NJ State Police report ZERO ‘High Capacity’ magazines surrendered under new ban

On December 10, 2018, New Jersey's ban on so-called "high" capacity magazines (magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds) went into effect. By that date, gun owners were to have surrendered their property to police, rendered them inoperable, modified them so that they could not hold more than ten rounds, or sold them to authorized owners. Those who failed to do so were threatened with a fourth-degree felony, punishable by a maximum fine of $10,000 and up to 18 months in prison.

How many of New Jersey's estimated one million gun owners turned in a magazine to police? Days after the ban took effect, AmmoLand.com reported the number: ZERO.

Two sources from within the State Police, who spoke to AmmoLand on condition of anonymity, told AmmoLand News that they both do not know of any magazines turned over to their agency and doubted that any were turned in.

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All the local police departments that AmmoLand contacted stated that they have not had any magazines turned into them.

In a follow-up article, Reason.com reported similar results from their own investigation:

I also contacted the state police, where Sgt. Jeff Flynn told me they have received "zero" LCMs. Flynn said I should address any other questions about the law to the Attorney General's Office, which I did. Leland Moore, a spokesman for the Attorney General's Office, said I should talk to the state police.

Bans like these haven't worked in the past, and this one is clearly no different. But the politicians got to claim they "did something," and that's what it's really all about.

Chad D. Baus is the Buckeye Firearms Association Secretary and an NRA-certified firearms instructor. He is co-founder of BFA-PAC, and served as its Vice Chairman for 15 years. He is the editor of BuckeyeFirearms.org, which received the Outdoor Writers of Ohio 2013 Supporting Member Award for Best Website.