Browning Hi Cap Magazine Question

[C. STORR]

Hey all. I am relatively fresh into handguns, having purchased various newer models over the past few years, Springfields, Glocks, etc...I received an older Browning 9 from my father and a bagful of varous magazines. Can someone tell me if the one pictured below is illegal? Thanks...

 

[stevengregory]

I don't think there is any more legality question anymore with mag capacity at all. As far as I know there is no limit. One of the stupid Clinton laws from the nineties sunsetted a couple of years back and things are back to normal again with respect to mag capacity. Maybe someone else knows for sure and in more detail, though.

 

[Mick R.]

I'm pretty sure your Browning Hi-Power magazine was always legal. I believe there was a grandfather clause in the Brady Bill that allowed hi-cap mags made before a certain date legal to own.

 

[TIZWIN]

The more important question should be: does this work?


Legal or not, the magazine should not be trusted until it has reliably fed a couple hundred rounds of your favored ammo. The Browning Hi-Power already has a standard mag with a large capacity. It was one of the first self-loading handguns to accomodate a mag of greater than ten rounds. Hence its nickname. A well-made, and well-tuned Hi-Power, with a mag of proven reliablility, will stand up to the best of the newer pistols in service to your self-defense. This is disregarding that old debate about the efficacy of 9mm ammo.

Take the old warhorse and that mammoth magazine out to the range and see what it will do while hot and dirty. Good luck.

 

[mr_wilson]

I don't think there is any more legality question anymore with mag capacity at all. As far as I know there is no limit. One of the stupid Clinton laws from the nineties sunsetted a couple of years back and things are back to normal again with respect to mag capacity. Maybe someone else knows for sure and in more detail, though.

Depending upon the LAWS in your state! (not all states are create equal and there are states with magazine capacity restrictions)

 

[m1marty]

Hi-caps are good to go here in Washington state.

 

[MikeMade™]

Yes, there is a limit to the amount of rounds you can have in a handgun, or long rifle. Any gun with a removable magazine that holds more than 30 rounds is considered an "automatic" firearm, even if the action is semi-auto. This is a federal law so it applies to every state. The Hi-Power mag you have looks is a 30 round magazine so you should be fine.

 

[mete]

It isn't a matter just of how many rounds it holds but is it reliable ??

 

[BlackHills]

Yes, there is a limit to the amount of rounds you can have in a handgun, or long rifle. Any gun with a removable magazine that holds more than 30 rounds is considered an "automatic" firearm, even if the action is semi-auto. This is a federal law so it applies to every state. The Hi-Power mag you have looks is a 30 round magazine so you should be fine.

Can you give me the title to that law please?

 

[Keyser Soze]

Yes, there is a limit to the amount of rounds you can have in a handgun, or long rifle. Any gun with a removable magazine that holds more than 30 rounds is considered an "automatic" firearm, even if the action is semi-auto. This is a federal law so it applies to every state. The Hi-Power mag you have looks is a 30 round magazine so you should be fine.

This is incorrect. No such federal law exists.

 

[m1marty]

Yes, there is a limit to the amount of rounds you can have in a handgun, or long rifle. Any gun with a removable magazine that holds more than 30 rounds is considered an "automatic" firearm, even if the action is semi-auto. This is a federal law so it applies to every state. The Hi-Power mag you have looks is a 30 round magazine so you should be fine.

Incorrect.

 

[Guntotin_fool]

That mag is legal AFA the feds. Despite what MikeMade said, there is no such law, never has been. The only federal law that dealt with magazines, was the assualt weapon ban,which ran from 1994 to 2004,and which attempted to ban the manufacture and sale of NEW magazines of more than ten round capacity. Any magazine manufactured or sold in the USA during that ten year period of the laws existence, was required to have stamped on it "For law enforcement use only"
In late 2004, the BATFE issued an open letter regarding hI cap magazines, basically stating that the old rules, that is, no rules applied and the ownership and possession of "LEO only mags" by civilians was now allowed.
I was trying to get a link to that letter, but it seems the BATFE website is now down.

Note that while the Feds have no such retrictions, some states do, I BELIEVE Cali, Mass, Ill, NY NJ ban more than ten rounders, and maryland I believe bans mags over 20 rounds. These local exclusions have nothing to do with the Federal law, and are groundless anywhere else.

MikeMade needs to be more aware of what the laws really are, not what he gets told by the errornet. For what it's worth, I have a couple of Beta C mags, one for my HK and one for my AR. www.betaco.com
one hundred round mags are fun.

 

[lizardman_u]

personally for range use the 30 round mag would be fun, but for carry use I would try to find a magazine that pretty much fits flush with the magazine well on the pistol, or maybe is 1/2 to 3/4 longer than a factory mag.

 

[SIFU1A]

Yes, there is a limit to the amount of rounds you can have in a handgun, or long rifle. Any gun with a removable magazine that holds more than 30 rounds is considered an "automatic" firearm, even if the action is semi-auto. This is a federal law so it applies to every state. The Hi-Power mag you have looks is a 30 round magazine so you should be fine.

thats not correct, where in the world did ya hear that at??

someone is confused.

unless its banned by state law the mag is legal to own,

 

[GigOne]

Yes, there is a limit to the amount of rounds you can have in a handgun, or long rifle. Any gun with a removable magazine that holds more than 30 rounds is considered an "automatic" firearm, even if the action is semi-auto. This is a federal law so it applies to every state.

Incorrect.

You're being too nice, marty, cuz dude (MikeMade™) is full of dog doo !