Which states, or locations currently have magazine limitations for firearms?

Hawaii: No handgun magazine above 10 rounds, including rifle magazines compatible with pistols, AR15, AK47, etc.

Maryland: No magazine above 10 rounds.

Massachusetts: No magazine above 10 rounds.

New Jersey: No magazine above 15 rounds.

New York: No magazine above 10 rounds.

Washington DC: No magazine above 10 rounds.

Aurora, IL: No magazine above 15 rounds.

Oak Park, IL: No magazine above 10 rounds.

South Bend, IN: No magazine above 15 rounds.

Colorado: No magazine above 15 rounds.

Connecticut: No magazine above 10 rounds.

California: No magazine above 10 rounds.

Vermont: No rifle magazines above 10 rounds – No handgun magazines above 15 rounds.

More context is needed. California, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont and the District of Columbia all ban large capacity ammunition magazines for use with any firearm. Hawaii, on the other hand, limits high capacity round magazines for handguns only.

What is defined as large capacity magazines?

That varies based on locality. However, currently the minimum number is 10. That number may change over time with the legal steps being taken in many areas.

What does this mean to gun owners?

If you want to have access to larger magazines, there is no better time to order than now. We do not know what steps the local or state governments will take to limit magazine capacity. Your area could be one event away from a call for more limitations. For law-abiding citizens, it makes sense to take action now and increase your stock of magazines.

How many magazines should I have for my weapon?

That is a personal question you should ask yourself based on your intended use. If you are purchasing magazines for home or self-defense, you should consider how many would make you comfortable. In a life-or-death situation, do you want to have just 2? Or would having 1 in the gun and 3 at the ready make you more comfortable?

Look, when it comes to self-defense, and home defense, no one wants to use their weapon. Even those who train often, and practice with the highest level of awareness, do not want to use their weapon unless they have to. If that moment ever happens, though, they do not want to be left holding an empty weapon.

For myself, the reason I have a pistol with a magazine is to allow myself to reload quickly. If that was not a concern, I would have a pistol and use a speed loader as a backup. But nothing works as fast and well as a magazine, especially when you train for your reload speed.

I spent over half my life in martial arts. From my early teens until I was in my 40s, I trained. I trained for confidence, fitness, fun, and, if I ever needed it, self-defense. You must do the same with firearms. If you want to be effective in changing out your magazine when horrible things are happening, you must train switching magazines until it is second nature. Or, as I used to say when training others in martial arts, train until your brain can go on autopilot with your response.

The old masters of martial arts would say your train until it becomes untrained or second nature. That is how you should train with your gun for self or home defense. A large part of that training should be with your magazines. It is that critical, that important. Make sure to have enough magazines to allow you to sustain fire when you need it most.

Again, how many magazines you own for your gun of choice is up to you.

My bare minimum for handguns is 3 and for rifles of all kinds, at least 2. Your own needs should dictate your magazines. If you are getting magazines for your only gun, you may need or want more than 3-4 because that is all you have.