; I've seen junk even from companies who I thought were trying to maintain an image of good quality for their brand name. I expect quality will be plummeting on current production runs of magazines, so one needs to be buying carefully, IMO.
As for Colt 5.56 AR-15-style magazines, there is one name for absolute stunningly good quality -- that's HK's "416" or "Maritime" magazine. They were about $55 each as the "normal non-panic-buying" price; I don't know what they sell for now.
quote:Originally posted by dustinfox
What is the deal with "Pre-Ban" magazines? Please forgive my ignorance on the subject and feel free to simply point me to another thread or web site . I understand that there was a ban on "high capacity" magazines from 1994 - 2004 and that there are magazines around which were manufactured prior to the ban. But from a buyer or seller stand point, what does this mean to me today? Are there legal traps to watch out for? Are Pre-Ban magazines valued more? How do I know if my magazines are Pre-Ban? Is a Colt 5.56 magazine with no date on it a Pre-Ban?
Thanks much in advance!
Sometimes "pre-pre-1994 ban" magazines (yes, I mean to say that "pre-pre") will be better quality than "just-pre-1994 ban" magazines.
Manufacturers were turning out magazines at such a hectic pace just prior to the 1994 ban that quality plummeted. There are still some of those "just-pre-1994 ban" magazines that are still floating around. Some can be tweaked/tuned and made to work reliably, some are just complete junk. Knowing which are which takes a person with a good amount of experience -- or a function-test in a firearm.
The "law enforcement use only" marked ones are an indication of 1994-2004 manufacture -- and is usually a good indicator of good quality since production wasn't being rushed.
Post-2004 magazines can be hit-or-miss; I've seen junk even from companies who I thought were trying to maintain an image of good quality for their brand name. I expect quality will be plummeting on current production runs of magazines, so one needs to be buying carefully, IMO.
As for Colt 5.56 AR-15-style magazines, there is one name for absolute stunningly good quality -- that's HK's "416" or "Maritime" magazine. They were about $55 each as the "normal non-panic-buying" price; I don't know what they sell for now.
Great info... Thanks!