Guns dot com
Ranking Democrats on Capitol Hill, along with gun control advocates
from the Newtown Alliance, pledged to renew a federal prohibition on
magazines that hold more than ten rounds of ammunition.
The legislation, to be introduced this week to both chambers
Congress, aims to once again ban the importation, sale, manufacture,
transfer, or possession of so-called large capacity magazines.
“There is no place in our communities for ammunition magazines
designed for military-style shootouts, which have been used inside Sandy
Hook Elementary School, in Aurora, in Fort Hood, and in Tucson – and it
is well-past time for Congress to listen to the American people and put
this high-capacity magazine ban back in place,” said Sen. Bob Menendez,
D-New Jersey, sponsor of the legislation, in an official statement.
The proposed measure would reinstate a portion of the decade-long
Federal Assault Weapons Ban, which expired in 2004. That ban’s legacy
has been upheld as a success by lawmakers who championed it while most criminologists point out that its effect on crime was negligible.
The bill, officially termed the Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device Act,
uses expansive language to deem almost all conventional magazines that
can accept more than 10 cartridges illegal. This would include not only
traditional box magazines, but also any, “belt, drum, helical feeding
device, or similar…” than can be converted or made to accept more than
the allowed round limit. A host of exceptions for the military, law
enforcement, and nuclear power plant security guards among others are
included. The only type of firearm excluded from the ban would be .22LR
caliber rifles with tubular magazines.
Feeding devices made before the ban is implemented would be
grandfathered and those made after the law takes effect would be marked
and dated.
Debate Magazine
