I Just Relocated to Colorado from Pennsylvania ....

If Colorado is like most other states, the AG works for the state and the state is his/her client. AGs typically do not issue interpretations to private citizens. But ... I suppose it can't hurt to try.
 
OBTW, I asked the BPS-Denver guy why his store doesn't sell CZ pistols and he answered that the corporate buyers don't buy them. I think the real reason "might" be that it's illegal to sell a CZ 75B in CO with 16 round mags, and they probably won't sell too many with 10 round mags. That Glock 17 with the 10 round mags in their case stuck out like a sore thumb next to the Glock 19 with 15 rounders, I can't imagine they are selling very many 17's:confused:
 
It sounds to me as if it will only be a nuisance law.

Let me see if I understand it. A pre ban magazine in colo can only be owned by the original owner(pre ban)? the thing cannot be sold in colorado to anyone, even if it is pre ban? no hi caps can be brought in to the state, whether or not they were made preban? so, as I am reading that, the only legal hi cap magazines are ones who were owned by the person in question before the ban, and that person had to be a resident of colorado at the time of the ban? so the only hi cap mags in colorado that are legally owned are the few pre ban magazines that are owned by the people who lived there and purchased or previously owned them them while in state,at the time of the law being made effective, and there will have to be evidence of residency at the time of the the law being instituted, or the consequences will almost certainly start with confiscation?
to find someone with a hi cap mag in the first place is a real stretch for fourth amendment search and seizure, to even challenge a person to provide ID for a magazine he is carrying and the legality of his carrying it. To be shooting at a range, could a cop actually approach a shooter who has just fired twelve rounds in front of him, and demand that he prove that he legally owns that magazine? That really seems to be a stretch of probable cause of a crime, since they are in fact legal to own, but regulated.

I look at the question of whether or not a police officer can stop a person with no obviousl probable cause while driving and just demand to see a license and prove that he is a legal driver.

This thing seems to be an ill advised plan at best. They should have been simply grandfathered. No way to practically enforce it, and it can only be used a an add on charge when another charge is involved. One scenario I see is a person being searched after a probable cause stop, being found with a questionable magazine, and that would in fact be all that it would take in some jurisdictions to get a search warrant for home or vehicle. the person would be in possession of regulated firearm equipment.

This maybe could have been handled properly. All hi cap mags in the state at the time could have been certified. Each county sheriff could have been equipped to tag pre existing magazines with identification. Burn it in with a laser. No stinking serial number, just "legal in CO". IN that way, every high cap magazine in the possession of a resident of CO could be made legal for ownership in CO, and seriously, shouldn't that be acceptable to the weenies who are behind this?
 
I sent the question to the AG's office. I am not confident I will recieve a response for reasons that Aquila mentioned but do hope they won't file the question as solicitation for legal advice or an interpretation of the law and dismiss it, guess we will find out.
 
I would just stash the high cap mags and use legal size mags when shooting. Who would know the difference if you kept them at home for SD. then some day when you move to a free state that respects your constitutional rights you'll still have them.
 
Although I'm not an attorney, I believe it's fairly clear that the law is written with a grandfather clause to allow continued possession of >15rd magazines even if the magazines were previously possessed only outside of CO.

Here is what the law says, my emphasis in boldface.
18-12-302. Large-capacity magazines prohibited - penalties - exceptions.

(1) (a) except as otherwise provided in this section , on and after July 1, 2013, a person who sells, transfers, or possesses a large - capacity magazine commits a class 2 misdemeanor.

<Sections (1)(b) and (1)(c) omitted>

(2) (a) a person may possess a large - capacity magazine if he or she: (I) owns the large - capacity magazine on the effective date of this section; and (II) maintains continuous possession of the large - capacity magazine.

(b) If a person who is alleged to have violated subsection (1) of this section asserts that he or she is permitted to legally possess a large - capacity magazine pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (2), the prosecution has the burden of proof to refute the assertion.
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There is no provision that clearly prohibits the import of previously-possessed magazines into CO.

The prosecution is explicitly required to prove that the magazines were not previously possessed. Since the vast majority of magazines do not carry individual identifying marks, proving this assertion must generally be done using one of four basic tactics:
  1. Directly prove that the person obtained the large-capacity magazine(s) after July 1st, 2013. In most cases, this is impossible in the absence of direct evidence that a transfer took place.
  2. Demonstrate that no firearm in existence prior to July 1st, 2013 could accept the magazine(s).
  3. Demonstrate that the particular type of magazine did not exist prior to July 1st, 2013.
  4. Demonstrate that the person was not yet born on July 1st, 2013, or at least would have been so young that his or her possession of firearm magazines would be highly unlikely.
I'll presume that #4 doesn't apply here. ;)

#3 can be a stinger. Although most magazines don't bear individual identifying marks or manufacturing dates, manufacturers sometimes make periodic changes to the design, and these changes are not always well documented. For instance, I have some S&W M&P magazines that I bought a couple of years ago which have a different baseplate design than the mags that came with the pistol.
 
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jetinteriorguy: said:
I would just stash the high cap mags and use legal size mags when shooting. Who would know the difference if you kept them at home for SD. then some day when you move to a free state that respects your constitutional rights you'll still have them.
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I like everything else about living & working here in CO so if this is the only "nit" then I'm OK & I can deal with it. But it really does limit my options for future gun purchases:confused:
 
I moved from PA (Philly burbs) to Colorado (Denver burbs) several years ago, and lived there for many years, but I moved (another work transfer) before this stupid law was enacted, but I still have friends there. They tell me the law is unenforceable, as magazines are not typically dated nor have serial numbers.
 
OK Folks I just spoke with Audra one of the instructors at Shoot Indoors, an indoor range in Broomfield CO, and here is the definitive answer on the subject;

My 17rd G-17 mags and my 16rd CZ 75B mags are LEGAL to own and use in CO, they are ILLEGAL to sell in CO.

I'm satisfied with this answer. OK to close this one down.
 
Which is what I said in post #3. If people who don't know would quit guessing based on what some other state did, it would cause a lot less problems and confusion.

Thanks carguychris for taking the initiative to actually know what the law says before offering an opinion, which is accurate. :D
 
I don't know about the Glock, but 15 round mags have been made for the CZ. My CZ 75B has 15 rounders. I don't know when they switched to 16 rounders, but 15 round mags used to be the standard capacity mag for CZs. While they don't ship new ones from the factory that way (only with the new 16 round standard capacity or neutered 10 rounders), and I don't think you can buy them from CZ anymore (I haven't looked), you should be able to find them. Certainly, there may be some used 15 rounders out there, and I don't know if any companies make aftermarket 15 round mags or not but you may get lucky. If 15 round mags aren't readily available anymore for the CZ 75 (admittedly I haven't looked), I would think the 14 round CZ 75 Compact, PCR and P01 would probably be much more popular in CO than the full size.

Other states with magazine capacity limits don't allow people who move into their states to bring assault weapons or high capacity magazines, why would Colorado be any different?
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Not all other states. MD is about as restrictive as they come, we may actually be worse than NJ now, and we and CA pretty much fight it out for worst gun laws in the US. Here in MD, if you move to MD with guns that we have banned, you can keep them if you bought them before the ban, but if you bought them after the ban you can't bring them into the state.
 
I just did a quick serch and it seems that Mac-Gar used to make them and they are available on at least a couple sites:
https://shop.cz-usa.com/productdetail/11100_mag-cz-7585-9mm-15rd
http://czcustom.com/cz-parts-all/magazines/mec-gar-magazines/cz-75-9mm-15rd-mecgar.html

I think Pro-Mag may still have the 15 rounders in production as I saw them available from several sites:
http://www.brownells.com/magazines/handgun-magazines/magazines/cz75-15rd-9mm-magazine-prod71652.aspx
https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/pro...279006333.do?sortby=ourPicks&refType=&from=fn

So, you can let anyone you know who is considering a CZ but is being held back by the 15 round mag limit that there are currently options, and if you want to pick up some more mags you have some available as well.

Also, check with your local dealers, it is possible that the law will allow them to modify/neuter the 16 round mags to turn them into 15 round mags. In MD we now have a 10 round limit (luckily just for purchase and not possession, so I can legally drive an hour or so and go to VA/DE/PA/WV to get standard capacity mags). My CZ P01 came with 14 round mags, the dealer simply put in a mag block and used some glue and it was MD legal. Maybe your dealer can order 16 round Mac-Gars and install a mag block? If so, that would probably be the best option once the first two sites sell out the Mac-Gars since Mac-Gars are better than Pro-Mag (though I don't think Pro-Mag is a bad choice).
 
I might be out of place saying this,but...

You didn't think you should review the states firearm laws before relocating?

There are probably some other areas of law you should take a look at also. For instance, under what conditions are U-turns legal.
 
Come on. I don't think that very many people are privileged enough to pick a job and relocation based on whether or not hi cap magazines are legal. I know people who commute 200 miles five days a week so they can hold a job. Right now there's a woman running to my office daily from about seventy either way.
 
I think what he was getting at is, shouldn't you familiarize yourself as a firearms owner with the local laws of the place that you are relocating to before you actually relocate. Thats how I took it anyway. I don't think he was suggesting forgoing a good job opportunity due to firearm restrictions.
 
10-rounders

Sorry you left PA.

I moved here from NJ several months ago and cannot believe the difference.

Took me and my wife 20-minutes to get our CCW licenses.
 
Targa said:
I think what he was getting at is, shouldn't you familiarize yourself as a firearms owner with the local laws of the place that you are relocating to before you actually relocate. Thats how I took it anyway. I don't think he was suggesting forgoing a good job opportunity due to firearm restrictions.
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It could be taken either way. I took it to mean that anyone who is at all interested in guns and shooting should investigate a state's gun laws and legal climate before considering relocating there. There are states that I absolutely would not accept a job in because of their gun laws.
 
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