Pre ban mags

[Outrider]

I still don't understand why 23+ year old magazines have ANY value whatsoever...in any state!! The 1994 federal AWB is gone gone gone, never to return.

The federal law pertained to newly manufactured firearms and magazines. In addition to the federal AWB, some states passed their own laws covering so-called assault weapons and magazine capacities. These laws were piecemeal and generally addressed if and how people could buy, sell, trade, or possess pre-ban firearms and mags.

Following passage of the Clinton AWB, we saw states like CA and NY develop their own rules that were based on the federal law but went further than it did.

For example, the Clinton AWB did nothing about stuff people already owned. Those firearms and magazines were grandfathered in, increased in value, and could be freely bought, sold, and traded under federal law. In contrast to federal law, CA passed laws requiring registration of firearms it defined as assault weapons and banned intra-state transfer. Later, it passed a law that allowed people who owned pre-ban mags (mags manufactured before a specific date) to keep them but forbade people from buying, trading, or obtaining pre-ban mags via gift. Before CA changed its laws, it was common for Californians to buy pre-ban mags online. -Compare that with NY's law that banned newly manufactured standard capacity mags but allowed people to buy pre-ban mags until some relatively recent changes.

When the federal law expired in 2004, the various state laws remained in effect. Pre-ban mags lost their premiums in states that had no laws, but retained them in states where they were controlled by state law and could still be bought, sold, and traded.

 

[CHLChris]

Thank you for that tutorial, @Outrider. I knew some of that, but you really explained the situation well. And, frankly, that situation is stupid! What a sad state those citizens are in who live in those wretched states! I could not even begin to imagine paying $50-100 for an old, normal-capacity magazine body. (Since really all you're buying is the body, in which one can replace all the innards, if I'm not mistaken.)

 

[L84Cabo]

I don't get the question!

If I sell some mags to a Californian, just what the heck is California going to do to me? Send me a nasty letter!
I'm an Oregonian and don't live under Cali laws! Screuch California!

That's an interesting question. I suspect much would have to do with "where" you were selling the mags. If you sold them in Oregon, there's probably not much they could do. Moreover, no law has been broken until the CA resident decides to bring those mags back into CA...and that would be on him, not you.

But if YOU ship those mags into California...well then CA Law DOES apply...And I suspect you would have just gained a free trip to California (assuming they caught you). States have a tendency to support extradition between states, if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Not that stoopid!

 

[Endless]

I saw a listing for a pre ban Glock 19 mag recently. Having some additional value to people living in states where only pre ban hi capacity mags are still legal.

This spurred me to look at some. 15rd sig mags that I never use. I've seen them listed on gun broker for over $200 which made me feel sick for anyone wanting to buy them.

What do you guys gave and what do you realistically think they're worth? More over how much would a mag be worth in trade in a SHTF situation.

I have some of the original HK 416 LE stamped mags from the 1994 AWB and last saw them on hkparts about 5 years ago for $289 a piece. I paid under $40 a piece over 18 years ago when folks couldn't buy them. I am retired now but I could have made $10K in magazines alone. Enough to fund a Barrett 50 BMG. some folks will pay a premium but for me these magazines will be worth more than money if the SHTF. I would use them for trading if the US had a SHTF situation. What they are worth at that point is anyones guess. But we all know firearms and ammunition will be worth more than paper currency. I say keep them.