The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has struck down a challenge to a New Jersey law which limits the amount of ammunition, to no more than 10 rounds, that may be held in a single magazine of a firearm. The law was enacted in response to the rise of mass shootings in the United States. Guns with large capacity magazines (LCMs) allow a shooter to fire multiple shots without reloading.
The Court concluded that the New Jersey law, “reasonably fits the State’s interest in public safety and does not unconstitutionally burden the Second Amendment’s right to self-defense in the home.” The law allows gun owners to obtain modified magazines or register firearms that have magazines that cannot be modified, and thus does not require these gun owners to surrender their guns. The Court found that an exemption in the law that permits retired law enforcement officers to have such firearms does not violate the Equal Protection Clause.
New Jersey joins a handful of other US states and municipalities that restrict these types of firearms.
Related Resources
Decision: Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs, Inc. v. Attorney General New Jersey, No. 18-3170 (3d Cir. 2018)
Appeals Court Upholds NJ Ban on High-Capacity Magazines, The Hill, December 5, 2017
High-Capacity Magazine Ban – Wikipedia
