U.S. Law Shield warned its members and others across the country not to travel to Los Angeles with any 10+ magazines after Nov. 18, 2015—unless a suit to stop the city’s newest magazine ban is successful. California outlawed manufacturing or selling high-capacity magazines in 2000, but the city of Los Angeles made it illegal to possess them. Law Shield notes that lawsuits against magazine bans in the California cities of Sunnyvale and San Francisco have failed.
In July 2015, the City Council voted to ban ownership of magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition. Gun owners face a Nov. 18 deadline to turn over magazines or move them out of the city. See our previous Shooter’s Log coverage of the ban here and here.
Significantly, the law doesn’t just apply to Los Angeles city residents. Non-resident gun owners must avoid traveling through any part of the city of Los Angeles while possessing any banned magazine. This map illustrates where the borders of Los Angeles fall.
Notably, the city intersects every major Southern California freeway. In some cases, the city of Los Angeles completely surrounds other smaller cities, like Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica. So anyone traveling out of Santa Monica or Beverly Hills, and anyone traveling through the city of Los Angeles with a banned magazine can be prosecuted. However, 30 California Sheriffs, two law enforcement organizations, the California Rifle and Pistol Association (CRPA), and several other individuals have filed a lawsuit seeking to invalidate the ordinance. The lawsuit challenges the magazine possession ban on legal “preemption” grounds, because California state law specifically allows for the possession of such magazines.
Summary: Under the ordinance, possession of any “large-capacity” magazine within Los Angeles after November 19, 2015 will be a misdemeanor offense. Los Angeles residents must get rid of their banned magazines by that date. The lawsuit asks the court to stay enforcement of the ordinance while the matter is litigated. If the court refuses to stay enforcement of the ordinance, Los Angeles residents or travelers to the area who possess any “large-capacity” magazine generally have the following four options available to them:
- Option #1: Surrender all such magazines to the Los Angeles Police Department: Although state law allows you to sell or transfer any “large-capacity” magazine to any California peace officer, the ordinance as written only allows you to transfer all such magazines to the LAPD. If you choose to surrender your magazines, you must do so by November 18th, 2015. DO NOT attempt to surrender your magazines to law enforcement within Los Angeles after November 18th, as you will be in violation of the ordinance and could face a potential misdemeanor charge.
- Option #2: Sell or transfer all such magazines to a properly licensed person: There are limited options available to civilians under state law when transferring or selling “large-capacity” magazines. One of the few is to sell your magazines to a properly licensed firearm dealer in the state of California.
- Option #3: Remove all such magazines from the City of Los Angeles: If you are able to do so, you must remove your magazines from the City of Los Angeles before the ordinance takes effect. But you must also be careful not to unlawfully transfer the magazines to another person. To avoid doing so, only you can have access to the stored magazine (e.g., only you have the key to the safe or storage area where the magazines are kept outside of the city). Once outside of the city, you can also sell or transfer your magazines to any California peace officer.
- Option #4: Permanently alter all such magazines– The ordinance does not consider magazines that have been permanently altered in a way that will only allow them to accept 10 or less rounds to be “large capacity magazines.” Unfortunately, it is not clear what constitutes a “permanent” alteration.
Our advice: If you are a Los Angeles resident and you fail to exercise one of these options for any of your “large-capacity” magazines before the ordinance takes effect on November 19, 2015, you should contact an attorney experienced in firearms law to discuss your situation.
Also, if you have to travel through the area and you plan to possess a restricted magazine, avoid L.A. Perhaps the sheriffs will win a stay, but in the Golden State, there are no guarantees.
As the case progresses, you will be able to view all of the filings in the case here. For a summary of firearms litigation in the state, click here.
Thing about this is that unless LAPD stops every single vehicle coming into and leaving L.A., and unless LAPD resorts to kicking in every single door of every single building in L.A. searching for these magazines, this law is unenforceable.
Jabbber jabber jabber, screech like spider monkeys, and wether hairy ass or bald ass baboons you have no choice but to go sit in recliners grab a wine or a beer to weep in and comply.
OH EXspecial peoples will still be allowed to retain those multi rnd magazines, they will be right there if and when the state or fed come to claim the mags and guns.
All patriotic butt kissing stTus quo’s.
lol…wait, why would I go to Commieifornia in the first place?
every gun owner in the state should show up on the doorstep of LA’s city hall with their guns and 30 round magazines, and DARE them to take them…LA’s IGNORANT politicians DO NOT have the right or the ability to institute such ILLEGAL LAWS…they WILL learn this, if we have to run these ignorant demonrats/libtards out of the country, then that is what we will do…PERIOD…
Avoid Los Angeles. It’s a province of Mexico now and you will also need a US Passport.
Follow Snake Pliskin and “Escape From LA”
I dont think you need an atouney if you have the magazines as a resident of L.A. after the date of effect. all you need to do is take apart the damn magazines. as long as they are “spare parts” and not assembled, its not considered a magazine.
I would never in a million years set foot in California again. I will not ever give that State any money thru traveling vacationing or do business with a company based there. I have no use for such people and their delusional grip on reality
L.A. & CA the land of fruits and nuts. Before too long they’ll be banning rocks, baseball bats, hammers, knives and electrical cords they can all be used as deadly weapons. There are many other things that can be added to my abbreviated list too, but I don’t want to give the fruitcakes any ideas.
Gee, let’s see, if I can’t have a 3 – 15 round magazines I can just use five 10 round magazines. No, I would get tired of changing magazines so that will stop me from shooting any folks en masse. Gee, I can see how that ban works, those politicians are so schmart..
People should rebel against all of the politicians in Ca. Not only because of their stupid gun laws but CA should be one of the richest states in the country and they are almost broke. I grew up and was born there but wouldn’t live there if someone paid me. To many morons now.
Hey, I’m robbing a bank. Ok, I woun’t use a 30 round mag. I would hate to break a law. I’m a gentel & kind criminal. I’ll just use these 9 round double bound mags & these claymores that I got at the flea market. I wouldn’t want to break any laws by robbing this here bank.
Again we se a City Counsel violating the 2nd and 4th Ammendment rights of Americans in a gigantic overreach. To threaten the rights of Americans just traveling on a federal highway is so ridiculously a violation of the Constitution I really don’t know what to say. To think that they believe they are above the law, and until knocked off their collective idiotic and and clearly communistic asses they, and other local governments, will continue to do so. Notice I said Communistic, not Socialist. Their overreach is exactly what a “Communist” government would do. I have until now avoided joining the NRA as I believe reasonable gun control is possible, but not anymore.
Well, the next riot that LA has, or the next major earthquake, the National Guard can’t respond for fear of being arrested for the misdemeanor charge of possession of a high capacity magazine.
Meanwhile, LA has also overruled federal safe transport laws, as if one drives on the freeway through LA, one is now no longer under the safe transport right previously afforded by federal law.
Does this also apply to rim fire guns such as the 22?
Best advice if you can manage it? For current residents: Get the hell out of the city (preferably the entire state) and never return. For non-residents: Never visit the city, EVER (again, preferably the entire state).
Unless the city of Los Angeles plans on cordoning off the entire city, searching every man, woman and child who enters and leaves the city limits, and instituting unconstitutional door to door searches of every house, apartment and business within the city limits, then this ordinance is for the most part unenforceable. I don’t think LAPD has the manpower to enforce it.
Its called EX POST FACTO LAW.
These TYRANTS only understand one thing,
which is why we have a SECOND AMENDMENT.
Do you think the fools making these laws and the fools voting for them in places like California, Maryland, New Jersey, etc. will ever catch a clue that they have no impact on crime whatsoever?
Not likely.
Another stupid law issued by LA’s City Morons which will never be enforced. It’s all for show. The entire City Council is for show, while the city itself is under a tight control by the international drug mafia. I’ve lived there for 20 yeras. I know…