Can I legally mod my own mags to pass muster on the 10rd WA mag law?

[osprey]

I am still holding out hope this law doesn't ever stick and gets overturned. In the meantime I am not going to rush out and buy any mags to comply and will roll with my current stock of mags that hold ten or less. As stated in the title, can I modify the internals to make my mags that hold over ten rounds comply? Let's keep on topic and not debate the merits of just not complying. Regardless of our feelings or intentions I don't think that topic needs any air on a public forum. I have had ar10 mags that were bought to be 5 rounders for hunting and they were just 10 round mags with a spacer to limit capacity. Should be fairly easy to mod other 10 round plus mags to meet the law. What's the consensus?

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[Tilos]

From what I've read:
It caps NEW magazines to 10 rounds or fewer in the State. Already owned 10+ mags can still be owned and used for defense of the home of the owner or used at the range, but they cannot be carried in a gun outside the home.

That could be BS but it's what I've read in other forums.
The law is State SB 5078 if you want to look into it.
other thread: https://www.northwestfirearms.com/threads/suddenly-mag-ban-is-in-the-news.405218/post-3213443
jmo,
.

 

[The Heretic]

why do that?

 

[arakboss]

Does anybody have a link to bill language that was actually approved?

 

[Koda]

As stated in the title, can I modify the internals to make my mags that hold over ten rounds comply?

I dont have any legal advice but as a regular visitor to Wa. I will begin to try to decipher this law but for now this -media- article suggests its illegal to posess a magazine thats capable of being modified.

"A high-capacity magazine is defined as an ammunition feeding device with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition, or any conversion kit, part or combination of parts that can be assembled to allow someone to carry more than 10 rounds."

So essentially I would just stick to magazines that were purchased specifically designed to limit capacity to 10 rounds.

Ban on sale of high-capacity magazines passes state House, moves to Gov. Inslee's desk

The bill bans the manufacturing, import, distribution or sale of high capacity magazines in Washington state.

www.king5.com

 

[Koda]

Does anybody have a link to bill language that was actually approved?

Washington State Legislature

app.leg.wa.gov

 

[Koda]

As stated in the title, can I modify the internals to make my mags that hold over ten rounds comply?

Rather than amend my comment above, I think I found the pertinent section of the actual law 36(a) which states:
"
but shall not be construed to include
any of the following:
(a) An ammunition feeding device that has been permanently
altered so that it cannot accommodate more than 10 rounds of
ammunition;"

IMO the key word there is "permanently" to me means mods are not legal unless they are somehow made permanent.

https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2021-22/Pdf/Amendments/Senate/5078-S%20AMS%20LIIA%20S3477.5.pdf

 

[arakboss]

Washington State Legislature

app.leg.wa.gov

I found that page but not sure which link is the version that was passed. Is it the engrossed substitute version?

 

[Koda]

I found that page but not sure which link is the version that was passed. Is it the engrossed substitute version?

That tripped me up as well. I picked the second link in the list that says "adopted as amended 2/9/2022". it opens up a pdf file.

 

[arakboss]

Rather than amend my comment above, I think I found the pertinent section of the actual law 36(a) which states:
"
but shall not be construed to include
any of the following:
(a) An ammunition feeding device that has been permanently
altered so that it cannot accommodate more than 10 rounds of
ammunition;"

IMO the key word there is "permanently" to me means mods are not legal unless they are somehow made permanent.

https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2021-22/Pdf/Amendments/Senate/5078-S%20AMS%20LIIA%20S3477.5.pdf

Try to define "permanently", there have been court cases on this topic. It looks to me like it will be up to a jury to decide whether your modification was permanent or not.

Edit: before it makes it to a seated jury, an LEO will make the first decision, than a prosecutor, than a grand jury and ultimately a seated jury. Don't expect the legislators to provide you with a resource to get approval on whether your mods are legal or not. They want it to be ambiguous.

 

[srxfan]

It is the Engrossed Substitute version that was passed.

To permanently mod, you could buy a 10-rd limiter follower/baseplate for AR mags, and then epoxy the baseplate or something like that.

 

[Koda]

It is the Engrossed Substitute version that was passed.

To permanently mod, you could buy a 10-rd limiter follower/baseplate for AR mags, and then epoxy the baseplate or something like that.

Thank you. That took me a minute to find its under the Available Documents section I was looking in the Amendments section.

 

[Koda]

direct link to the Engrosses Substitute version, see page 7

https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2021-22/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5078-S.E.pdf?q=20220305102726

 

[Koda]

Try to define "permanently", there have been court cases on this topic. It looks to me like it will be up to a jury to decide whether your modification was permanent or not.

Yeah, I dont plan to go down that rabbit hole or be a case law example. I figure I need to go buy some manufactured compliant mags while they are still cheap. I remember when they passed a mag limit back in the 90s and suddenly 10rd mag prices went thru the roof.
I figure Oregon is next anyways.

 

[osprey]

Yeah, not really worth permanently modding a 10 plus mag in my mind. It is kind of crazy considering some factory 10 rounders can be easily changed to accept more with various aftermarket baseplates. I am just going to convert my g27 back to .40 from it's current 9mm config and call it good with the factory mags.

 

[Koda]

isn't it a good feeling to know that the bad guys will now out-capacity the good guys...

 

[The Heretic]

It is the Engrossed Substitute version that was passed.

To permanently mod, you could buy a 10-rd limiter follower/baseplate for AR mags, and then epoxy the baseplate or something like that.

This is what a lot of manufacturers have done; cut off the bottom of the mag body and attached a plastic block such that it could not be retrofitted to take more than 10 rounds.

OTOH, the FN 10 rd mag for a PS90 is the same as the 50 rd mag, but with a longer follower block. Removed the block and it is a 50 rd mag.

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

Time to practice the New York reload.

 

[Tilos]

Does anybody have a link to bill language that was actually approved?

here:

Washington State Legislature

app.leg.wa.gov

https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2021-22/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Bills/5078-S.E.pdf?q=20220305121519

.

 

[Cerberus Group]