CA Hicap magazine question, modify to 10rds?

[icentropy]

Hello all, A quick question. My wife and I are starting to build out Bug out kits for WTSHTF or EOTWAWKI and we currently have a M1A Socom (mine) and she's looking at getting an AR-15 (she loves my Socom but it's too heavy for her). Anyway, we are looking to start getting extra mags for the M1A and Molle pouches for the mags. I really don't want to invest in 10rd mags (and they don't even make good holders for them. Especially since we hope to be leaving CA in 5 years or so.

So the question is this, can you get a 20rd mag, take it apart, insert some sort of spacer inside and reassemble so that it can only hold 10 rounds? They do it with shotguns (i.e. dowl rod inserting into the tube). Would such a modified 20round mag be legal in CA? Then when we move out of CA we just dissassemble all mags and we have standard 20rd mags.

Any thoughts?

[gasol1ne]

i believe if you modify a normal capacity magazine to hold only 10rounds to comply with california law, it has to be permanently modified. so it shouldnt be able to transform back to normal capacity. If you already had the magazine before the califorinia ban, then i dont think it has to be permanently modified.

On a side note, perhaps you should think about building and ar10 instead of an ar15. If you already have an M1A it would make sense to have another .308 in a bugout kit so you can consolidate ammo.

[Capt_Communist]

i believe if you modify a normal capacity magazine to hold only 10rounds to comply with california law, it has to be permanently modified.

correct

[Double_D]

You can't buy hi cap mags. You can't even buy it out of state and bring it in the california. However, you can buy rebuild kits, which are simply just disassembled magazines meant replace any broken magazine parts that need to be replaced. You can buy a rebuild kit and put a block in it to turn it into a 10 round mag. You have to make it permanent though, so you wouldn't be able to turn it back to a hi cap.

[Double_D]

Also, welcome to calguns

[icentropy]

Thanks for the welcome! This is a great forum. I don't know how you could "permenantly" modify a mag? I mean if you glued a spacer to the follower would that be permanent? it would require a new follower. or you could glue the spacer to the floor plate, and just replace the floor plate right? I mean any modification you make to the mag would only require the replacement of that particular piece right? I heard the the AR-10s were quite a bit heavier than the AR-15's though right?

[icentropy]

Wow, i just realized how many times i used the word "right", I appologize in advance.

[icentropy]

I just ran across this website selling 10/30 mags.

http://www.riflegear.com/p-599-c-products-545x39-1030-magazine.aspx

Anybody have these? They state the floorplate can't be removed, are they glued inplace or tack welded together? I work in a machine shop and am pretty handy so although i probably won't find 10/20 M14 mags, i could probably do it myself. I'm all for finding loopholes in the law (i.e. bullet button), I just don't want to break it.

[Marlin Hunter]

I don't know how you could "permenantly" modify a mag?

I have made 10rd mag spacers using material available at Home Depot. You will need tools like hacksaw, electric drill, 3/16 drill bit, files, and a pop rivet gun with rivets (and a pair of vise grips comes in handy). If I get the time. I will try to do a write-up with pictures.

[Rukus]

Most of the commercially made 10/30 mags have a spacer inserted in them and the floorplates epoxied in place so that the floorplate cannot be removed. Basically you would destroy the magazine trying to convert it back to a normal capacity magazine.

[Double_D]

To make it permanent, I just JB weld the floor plate to the block and magazine so it can't be disassembled. A lot of people just use rivets.

[mydogsmonkey]

You can't buy hi cap mags. You can't even buy it out of state and bring it in the california. However, you can buy rebuild kits, which are simply just disassembled magazines meant replace any broken magazine parts that need to be replaced. You can buy a rebuild kit and put a block in it to turn it into a 10 round mag. You have to make it permanent though, so you wouldn't be able to turn it back to a hi cap.

you actually can buy hi caps, you just can't import them, sell them, manufacture etc that is in the PC. buying, possessing, finding, and stuff like that is all legal

[quig]

I have had a few problems with the 10/30 mags. Usually the company that sells them makes sure that it is limited to 10rds and won't fit in the 11th. Therefore, they are over cautious and the 10th rd is usually really tight and may not properly feed, or the mag won't properly secure.

Some people do a real good job at modifying. So don't go cheap, you'll be sorry and frustrated.

[dieselpower]

we just hashed this out in another thread, and I am sure the last thread wasn't the first nor will this thread be the last...

It is legal to buy hi-caps in another state and then disassemble them before coming back.
It is legal to assemble a hi-cap magazine in another state and then disassemble it before returning to CA.
It is legal to modify a hi-cap magazine to hold 10rds or less. DoJ/BoF is unclear on what "permanently altered" in the law actually means. They have indicated it means un-modifying would require tools, but its a decision any one of the 58 DAs can make.
It is legal to modify a legally owned hi-cap to a 10rd or less magazine, then unmodified it. The reasoning here is the hi-cap regulation on excluding modified hi-caps doesnt apply to legally owned hi-caps.

My suggestion is to keep at least 10 - 20 disassembled hi-caps on hand. If and when they are needed you can quickly assemble them. The "Hollywood fantasy" of hordes of zombies attacking you without prior notice is stupid. If a SHTF situation happens, whatever it is, you will have time to grab your SHTF-BOB. inside that BOB will be a the disassembled hi-caps.

[GunDog]

I just ran across this website selling 10/30 mags.

http://www.riflegear.com/p-599-c-products-545x39-1030-magazine.aspx

Anybody have these? They state the floorplate can't be removed, are they glued inplace or tack welded together? I work in a machine shop and am pretty handy so although i probably won't find 10/20 M14 mags, i could probably do it myself. I'm all for finding loopholes in the law (i.e. bullet button), I just don't want to break it.

The C-Products mags are regular 30 rnd AR-15 mags that have been "lanced" (i.e. punched) on the front and back to prevent the follower from going down the magazine body to accept more than 10 rounds. Unfortunately, the company errs on the side of caution and quite often the mags will only hold 9 rounds. Yes, the floorplate can be removed.