Still No Word On How NJ Will Enforce Magazine Ban

New Jersey’s new magazine limit is in full effect. It shouldn’t be, but that’s neither here nor there. It is and the people of New Jersey have to deal with that reality, not what should or should not be.

Advertisement

The problem is, no one has a clue how the state will actually enforce the law, possibly including the state.

Well, New Jersey’s ban on high-capacity magazines is now in effect. The law also limits the size of magazines; legal ones can only carry 10-rounds. Gun rights supporters tried to get an injunction on the new law. It didn’t work. So, how will this ban be enforced? Will New Jersey State police go door-to-door? Well, they’re rather cagey about how they will go about it. They told Breitbart News that they have no plans to go door-to-door, but also they don’t discuss enforcement strategies. That’s not necessarily a definite “no” answer, folks. Stephen Gutowski of the Washington Free Beacon got the same answer from state authorities, who said the statewide ban on magazines carrying more than 10 rounds will be enforced, but didn’t elaborate:

Any civilian caught in possession of a magazine capable of holding more than 10 rounds may be arrested and prosecuted. Possession of such magazines after the deadline will be considered a crime of the fourth degree under state law and carry up to 18 months in prison and up to $10,000 in fines or both.

Nearly all modern full-size or compact handguns and rifles sold in the United States come standard with magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition.

State police told the Washington Free Beacon the effort to enforce the law will be a statewide endeavor directed by the attorney general’s office. They would not comment other than to say they will enforce New Jersey’s laws.

“We will enforce the law of the state,” Lieutenant Theodore Schafer of the New Jersey State Police said. “That’s our plan.”

Schafer would not give any details on the agency’s plan to enforce the law and referred the Free Beacon to the attorney general’s office for further questions.

Leland Moore, a public information officer for the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, refused to answer any questions on how the state planned to deal with gun owners who did not comply with the new law.

Advertisement

I can’t help but think that part of why they aren’t talking about what they’re doing is that they don’t really have any clue as to how to enforce the law. Not really.

Obviously, anyone found with a magazine that holds more than 10 rounds will be charged, but beyond that, there’s not much they can do. Magazines weren’t exactly restricted devices. As such, there’s not really any way to track who has what. Absent a door to door search, officials will kind of have to go on the honor system and trust law-abiding citizens to remain law-abiding.

Meanwhile, the people you most have to worry about won’t turn in jack squat, as per usual.

Of course, this is just an educated guess. I could be wrong and an effort to round up these magazines could launch any day now, but I really don’t think so. I’m fairly sure this silence isn’t an effort to maintain a tactical edge, but a refusal to admit that they don’t have a clue where to go from here.

Join the conversation as a VIP Member