What Happens When You Sell “High-Capacity Magazines” in New Jersey…from Another State

New Jersey has barred what it calls “large-capacity magazines” since 1990, but a Las Vegas firearm seller has fallen on the wrong side of that law lately.

New Jersey State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal, has been hassling out-of-state sellers for months, attempting to get them to slip up and sell ammunition magazines greater than 10 rounds. Unfortunately, North Frontier Armory of North Las Vegas managed to sell not only a 15-round and a 30-round magazine, but also a 100-round, drum-style magazine that pushed the NJ team over the top.

The retribution from the state Attorney General has been swift and heavy, with fines of $10,000 per incident and a ban of selling high-capacity magazines in the state.

Bring on the Lawsuits

Grewal held a press conference at which he announced that he was suing the Vegas dealer in Superior Court in Essex County for the transgression. According to his press release, at least five different weapons dealers were warned that selling large-capacity to New Jersey residents in the future would result in further action.

While it was previously legal to sell magazines with a capacity up to 15 rounds, a recent order by Governor Phil Murphy that took effect in June 2019 reduced that number further down to 10 rounds as the maximum allowed.

“We’re showing that we have zero tolerance for these lethal weapons,” said Grewal. It’s not unsurprising that Grewal was appointed by the Democratic governor of the gun-averse state.

Weapon Sales Stings

This action came as a part of a broader sting operation that had the Attorney General’s office attempting to purchase large-capacity magazines from a range of retailers from across the country. What’s worse, the AG has noted that his office will be looking into the records of North Frontier Armory as part of their lawsuit in an attempt to determine the names of the individuals who made purchases of larger-capacity magazines in New Jersey.

It’s clear that additional sanctions will be imposed, and the individuals who made purchases will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law if the state offices continue down their current path.

Are Large-Capacity Magazines “Weapons of War”?

New Jersey state officials are opposed to the purchase of magazines that hold greater than 10 rounds of ammunition, but are these magazines truly the problem?

After the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Florida, many states are leveraging that horror to point to the danger that large-capacity magazines have — but perhaps the focus should instead be on the individual who was wielding the firearm. It’s difficult to determine if there would be have been lesser devastation after mass shootings if the shooters only had access to magazines with fewer than 10 rounds, but it’s unlikely.

As our gun rights continue to erode across the country, there are pockets of Democratic areas that are accelerating the decline of gun rights. New Jersey and California are simply two of the most devious offenders — always on the lookout for ways to catch businesses in the act of providing Americans with the weapons and ammunition that they should legally be able to acquire.