Pre-ban high cap mags in CT?

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I know the CT AWB makes exceptions for the purchase and transfer of pre-ban rifles unless they are specifically named but the way I read it there is no such pre-ban purchase and transfer exception for large capacity magazines. Am I correct?

BTW, how does one prove a mag is pre-ban anyway?
 
I know the CT AWB makes exceptions for the purchase and transfer of pre-ban rifles unless they are specifically named but the way I read it there is no such pre-ban purchase and transfer exception for large capacity magazines. Am I correct?

BTW, how does one prove a mag is pre-ban anyway?

Unlike Massachusetts, there is no provision for standard, (aka 'large'), capacity magazine purchase/transfer. If you didn't have them in hand by the cutoff date in 2012, you're SOL in terms of purchasing them legally in CT.

CT required that people register their std capacity mags, which of course have no identifying marks. Some people did register them, many people didn't.
 
Close but let me tweak a few facts in Allen's description.

PA13-3, passed on April 3, 2013 made it illegal to acquire standard capacity mags in CT after that date.

Once that happened, you had until Jan 1 2014 to declare (NOT register) your magazines. Since mags are not serialized you can't register them.
I know people who declared more than they had with the intent of buying more in NH, RI, or VT once the shortage passed.

I also know people who didn't declare any because they were pissed.

Whatever your intent, the time has passed. You can only now legally possess standard capacity magazines in CT if you possessed them prior to 4/3/13 and declared them by 1/1/14.

Of course if you are an FFL then you can possess anything you want. Yes, you are buying your rights back. But at $50/yr, its short money.

Don
 
Close but let me tweak a few facts in Allen's description.

PA13-3, passed on April 3, 2013 made it illegal to acquire standard capacity mags in CT after that date.

Once that happened, you had until Jan 1 2014 to declare (NOT register) your magazines. Since mags are not serialized you can't register them.
I know people who declared more than they had with the intent of buying more in NH, RI, or VT once the shortage passed.

I also know people who didn't declare any because they were pissed.

Whatever your intent, the time has passed. You can only now legally possess standard capacity magazines in CT if you possessed them prior to 4/3/13 and declared them by 1/1/14.

Of course if you are an FFL then you can possess anything you want. Yes, you are buying your rights back. But at $50/yr, its short money.

Don

Thank you. Precision is appreciated.
 
OK, that's how it looked to me. I am not really looking for any mags right now but wanted to make sure I understood the law correctly.

I am still curious how states like MA identify a magazine as pre-ban or not.

I have looked into a getting a 01 FFL (I have a 03) but suffice it to say my town is not going to make it easy because I'm not in a retail location and the zoning board can deny me over parking issues and/or neighbor objections and they keep my $300 application fee. I explained that I am not looking to open a retail store front, just thinking about internet sales and transfers but they said if they approve my property for a FFL they then could not limit me (or a future owner) to internet only business so they have to assume it would eventually be a retail store front. I am in a small neighborhood and I can't say I'd want any of my neighbors opening a store of any kind on my street so I don't think that the 01 FFL is worth me pursuing right now.
 
I am still curious how states like MA identify a magazine as pre-ban or not.

A lot depends on the gun or mag manufacturer. Some only started dating after the ban, some are dated before, some have features which can help date, some were only made before the ban, etc. It's muddy at best.
 
Carl in CT. PM me with your phone number.

I held a home based FFL in CT. Suffice to say that you can have a thriving business with no parking, business hours, or retail store front.

Your first assignment is to download your town's zoning regs in PDF form. Then search for the words "home occupation". If it contains those words, you are home free.

We can talk. I've helped a half dozen CT people get their FFL out of their home. The ATF does not care. All they care about is that you are in compliance iwth local laws and that you truly intend to engage in commerce in firearms.

If you are wondering how you can do that without hours, parking, or a storefront think GUNBROKER. There are sellers on GB who move over 1000 guns per year and work out of their home.

Don
 
A lot depends on the gun or mag manufacturer. Some only started dating after the ban, some are dated before, some have features which can help date, some were only made before the ban, etc. It's muddy at best.

Its actually pretty clean cut.

But remember this first: It is not up to you to prove a mag is pre-ban. Its up to them to prove it is NOT pre ban.

In MA were mag limits have existed since 94, certain mags are obviously illegal because their design didn't exist back then. Think of a Magpul PMag as an example.

However if you find a USGI mag that is undated inside and outside, then you are good to go. If it has a floor plate that may be questionable. Then buy some unmarked floor plates and proceed.

This is all you need to worry about in MA.

In CT you can have more modern mags like PMags. But you have to have declared them. So let me give you an example of a low risk scenario and a high risk scenario.
Low risk
1) When you declared your magazines in CT in 12/2013, you included mags that you did not yet possess. In mid 2014, you purchased those mags for cash at a NH gun shop and brought them into CT. Just to be safe, you confirmed that the mags were marked prior to 4/2013 or just 2013 or before.

High risk
2) You were pissed off about PA13-3 so you didn't declare any mags. While driving through NH, you purchase one of the new 40 round Pmags. A magazine that did not exist prior to 4/2013. You buy them with a credit card and bring them home.

Do you see the difference?

Don
 
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Its actually pretty clean cut.

But remember this first: It is not up to you to prove a mag is pre-ban. Its up to them to prove it is NOT pre ban.

In MA were mag limits have existed since 94, certain mags are obviously illegal because their design didn't exist back then. Think of a Magpul PMag as an example.

However if you find a USGI mag that is undated inside and outside, then you are good to go. If it has a floor plate that may be questionable. Then buy some unmarked floor plates and proceed.

This is all you need to worry about in MA.

In CT you can have more modern mags like PMags. But you have to have declared them. So let me give you an example of a low risk scenario and a high risk scenario.
Low risk
1) When you declared your magazines in CT in 12/2013, you included mags that you did not yet possess. In mid 2014, you purchased those mags for cash at a NH gun shop and brought them into CT. Just to be safe, you confirmed that the mags were marked prior to 4/2013 or just 2013 or before.

High risk
2) You were pissed off about PA13-3 so you didn't declare any mags. While driving through NH, you purchase one of the new 40 round Pmags. A magazine that did not exist prior to 4/2013. You buy them with a credit card and bring them home.

Do you see the difference?

Don

Yessir, makes sense. Thank you
 
Hey Don, thanks for the offer to assist. Let me get my hands on my town's zoning regs. When I spoke to the town planner about this it was a year or two ago. I doubt the regs have changed much but that guy is also a liberal pant load that nobody in town likes. He basically makes a six figure salary to do little more than make everyone's life more difficult. I seem to remember the FFL form needing town approval for zoning or some such thing but I could be wrong. I also seem to remember him saying that our town's regs said all the other stuff I mentioned but again, I need t go back and read it again myself. So I will do that first then we can talk. Thanks!
 
Carl

DO NOT TALK TO ANYONE. Yes. I'm yelling.

They will tell you what they want you to hear. Not what the law says.

The way to make this work is not go go in hat in hand asking if they will ALLOW you to have a FFL out of your home.

The way to do this is to submit your zoning application with reference to your zoning laws and scenarios and descriptions of how you will be in full compliance with all zoning regs and particularly in compliance with those that relate to what regs refer to as a Customary Home Occupation, or simply as a Home Occupation.

That puts THEM on the defensive.

If they deny you, you can go to your Zoning Board of Appeals and you will win.

I am very very familiar with CT zoning laws.

If you want to become a zoning "expert". I'd suggest you buy and read this book. Its actually written by an attorney in Hartford. Its useful in 2 ways.

1) read cover to cover and you will know more about zoning than most people who sit on ZBAs.
2) its a great reference.

Don

http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Guide-Zoning-Environmental/dp/0071443797

- - - Updated - - -

PM me the town you live in and I'll find the regs for you.

I'll also need your address to confirm that Home Occupations are allowed in your district.

Don
 
Carl

DO NOT TALK TO ANYONE. Yes. I'm yelling.

They will tell you what they want you to hear. Not what the law says.

The way to make this work is not go go in hat in hand asking if they will ALLOW you to have a FFL out of your home.

The way to do this is to submit your zoning application with reference to your zoning laws and scenarios and descriptions of how you will be in full compliance with all zoning regs and particularly in compliance with those that relate to what regs refer to as a Customary Home Occupation, or simply as a Home Occupation.

That puts THEM on the defensive.

If they deny you, you can go to your Zoning Board of Appeals and you will win.

I am very very familiar with CT zoning laws.

If you want to become a zoning "expert". I'd suggest you buy and read this book. Its actually written by an attorney in Hartford. Its useful in 2 ways.

1) read cover to cover and you will know more about zoning than most people who sit on ZBAs.
2) its a great reference.

Don

http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Guide-Zoning-Environmental/dp/0071443797

- - - Updated - - -

PM me the town you live in and I'll find the regs for you.

I'll also need your address to confirm that Home Occupations are allowed in your district.

Don

OK, PM inbound, thx!

BTW, when I went to the town hall I didn't even know we had hired a town planner. I grew up in this little town and was astonished that anyone thought we needed a town planner. When I asked the 1st selectwoman, whom I knew, a casual question about getting my FFL she called the planner in and that's when he started talking for 5 mins or so. I'm sure he wouldn't remember me so I can still start from scratch.
 
Carl in CT. PM me with your phone number.

I held a home based FFL in CT. Suffice to say that you can have a thriving business with no parking, business hours, or retail store front.

Your first assignment is to download your town's zoning regs in PDF form. Then search for the words "home occupation". If it contains those words, you are home free.

We can talk. I've helped a half dozen CT people get their FFL out of their home. The ATF does not care. All they care about is that you are in compliance iwth local laws and that you truly intend to engage in commerce in firearms.

If you are wondering how you can do that without hours, parking, or a storefront think GUNBROKER. There are sellers on GB who move over 1000 guns per year and work out of their home.

Don
Hi I saw your post by this language on pg 109 in Wethersfield it says that what are the steps to get started
 
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