Maryland Gun Laws

[jaytex1969]

My uncle will be moving back to Maryland soon and I'm helping him get a good understanding of the current state of affairs concerning his possessions.

My understanding is that his M1 Carbine has few enough "evil" features to be unaffected, however the 15 and 30 round mags are of concern.

On Wikipedia (I know, NOT a source of legal info) under MD gun laws, it says that one may not buy, sell or transfer mags over 10 rounds but those already possessed are OK. Sounds fishy to me.

My web search led me to an array of incomplete and outdated information, so I thought I'd ask here.


Thanks.

Jay

[cslinger]

Now keep in mind this may be old data but yeah at least at one point MD law prohibited the buying/selling/transfer in the state but had no rega about ownership or even running out of state and bringing back.

Again this was a long time ago so I cannot speak to current affairs but what you said tracks.

[MC 1911]

He will be fine. You just can't buy them in MD. People come to VA all the time & buy mags to take back.

[Tom Servo]

Here's the relevant state code:

§ 4-305. Detachable magazines -- Prohibited

(b) Prohibited. -- A person may not manufacture, sell, offer for sale, purchase, receive, or transfer a detachable magazine that has a capacity of more than 10 rounds of ammunition for a firearm.

Simply possessing the magazines is not a violation of state law. This isn't gospel, and it's a bit old, but this was an email response from the state Assistant Attorney General in 2014:

You have asked about Maryland's law governing magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds.

§ 4-305(b) of the Criminal Law Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland states that, "A person may not manufacture, sell, offer for sale, purchase, receive, or transfer a detachable magazine that has a capacity of more than 10 rounds of ammunition for a firearm."

Unlike Maryland's law governing "assault weapons," § 4-305(b) does not prohibit the possession of such magazines in Maryland, or the transportation of such magazines into Maryland. Also, Maryland law would not govern the sale or receipt of such magazines that occur outside of Maryland.

This email does not constitute an official opinion of the Office of the Attorney General of Maryland.

Mark H. Bowen
Assistant Attorney General

So that's statute, and that's probably as far as we can advise you. In practice, I'd suggest discretion. Certain counties are very hostile to gun owners, and I've dealt with one case in which an over-zealous sheriff's office confiscated a man's entire collection based on an erroneous suspicion he'd illegally transfered a pistol.

[jaytex1969]

Thanks, fellas.

Is that pertaining to rifles or all firearms?

[Aguila Blanca]

Both the statute and the AG's opinion say "firearm." Neither says "rifle."

[jaytex1969]

Thanks again!