To
ensure reliability for defensive purposes, use only original equipment magazines produced by the manufacturer
of your
particular make and model of gun. These are available at the Armory.
Visit the on-line catalogue
for product descriptions and prices.
The
federal magazine ban
which restricted the importation and sale of full capacity
magazines manufactured after September 13, 1994, expired without
reauthorization on September 13, 2004. Private
possession of all full capacity magazines is once again legal in almost
all states.
It
should be noted, however, that full capacity magazines may not be
possessed by citizens of the
Peoples' Republic of California and some Eastern Bloc states,
such as Massachusetts, Maryland and New Jersey.
Cowardly legislators in these states
apparently have chosen to ignore the true nature of crime, and are
maintaining the ban at the state level. Through
a perversion of logic, the blame for crime has rather been shifted from lawless
predators to inanimate objects, such as gun magazines. In
the process, the inherent rights of a law abiding, free citizenry have
been violated.
If
residents of the affected states have any questions, they should check with
their local commissar regarding legality of purchase or ownership of full capacity
magazines. One
wouldn't want to be a political deviant, now, eh? Comrade?
Bushmaster
intends to market brand new 20- and 30-round magazines for the AR-15 to
the public. The 20-rounder will not be straight, but rather will
exhibit a slight curve. The curve will not be as pronounced as
that of the 30-rounder, however. These magazines are available at
the Armory.
Colt
apparently will not be making any new full capacity AR-15 magazines for
public consumption. For those who prefer the straight body of Colt
20-round magazines, the Armory has a limited number of "near
new" pre-ban Colt 20-rounders available in the on-line
catalogue.
Regardless
of manufacturer, 20-round magazines tend to
jam if fully loaded. Load 18 rounds at most. Many shooters
prefer the 20-round magazine over higher capacity alternatives because
it is conducive to both prone and bench rest shooting.
While
possessing the drawback of "high centering" the firearm when prone or bench rest shooting,
the 30-round magazine tends to
function flawlessly, even when loaded to its full 30-round
capacity.
In
general, 40-round magazines that work well are going to be hard to
find. Restrict your interest to those manufactured by Sterling of
England for the AR-180/AR-15. They are suited to both guns, and
may be found in either alloy or steel, both of which are
acceptable.
