Legally, is a magazine *only* the sum of the parts?

[Merle]

Is a magazine the sum of it's parts or is it a distinct piece like the frame w/ the serial number?

Basically, practicing shoot-n-scoot this weekend on the NV side of the Sierras and dropped kicked a magazine. Well, FDE does blend in pretty well with dirt up there and when I went back to retrieve it, it was tough to find (5 min of looking).

Assuming it was lost and I still had the "original" floor plate prior to replacing it with a Magpul version, could I rebuild the entire magazine (30 round, preban) and remain legal?

Glad Magpul dust covers are 3/$10, those I never find.

[CHS]

Is a magazine the sum of it's parts or is it a distinct piece like the frame w/ the serial number?

In California, both.

It's a very confusing and annoying issue. Basically, to be considered a magazine by law it must be complete (The sum of all it's parts), but to legally rebuild/repair/replace a broken magazine, the DoJ has said that any one part that was legally owned prior to the ban is all you need. But later on you can even replace that one part.

Clear as dirt, huh?

[Decoligny]

I think as long as you do not end up with 2 magazines in your posession, then you should be golden. It appears that you lost some of the original parts of your magazine, and now intent on repairing what is left of your original magazine.

[CHS]

It appears that you lost some of the original parts of your magazine, and now intent on repairing what is left of your original magazine.

This ^^^^ +1

[bohoki]

so what if you take your glock to nevada and you large capacity device falls in a big bin of them and then a person stirs them up

what if you dont know which one is yours? will any identical one do?

[bodger]

This is one of the CA gun laws that I find most ludicrous.
Any good gunnie can switch out 10 round mags, even with a BB, fast as crap through a goose.
Control for control's sake.

[CHS]

so what if you take your glock to nevada and you large capacity device falls in a big bin of them and then a person stirs them up

what if you dont know which one is yours? will any identical one do?

There are specific exemptions in the large-cap mag ban for re-importing even for the purposes of repair/rebuild.

So basically, your scenario would be 100% legal, even if the magazine ended up being a higher capacity. As long as you leave the state with X magazines and don't re-import X+1 magazines, then you're fine.

Remember, X = X, always!!

[bohoki]

better watch your step if you saying that its ok to leave california with one magazine and come back with a different one

[CHS]

better watch your step if you saying that its ok to leave california with one magazine and come back with a different one

Why? It's legal.

[hoffmang]

better watch your step if you saying that its ok to leave california with one magazine and come back with a different one

Leaving the state with a legally owned large capacity magazine and returning with the rebuilt legally owned large capacity magazine is legal at all steps.

-Gene