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We all knew it was coming, and according to The Hill it is already here. Democrats (specifically my former senator Chuck Shumer) have tacked on an amendment to an upcoming cybersecurity bill that would make it illegal to transfer high capacity magazines (more than 10 rounds). So while your existing PMAGs would be fine you would not be able to purchase any new magazines. Naturally this is quite impossible to enforce, but it won’t stop them. In short, contact your senator and get them to put a stop to this infringement on our rights. Full text of the amendment after the jump…

SEC. ll. PROHIBITION ON TRANSFER OR POSSESSION OF LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION FEEDING DEVICES.

(a) DEFINITION.—Section 921(a) of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after paragraph (29) the following:

‘‘(30) The term ‘large capacity ammunition feeding device’—

‘‘(A) means a magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that has a capacity of, or that can be readily restored or converted to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition; but

‘‘(B) does not include an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition.’’.

(b) PROHIBITIONS.—Section 922 of such title is amended by inserting after subsection (u) the following:

‘‘(v)(1)(A)(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), it shall be unlawful for a person to transfer or possess a large capacity ammunition feeding device.

‘‘(ii) Clause (i) shall not apply to the possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device otherwise lawfully possessed within the United States on or before the date of the enactment of this subsection.

‘‘(B) It shall be unlawful for any person to import or bring into the United States a large capacity ammunition feeding device.

‘‘(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to—

‘‘(A) a manufacture for, transfer to, or possession by the United States or a department or agency of the United States or a State or a department, agency, or political subdivision of a State, or a transfer to or possession by a law enforcement officer employed by such an entity for purposes of law enforcement (whether on or off duty);

‘‘(B) a transfer to a licensee under title I of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 for purposes of establishing and maintaining an on-site physical protection system and security organization required by Federal law, or possession by an employee or contractor of such a licensee on-site for such purposes or offsite for purposes of licensee-authorized training or transportation of nuclear materials;

‘‘(C) the possession, by an individual who is retired from service with a law enforcement agency and is not otherwise prohibited from receiving ammunition, of a large capacity ammunition feeding device transferred to the individual by the agency upon that retirement; or

‘‘(D) a manufacture, transfer, or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device by a licensed manufacturer or licensed importer for the purposes of testing or experimentation authorized by the Attorney General.’’.

(c) PENALTIES.—Section 924(a) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:

‘‘(8) Whoever knowingly violates section 922(v) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.’’.

(d) IDENTIFICATION MARKINGS.—Section 923(i) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘A large capacity ammunition feeding device manufactured after the date of the enactment of this sentence shall be identified by a serial number that clearly shows that the device was manufactured after such date of enactment, and such other identification as the Attorney General may by regulation prescribe.’’.

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81 COMMENTS

  1. What slimey bastard was behind this? I haven’t read the Cyber Security bill in full, but the “back door” tactic makes me sick. I’m a lefty in the grad scheme of things, and this is the one(ish) thing I really, really hate about the democratic party. Write a damn bill that the American people can see (and shoot down- no pun intended), don’t try to sneak it through the cracks. I’ve all but lost all faith in our electected officials on both sides, really have. And no, Republicans, I’m not coming over for dinner, either- I’m close to dropping out completely. Just sickening… I have no problem with someone having a heartfelt conviction, even if I strongly disagree. This, however, is spineless. SPINELESS!

    • IF you drop out, you’ll get what you deserve, in office, and forfeit any rights to complain about it. What you need to do is send a message to politicians that The Constitution MUST be upheld above all else. To do so may require informing everyone you know as to the stance of the involved politicians (all of them) so they can see who best supports The Constitution and cast their vote for them.

      • It is your obligation to abstain if you dont agree with any candidate. The reason we are where we are is because people were willing to vote for the lesser of two evils.

        • …that usually gets you what you don’t want more. I’m not sure what the solution is.

          That is part of the intention. The solution is to accelerate the inevitable, to allow the shooting to start while we are young enough to still pull a trigger.

        • I know a couple guys who maintain that they will vote for Obama in November just to hasten the… reckoning, I think they call it.

        • Just finished watching the video. It doesn’t include the fact that a large portion, a majority quite often, abstains or can not vote. In the US presidential, about 40% abstains while another 10% is disqualified. At a local level such as Chicago 75% doesnt vote, that number would be even higher if you were to remove those who vote multiple times or vote when they’re dead.

        • Well, the abstentions are covered in the part (a little past halfway) when he says that 3/5 of the voters wanted someone else as their first choice, and it’s this majority that gets disillusioned and disinterested with the democratic process.

          That part stuck with me because of all the people I know who say they don’t vote because “it doesn’t matter anyway.”

    • Yeah, I’m in your position. I’m a left-leaning radical libertarian.

      This will be the first election that I’ll be able to vote in. I’m voting for write-ins except for Senate. I know damn well that they’ll lose, though.

      Jon Tester for president.

  2. I’m hoping this is just a stupid, childish “we’re making a point” act on their part. Once more, we see that the greatest traitors of modern times fear and try to restrict measures that were designed to keep them in check.

    Reprehensible, yes, but I find it hard to believe that something so sweeping and radical will pass.

    • It’s a “See, we’re doing something about it” problem. I say problem, because, as you already know, such legislation FAILS in so many ways,

    • Yeah, they know. It’s pointless grandstanding, and the amendment has zero chance of being enacted into law. But it gets Chuck Schumer some free press, and that guy lurves media attention something fierce.

    • Reprehensible, yes, but I find it hard to believe that something so sweeping and radical will pass.

      People keep saying that (or things similar to it) a lot in the last few years about our government – and they continue to pass / uphold these idiotic laws.

      • Fair point. Maybe it’s just the dismayed hope of someone who can’t believe there exist people so, in a word, evil.

    • It’s not as if congress has gotten anything done during the last few years, everything they do has degraded to empty posturing and bickering.

      • and what about us underage folks who want to enjoy an weapon such as an AK or AR platform without spending money that we obviously won’t have out of college, much less out of high school? seriously, I feel like these kinds of comments ignore the next generation. I.E. me. so, all-in-all, I get your point, but I am nonetheless offended by your obliviousness to my presence.

        this is a sixteen-year-old gun enthusiast speaking. and yes, we do exist.

        • Joel: Please don’t be offended when I say this, but first, your problems are not our problems, at least not directly. It’s not all about you. Second, there’s a lot of people in this country who could sit back and say, “I’ve got mine, so I don’t care what happens now, as long as it’s not retroactive.” But they don’t. They keep fighting, and when you’re legal, hopefully, you’ll realize the benefit of that fight.

          To give you some perspective of why I both understand what you’re saying, and at the same time don’t much care for your whining, I would point you to this article, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assault_weapons_ban, and ask you to read the dates, and then I would tell you that I graduated from high school in June, 1994, and that law was passed 7 days after my 18th birthday. So please, don’t whine to me about what you may or may not be able to do in two years. I’ve been there, when it was much worse than it is now, and I, and many others, are working to see that it doesn’t go back there.

          Now get off my lawn.

  3. ‘‘(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to.. an individual who is retired from service with a law enforcement agency

    As usual the lap dogs of the politicians, even if retired, are protected. Here in IL, they are the only civilians allowed to to conceal carry too.

    Ironically it is not illegal to deface the markings on a post ban magazine, to essentially make it a pre ban magazine.

    • Would anyone care to comment on if it would still be legal to transfer magazine parts, similar to what people in CA do?

  4. This is the Senate version of the bill, and it would be truly shocking if it made it past the house republicans. The house version, much different and not including Schumer’s nonsense, has already passed. Unless house republicans all of a sudden turn their backs on us, this will get stripped out in conference.

    Still, vigilance is required to make sure nobody gets wobbly.

    • Steve: I didn’t realize that it had already passed the House. Thanks for the perspective.

      Does that make this just posturing, possibly giving them ammo they can use in the election? “I supported it, so vote for me,” stuff like that?

  5. OF COURSE they’d do that. They know they couldn’t get it any other way. Now if the cyber-security bill gets shot down because of it, the cry will be “You’re against cyber-security you Commie Pig!!!!”

    Nothing new from DC there. Same ol’ piggyback tricks for legislation so corrupted and/or controversial. Tack it onto something that just might be good. That is assuming the cyber-security bill is something good and not another attempt at SOPA and its related ilk. (or has it already piggybacked onto it.)

  6. They have been trying to pass a cyber-security bill for five years now. It’s that divisively screwed up.

    Anyway, Chuckie has offered his amendment, which hasn’t been voted into the bill yet, if it is, it may well kill the bill altogether, at least for another year.

    But hey, I’m all for an over the top reaction to this. Beat this thing like a rented mule. Being respectful and playing fair has never worked with the anti’s.

  7. Such idiocy, I’m voting for Stubbs the cat for president.

    He’s been a mayor in Alaska for fifteen years now.

  8. “Must be a yearning deep in human heart to stop other people from doing as they please. Rules, laws–always for the other fellow. A murky part of us, something we had before we came down out of the trees, and failed to shuck when we stood up. Because not one of those people said: ‘Please pass this so I won’t be able to do something I know I should stop.’ Nyet, tovarishchee, was always something they hated to see their neighbors doing. Stop them ‘for their own good’–not because the speaker claimed to be harmed by it.”

    Manuel Davis O’Kelley
    The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein

  9. Sooo…. Having the theoretical ability to kill ELEVEN people (one in the chamber) without a reload is okay, but that TWELVE, nope, forget that, that would just be cruel!

    • Yeah, wonder what will happen if / when someone decides to get on top of a building with a bolt-action hunting rifle, God forbid…..

        • I recall that set off a big to-do about banning telescopic sights.
          If they can’t find an excuse to feign outrage over the weapon used, they will pick on the sights instead.

        • yes, and the shooter was pinned down by citizens with their own rifles. he was an ex marine and his initial flurry of shots were effective. but the citizens fought back with basically hunting rifles and kept him pinned until the cops could get in range with their pistols and shotguns.

  10. Although I think this bill will be DOA in the house, I’m running out to my LGS today to pick up a few more Magpuls.

    • Yea, I finally ordered more mags for my Steyr M9 that I’d been meaning to buy. It’s already damn hard to find the 17 round extended mags, I can’t imagine how hard it would be if this bullshit became law.

  11. The part that makes my brain hurt the most is the, “(d) IDENTIFICATION MARKINGS.—Section 923(i) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘A large capacity ammunition feeding device manufactured after the date of the enactment of this sentence shall be identified by a serial number that clearly shows that the device was manufactured after such date of enactment, and such other identification as the Attorney General may by regulation prescribe.’’.”

    I’m 100% sure that most companies stopped marking magazines and rifles after the ban expired. Also this so-called cyber-security bill is just a load of bullshit anyway. They all fall along the lines of the SOPA / PIPA / ACTA horseshit.

    I don’t know about the rest of the TTAG readership but personally I feel that those with no information or experience on a topic should never have a say in said topic’s legislation. For example, I have never in my life played water-polo, should I be in charge of writing the new rules for the Olympic matches? Alternatively should a dinosaur who only uses his e-mail to look at pictures of his great grand children and laugh at chain-letters be a deciding factor for internet regulation? Let me put it in a more concrete metaphor. I have walked over a few bridges in my life, that qualifies me to be a civil engineer right?

    • “I have never in my life played water-polo, should I be in charge of writing the new rules for the Olympic matches? ”

      If you do, make sure you include snorkels for the horses so they don’t drown.

  12. This scares the crap out of me. I live in Michigan and Michigan has 2 very useless and liberal Senators. I can call and email them until I’m blue in the face and they’re still going to vote for this crap and anything else similar to it. I have no idea what other recourse I have to try to stop something like this other than crossing my fingers and hoping other Senators will see the light and vote against it.

    • I am in the same boat Ian, being in MI too….I think I’m going to send them a video of the opening of “The Rifleman”, and show them that even if they take away “assault rifles” and “high capacity cartridges” (I still can’t believe that one…), man will always find a way to kill more efficiently…I think I’m going to cue that up now….love that Chuck Connors….

  13. All my guns are ironically dated low capacity designs but every day with all the crap like this I get the urge to buy a glock 19 and a few 33round magazines even as I don’t like Glocks.

    • It’s funny, I know someone who went out and bought a G18 standard-capacity magazine in 2008 before the election, just in case.

      It was three years before he actually bought a Glock 9mm pistol.

      • Sadly, I did something similar back in the late 90’s by buying two 40 rd. steel AR mags. I didn’t actually become an AR owner until this year!

  14. I would support this if it applied to everyone, Military, LEO, Criminal, Feds, NG, everyone on the same playing field. But we all know that will never happen.

  15. So I’ll be picking up some PMags real soon. Maybe even some drums just because I still can. Best case that can happen is that I won’t have to reload mags next time I go to the range.

  16. I swear the Progressives can’t stop for one minute. They are, in the words of River Tam, just plain meddlesome. They tell us what to do, what to think, don’t run, don’t walk. They are our homes and in our heads every second through the co-opted Fourth Estate, and they haven’t the right. Meddlesome.

    • Sweet, a ref to a favorite SciFi character. Mal rocks too.

      I will be sending a message to my goof-ball representative too.
      Not that it will help much. The guy thought that closing all the state mental institutions would balance the budget when he was the gov. Of course in Nebraska you could be Josef Mengele and get elected as long as your a Republican.

  17. Trust the dysfunctional unethical opportunistic politicians of both big parties to always focus on issues in a superficial manner that does not solve the real problem and not to focus on issues that really are at crisis levels such as the economy, the debt, education, health care etc. Then again, the political elites would only make those problems worse if they did focus on them.

  18. I sent the following to Utah’s Senators.

    It has come to my attention that the Cybersecurity Act has an amendment attached to it by some of the democratic senators which restricts the sale of gun magazines with over a 10 round capacity.

    Gun control has never worked in the past for the good of the people, only for leaders like Hitler, Stalin, Chairman Mao, & other dictators like them. The gun control worked because it disarmed the people they murdered making the murdered or attempted genocide easier for them.

    Here is good article on why we should not support any form of gun control.

    http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2012/05/bruce-w-krafft/why-you-dont-believe-in-gun-control/

    One last thing any vote to support this sort of legislation will force me to never vote for you again. I also recently saw the draft for the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty & if it ever comes up I feel strongly against it. Mainly for the control of weapons flowing within the country, & I see no point for the export as we already have regulations to try to prevent export to war lords.

  19. Did you folks see the proposed prison term for violating Chuck’s little piece of legislation? TEN YEARS in prison!!!!! TEN YEARS for owning a metal or plastic box with a spring inside it. I would’t get ten years if I sold mind killing drugs to school kids. Even though I live in PA, we still get some of out TV from NYC and scumbag Chuck Shumer is currently tied for the number 2 spot (with Sen. Fienstein) on my list of politicians that need to be unemployed ASAP. And in his case, I want his unemployment to be the kind where he is homeless living under a bridge, eating garbage as he scratches at his scabby skin and fungus infected feet.

  20. Since many people believe their government is a democracy and government grants them “Rights”; and
    in the interest of fairness, equity and consistency of the democratic process;-
    before legislators pass laws making it illegal for the millions of American Citizens to continue to possess whatever it is they already legally own, couldn’t government at least allow them to vote on it?

  21. Simple points of inquiry.
    When circumstances arise which result in violence, and it can be clearly determined there were instigators involved, under what conditions would those who actually instigated the violence not be held accountable and responsible for the consequence of their actions?
    Just asking.

      • Haha, Moonshine7102, well played. I read the email without reading the author, and when I got to the end, I thought, “This dance seems familiar…”

        Gw: As Moonshine said, if you have a point to make, make it. However, I do have a question for you, and I mean no offense by it: Is English your first language? You have an… unusual… manner of putting words together, and I’m curious where it came from. It’s almost like you learned the language by reading transcripts of 19th century parliamentary proceedings, if such a thing existed. Just asking.

  22. They are trying to ban STANDARD capacity magazines. Could we at the very least use accurate language vice the deliberately mis-leading terms these folks are resorting to? What they are referring to are in the most part not high capacity magazines, this isn’t limited to 100rd mags. We are talking STANDARD capacity magazines and implementing reduced capacity mags if this law is adopted.

  23. Sent to my senators today:

    Dear Senator XXXXXX,

    I find Senator Schumer’s attempt to hide gun legislation in a bill covering Cyber Security to be, at best deceptive. To many people, it appears that the good Senator is attempting to get his will imposed upon the free people of this country using tactics that are “under the radar”. I feel this addendum will unnecessarily deprive me of my rights.

    I therefore request that you, MY Senator, voice my opposition to this “law” AND the manner by which it’s implementation is being attempted.

    Very respectfully yours,
    XXXXXX

  24. Sent to both my senators today:

    Dear Senator x,

    I find Senator Schumer’s attempt to hide gun legislation in a bill covering Cyber Security to be, at best deceptive. To many people, it appears that the good Senator is attempting to get his will imposed upon the free people of this country using tactics that are “under the radar”. I feel this addendum will unnecessarily deprive me of my rights.

    I therefore request that you, MY Senator, voice my opposition to this “law” AND the manner by which it’s implementation is being attempted.

    Very respectfully yours,

  25. I just want to say to any gun owners that are not NRA members that you need to join. Those of you who already are, please donate to the NRA-ILA. Now is the time for all of us to stand up for our rights and the values set forth by our constitution.

  26. I contacted the Democrats from the Socialist part of Maryland:

    Democrats Tacking High Cap Magazine Ban onto Cybersecurity Bill!

    I see Democrats have tacked on an amendment to an upcoming cybersecurity bill that would make it illegal to transfer high capacity magazines (more than 10 rounds). I want you to put a stop to this infringement on our rights.

    This “back door” tactic offends me and this will impact the way I vote on the next election. This issue has been very highly publicized on social media sites so everyone is not aware of it and is talking about it.

    I DO NOT SUPPORT THIS HIGH-CAP MAGAZINE AMENDMENT ON THE Cybersecurity bill!

  27. I’m sure the criminal element and the psychos like Holmes are trembling with fear at this assault upon their choice of weapons, magazines, feeding devices, etc. Get rid of the stupid addendum!

  28. Please stop using the antis’ hoplophobic language.

    Many full size semi-auto pistols standard magazines have more than 10 rounds. These are standard capacity magazines. I don’t let the gun grabbers dictate my language and neither should you.

    What they want are magazines whose capacity has been artificially reduced.

  29. I sent letters to both my senators. I’m not sure it matters, though. One Dem – who I’m sure will ignore my plea. The Republican… just preaching to the choir.

    Net effect = zero. But, I did my duty as an American citizen participating in the process.

    • they do. it’s called Libertarian. Ron Paul, look him up.

      or did you mean that all things are liberalized except gun rights? well, that’s already quite popular, it’s the Democratic party.

  30. “…shall not be infringed.” Is this phrase really that hard to understand?

    Once again Schumer-as in SHTF-proves the most dangerous place in DC is between him and a TV camera. What a piece! He can’t let a tragedy go to waste, especially if it promotes his anti-=Constitutional views re: the 2nd Amendment.

    Senators Chambliss and Isakson of Georgia have been put on notice regarding this idiots amendment. As have my Congressman in Georgia. All, like Shumer, who take a sacred Oath to defend the Constitution against ALL enemies!

  31. OH my! more Subversive Anti-American sentiment from the Demon-crats tell me it Aint so. from the party that brought us Ruby ridge, Waco, 1994 Gun control etc, how much more corruption are we the people going too put up with, oh I know forever because the demon-crats have a slave like control over the American poor with money, food stamps, medical, housing all bought and paid for by Demon-crats spending Uncle Sam’s money,

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