Limited/pinned magazines

[Rutabaga]

Hi guys,

I was in a large QLD firearms store recently looking to get a 10 round AR mag for my Ruger. My understanding was that it had to be a genuine 10 round magazine to conform with NSW requirements, not a pinned 20 or 30 round magazine.

Long story short, the bloke at the shop tried to palm a pinned 20 round magazine on me and was confused when I said that I needed a genuine 10 round mag because I was from NSW. He eventually went and got me one, so no problem.

Afterwards I was trying to check the NSW leg to make sure I was right. I can't find anything in the leg other than a 10 round magazine limit. I haven't been able to find anything about pinned or otherwise restricted magazines.

Looking at their website, everything else that isn't available in NSW is labelled "prohibited in NSW", however pinned magazines are labelled "prohibited for sale in NSW". What, if anything, does this difference in wording mean? Is it the case that it is legal to possess a pinned 20 or 30 round magazine in NSW, but it would be an offence to resell it, or is it just saying the same thing in a slightly different way?

I honestly don't know why anyone would buy a pinned 30 round mag, especially when they are $75 while 10 rounders are under $30. I don't need a prosthetic magazine extension. But I am curious to understand what the rules actually are.

[MontyShooter]

You can put a 15 round limiter in a 30 round mag

[No1Mk3]

G'day Rutabaga,
Don't be confused by the wording, both statements mean illegal to possess. A detachable magazine up to 10 rnds designed for a Cat B rifle is legal, but a detachable magazine specifically designed for a semi-auto rifle, needs a Cat D licence for up to 5 rnds, and a Prohibited Weapons Permit for over 5 rnds. May I suggest you check : S,4(4) of Schedule 1 NSW Weapons Prohibition Act 1998 v.127, Cheers.

[No1_49er]

You can put a 15 round limiter in a 30 round mag

You could also put a device into a 30 round magazine that would limit it to 5 rounds.
But, you could also take that device out.
I'm not too sure I would ever go down that rabbit hole.

[No1_49er]

G'day Rutabaga,
A detachable magazine up to 10 rnds designed for a Cat B rifle is legal, but a detachable magazine specifically designed for a semi-auto rifle, needs a Cat D licence for up to 5 rnds, and a Prohibited Weapons Permit for over 5 rnds.
May I suggest you check : S,4(4) of Schedule 1 NSW Weapons Prohibition Act 1998 v.127, Cheers.

And when you've got your head around S4(4), take a look at S4(5) :-

Any article or device, such as a device known as a brass catcher, that is designed to be attached to a firearm for the purposes of catching ejected cartridge cases when the firearm is being fired.

Who dreams this sh1t up?

For the reloaders among us, you'll just have to be diligent about rounding up all your precious brass by hand, especially that some of it is costing in the order of $2 ea nowadays!

In purely technical terms, that would also mean a collector of military accoutrements would fall foul of the (NSW) law by owning a collectable Swedish brass catcher.

[Rutabaga]

G'day Rutabaga,
Don't be confused by the wording, both statements mean illegal to possess. A detachable magazine up to 10 rnds designed for a Cat B rifle is legal, but a detachable magazine specifically designed for a semi-auto rifle, needs a Cat D licence for up to 5 rnds, and a Prohibited Weapons Permit for over 5 rnds. May I suggest you check : S,4(4) of Schedule 1 NSW Weapons Prohibition Act 1998 v.127, Cheers.

Thanks I hadn't looked at the prohibited weapons act. But this still didn't make sense. The ruger american in 223 comes with a detachable AR style magazine. This is, in fact, designed to run in a cat D firearm, there just happens to also be about gun that runs it. Same with the 7.62x39 version that runs mini 30 magazines.

The 10, pinned 20 and pinned 30 round magazines are all rendered 10 round magazines, I don't see where the pinned versions are prohibited in the leg or regs. Obviously modifying then so that they fire more than 10 rounds would be illegal, but that's true of anything.

[Rutabaga]

Any article or device, such as a device known as a brass catcher, that is designed to be attached to a firearm for the purposes of catching ejected cartridge cases when the firearm is being fired.

Who dreams this sh1t up?

For the reloaders among us, you'll just have to be diligent about rounding up all your precious brass by hand, especially that some of it is costing in the order of $2 ea nowadays!

In purely technical terms, that would also mean a collector of military accoutrements would fall foul of the (NSW) law by owning a collectable Swedish brass catcher.

I can kind of see a purpose there though. I imagine the purpose is to make it harder for crooks to hide evidence when committing gun crime. Spray a bunch of bullets out one end you spray a bunch of brass or the other. If you can catch them, then that evidence is gone.

I know what you mean about grubbing around at the range looking for ejected brass though, it would be really useful.

[No1_49er]

Here's a thought.
A revolver has a cylinder that contains all rounds, both fired and spent. A "brass catcher"?

[Oldbloke]

Any article or device, such as a device known as a brass catcher, that is designed to be attached to a firearm for the purposes of catching ejected cartridge cases when the firearm is being fired.

Who dreams this sh1t up?

For the reloaders among us, you'll just have to be diligent about rounding up all your precious brass by hand, especially that some of it is costing in the order of $2 ea nowadays!

Yeh, I've heard of that one. Too stupid for words. And if you drop one in SF they will book you for littering. Lol

[dpskipper]

I can kind of see a purpose there though.

No. You don't.

I imagine the purpose is to make it harder for crooks to hide evidence when committing gun crime..

Committing a crime is already illegal. Let's make it doubly illegal by outlawing brass catches. that'll make em think twice!

[northdude]

Man you guys have some crazy laws over there.

[Rutabaga]

No. You don't.

Well, thank you for taking the time to tell me what I do and don't see.