Low capacity magazine mods?

Gitsum · September 23, 2011, 10:47 AM

ok. Im sure this has been posted already but I was unable to find anything on it. So should I run out and buy some pre-ban mags for my CZ 75B and pay through the nose for them? Im thinking it cant be all that hard to mod the newer 10 rd mags and pay less? Has anyone tried this yet? If so please explain your sucesses or failures. Thanks.

Walt Sherrill · September 23, 2011, 11:09 AM

Are you limited to using pre-ban mags in your state?

If there's a state legal limit on mag capacity, modifying 10-rounders would arguably be illegal and gain you nothing if you're caught.

Most 10-round mags for the CZ or Witness line either had 1) a laser cut that wouldn't let you modify them, or 2) a shorter tube with a plastic base. None of these mags are easily tampered with or modified.

Check CDNN, and other places. http://www.cdnninvestments.com/cz.html CDNN has both standard CZ-75 fifteen rounders (for $24.99) and 17 rounders for the 75B (for $26.99). Plus shipping, which is painful. Buy several to spread the shipping costs.

CDNN's price is MUCH LOWER than the CZ-USA price for the same mags.

carguychris · September 23, 2011, 11:11 AM

OK, I'm confused. The NRA-ILA website does not indicate that there are prohibitions on the purchase, possession, or transport of so-called "high-capacity" magazines (I prefer the term "standard-capacity"

) in Deleware.

http://www.nraila.org/statelawpdfs/DESL.pdf

You should be able to buy standard-capacity mags for normal market price. Why would you even think about paying extra for "pre-ban" ones?

OTOH if you're sitting on a stack of AWB 10-rounders, you can use them as range mags, or you can trade them to someone who wants them as range mags. FWIW AWB 10rd mags are sometimes so cheap at the gun shows here that people will pick up 8-10 spares so they don't have to reload mags at the range.

Gitsum · September 23, 2011, 11:18 AM

Carguy, Im not really sure now that you point that out. A friend said he bought up a bunch of pre-ban mags for his smith so I looked around and saw that there is alot of discussion on these new mags. I should look into this further before I jump the gun. But wouldnt any ban on these be U.S. wide instead of by state? Ill dig deeper and figure out whats up. Thanks

carguychris · September 23, 2011, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Most 10-round mags for the CZ or Witness line either had 1) a laser cut that wouldn't let you modify them, or 2) a shorter tube with a plastic base. None of these mags are easily tampered with or modified... CDNN has both standard CZ-75 fifteen rounders (for $24.99) and 17 rounders for the 75B (for $26.99).

+1.

Most state laws (and the expired AWB) require manufacturers to build their 10rd magazines in such a way that prevents easy modification, and almost all of the ones I've seen fit the description.
Could an experienced metalworker modify one into a standard mag? Yes, probably, but it might be less trouble for him to just fabricate one from scratch. OTOH an average Joe with a garage workbench would probably turn it into an unreliable mangled POS in the attempt.
Say I bought a pistol with 4x10rd AWB mags. Going rate around here is $10-$15 for these. Sell 2 of them and I'd have almost enough cash to buy one standard mag, and I'd still have 2x10rd spares for the range.

For the minimal amount of cost savings we're talking about, IMHO it doesn't make a lick of sense to try to modify one.

Hammerhead · September 23, 2011, 11:23 AM

No nation wide ban, that ended in '04.
It would be DE laws only.

Walt Sherrill · September 23, 2011, 11:26 AM

Some states limit magazine capacity, and not even pre-Ban mags are allowed in some of them.

The federal law banning hi-cap mags expired a number of years ago.

If your state doesn't have limits on mag size, you can get hi-caps anywhere. CDNN is a good place to get them. And the prices are reasonable. If there's a state limit, pre-ban mags may be your only reasonable option, if they're allowed there.

A quick Google search shows that CA, MA, HI, and NY restrict capacity to 10 rounds. NY/MA have exceptions for pre-ban magazines. NJ is, the search says, restricted to 15-round magazines -- I thought it was 10 rounds. MD is restricted to 20-round magazines.

There are probably other restrictions. Your gunsmith should know what's allowed in your state. Even municipalities can get into the game...

Delaware isn't listed as one of the state banning hi-caps on any of the lists I found online. That doesn't tell you anything for SURE, but it's a good sign.

carguychris · September 23, 2011, 11:34 AM

Quote:

A friend said he bought up a bunch of pre-ban mags for his smith so I looked around and saw that there is alot of discussion on these new mags.

If your friend has a 3rd-generation S&W all-metal pistol with a 3- or 4-digit model number, their model run from 1989-2009 largely coincided with the nationwide Assault Weapons Ban (AWB) from 1994-2004. A LOT of these pistols were sold with post-ban 10rd mags, so many used S&W buyers have wound up hunting for standard mags.

This has ironically created somewhat of a glut of 10rd S&W mags, including many dealers who bought too many of them, and still have stockpiles of NOS 10rd mags in the factory packaging.

OTOH many S&W owners have taken advantage of this situation to pick up the aforementioned 8-10 spares.

Gitsum · September 23, 2011, 11:57 AM

Ok. After some more research, I no longer need to worry. Delaware has no mag cap restrictions and I can pick up the 16 rd mags with out any problems. On my way to put about 500 rds through it today and the first rounds through my new STI trojan!

Thanks Firing Line!

Gunner442 · September 23, 2011, 10:10 PM

New Jersey is a 15 round state...

September 23, 2011, 10:47 AM	#1
Gitsum Senior Member Join Date: September 23, 2011 Location: Delawhere? Posts: 146	Low capacity magazine mods? ok. Im sure this has been posted already but I was unable to find anything on it. So should I run out and buy some pre-ban mags for my CZ 75B and pay through the nose for them? Im thinking it cant be all that hard to mod the newer 10 rd mags and pay less? Has anyone tried this yet? If so please explain your sucesses or failures. Thanks.

September 23, 2011, 10:10 PM	#10
Gunner442 Member Join Date: September 14, 2009 Posts: 18	NJ is 15 New Jersey is a 15 round state...

September 23, 2011, 11:09 AM	#2
Walt Sherrill Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 1999 Location: Winston-Salem, NC USA Posts: 6,348	Are you limited to using pre-ban mags in your state? If there's a state legal limit on mag capacity, modifying 10-rounders would arguably be illegal and gain you nothing if you're caught. Most 10-round mags for the CZ or Witness line either had 1) a laser cut that wouldn't let you modify them, or 2) a shorter tube with a plastic base. None of these mags are easily tampered with or modified. Check CDNN, and other places. http://www.cdnninvestments.com/cz.html CDNN has both standard CZ-75 fifteen rounders (for $24.99) and 17 rounders for the 75B (for $26.99). Plus shipping, which is painful. Buy several to spread the shipping costs. CDNN's price is MUCH LOWER than the CZ-USA price for the same mags.

September 23, 2011, 11:11 AM	#3
carguychris Senior Member Join Date: October 20, 2007 Location: Richardson, TX Posts: 7,523	OK, I'm confused. The NRA-ILA website does not indicate that there are prohibitions on the purchase, possession, or transport of so-called "high-capacity" magazines (I prefer the term "standard-capacity" ) in Deleware. http://www.nraila.org/statelawpdfs/DESL.pdf You should be able to buy standard-capacity mags for normal market price. Why would you even think about paying extra for "pre-ban" ones? OTOH if you're sitting on a stack of AWB 10-rounders, you can use them as range mags, or you can trade them to someone who wants them as range mags. FWIW AWB 10rd mags are sometimes so cheap at the gun shows here that people will pick up 8-10 spares so they don't have to reload mags at the range.

September 23, 2011, 11:18 AM	#4
Gitsum Senior Member Join Date: September 23, 2011 Location: Delawhere? Posts: 146	Carguy, Im not really sure now that you point that out. A friend said he bought up a bunch of pre-ban mags for his smith so I looked around and saw that there is alot of discussion on these new mags. I should look into this further before I jump the gun. But wouldnt any ban on these be U.S. wide instead of by state? Ill dig deeper and figure out whats up. Thanks

September 23, 2011, 11:23 AM	#6
Hammerhead Senior Member Join Date: June 1, 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,432	No nation wide ban, that ended in '04. It would be DE laws only.

September 23, 2011, 11:26 AM	#7
Walt Sherrill Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 1999 Location: Winston-Salem, NC USA Posts: 6,348	Some states limit magazine capacity, and not even pre-Ban mags are allowed in some of them. The federal law banning hi-cap mags expired a number of years ago. If your state doesn't have limits on mag size, you can get hi-caps anywhere. CDNN is a good place to get them. And the prices are reasonable. If there's a state limit, pre-ban mags may be your only reasonable option, if they're allowed there. A quick Google search shows that CA, MA, HI, and NY restrict capacity to 10 rounds. NY/MA have exceptions for pre-ban magazines. NJ is, the search says, restricted to 15-round magazines -- I thought it was 10 rounds. MD is restricted to 20-round magazines. There are probably other restrictions. Your gunsmith should know what's allowed in your state. Even municipalities can get into the game... Delaware isn't listed as one of the state banning hi-caps on any of the lists I found online. That doesn't tell you anything for SURE, but it's a good sign.

September 23, 2011, 11:57 AM	#9
Gitsum Senior Member Join Date: September 23, 2011 Location: Delawhere? Posts: 146	Ok. After some more research, I no longer need to worry. Delaware has no mag cap restrictions and I can pick up the 16 rd mags with out any problems. On my way to put about 500 rds through it today and the first rounds through my new STI trojan! Thanks Firing Line!