Modifying Magazines to Limit Capacity

[DDT951]

Does anyone know what is legal in CO to do to lower capacity of magazines?

At gun shows I see modified magazines for sale. Most of them are modified with a rivet. Do these meet the requirement of: "a feeding device permanently altered so that it cannot accommodate more than 15 rounds of ammunition" ?

For another interesting question.

(b) "LARGE-CAPACITY MAGAZINE" DOES NOT MEAN:
(I) A FEEDING DEVICE THAT HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY ALTERED SO
THAT IT CANNOT ACCOMMODATE MORE THAN FIFTEEN ROUNDS OF
AMMUNITION;

Because a permanently altered magazine is legal, can an individual make a blocked magazine from a parts kit? It seems if magazine parts are permanently altered to less than 15 rounds and then assembled, they would be legal?

There are actually different ways to do this.

Sometimes, for range use, I like short mags. They are more handy. I generally use 10 round AR mags at the range. But not all weapons have factory "short mags". But short mags can often be made by cutting down factory mags. Think of an example of PTR-91 magazines. They are " made in the USA by PTR from German parts". In a nut shell, a $3 (or less) 20 round HK magazine is cut down and a new base plate added. Then they get a $50 price tag. Is buying parts and cutting magazines down to limit capacity legal as an individual.



And then there are hunting laws. Hunting with a semi-auto in CO requires 5 round mags. But I think that a mag can be temporary limited in capacity for [big game] hunting, no? Much like a shotgun tube is blocked. The key requirement being that if a game warden checks, more than 5 rounds better not fit in the mag. I am thinking products like the magpul -5 limiter in a 10 round mag would be acceptable for hunting.

I ask these questions as I have boxes upon boxes of pre-'13 mags that are legal in CO.

But a lot of times, I prefer to carry 15 round and under mags just so the over zealous cop doesn't have anything to get worked up about if I were to contact them (which has never happened). Also, as I said, I like short mags for range use. They fit on shooting benches just fine. But I dont want to modify my pre '13 mags to lower capacity. I want "new" limited mags but not all weapons can they be purchased for. As an example, try finding 15 round [or less] Sterling mags. I think the only way to get them is to cut them down or block them. But on obscure mags, find pre-altered mags is hard.

Does anyone know the rules about permanently altering magazines?

[Great-Kazoo]

No one gets worked up over greater than 15 rd mags. It's the law one cannot buy, sell or transfer with a firearm a greater than 15 rd mag. Carry to the range or a general shoot as many 20 & 30 rd mags you like.
As for hunting, almost every aftermarket and factory mfg offers a 5 rd mag.

If you want to limit capacity of a mag that's hard or not available older one. Drop a block in the bottom that fits inside the spring. OR if you really feel the need to, pop rivet it somewhere on th emag body.


Not sure why you're concerned about (outside hunting regs) standard mags, especially in weld cty.

[Irving]

I don't think there is any regulation saying that you cannot modify a magazine to hold less rounds. I think according to the wording of the law, a magazine MUST be permanently modified in order to be legal. I don't possibly see how it'd be an issue to modify something to be legal.

[DDT951]

No one gets worked up over greater than 15 rd mags. It's the law one cannot buy, sell or transfer with a firearm a greater than 15 rd mag. Carry to the range or a general shoot as many 20 & 30 rd mags you like.
As for hunting, almost every aftermarket and factory mfg offers a 5 rd mag.

If you want to limit capacity of a mag that's hard or not available older one. Drop a block in the bottom that fits inside the spring. OR if you really feel the need to, pop rivet it somewhere on th emag body.


Not sure why you're concerned about (outside hunting regs) standard mags, especially in weld cty.

Not to be too picky...

but the law also covers possession.

" on and after July 1, 2013, a person who sells, transfers, or possesses a large-capacity magazine commits a class 2 misdemeanor."

For the most part in Weld, there is absolutely no issue. I heard directly (not hearsay) from the previous sheriff that the Weld jail wouldnt accept someone from one of the cities that was charged with only magazine violation. That said I go to other places (family for instance lives in BOCO). It is sometimes easier not to "poke the bear".

But I guess that is my question, does a block or rivet meet the letter of the law for limiting them.

[DDT951]

I don't think there is any regulation saying that you cannot modify a magazine to hold less rounds. I think according to the wording of the law, a magazine MUST be permanently modified in order to be legal. I don't possibly see how it'd be an issue to modify something to be legal.

But what is "permanently"? Is a rivet permanent?

The other question is "how"? How does one take a magazine you cannot buy and modify it to be legal? So is buying a parts kit that could make a larger magazine and modifying the magazine before assembly to be lower cap then assembling it, legal?

[CS1983]

possession is legal if possessed before the law went into effect, and the onus is on the state to prove that wasn't the case -- something impossible for any magazine manufactured prior to that date and in particular lacks a manufacturers stamp/imprint which shows date of manufacture.

[newracer]

IMO a block or rivet is not permanent.

[Wulf202]

A rivet is good enough for Canadian mag laws. It is good enough for DOW. A rivet on the floor plate and a block was used by colt during the 94-04 ban.

Precidents have been set that a rivet is a permanent modification

[OneGuy67]

Other than for hunting purposes, why are we discussing riveting magazines?

[CS1983]

Because people want to clarify whether the noose will be organic hemp or good ole fashioned synthetic.