Will Californians Break the Law?

Beginning July 1 in California, it will be illegal to possess firearm magazines that are capable of holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition.  The law states that if you are a California resident and you own a "high-capacity" magazine, you either need to destroy it, turn it in to the police, or ship it out of state. The penalty for not complying with the law is jail time. Interestingly enough, this bill is seen as a response to the San Bernardino and Fresno shootings - neither of which utilized a so-called "high capacity magazine."

So, how many Californians will comply with this law? That answer changes depending on where you are in the state.

Right now, there are millions of gun owners in the California, and while we don't have numbers on how many of them own magazines that hold over 10 rounds, you could probably make the assumption that a large percentage of these people would technically be breaking the law after July 1. Several police forces in the more conservative areas of the Golden State, have not seen any lines forming to turn in their magazines, and that's not really a surprise. This law, like many other ones proposed by the state, makes criminals out of law-abiding citizens overnight.

We're already seeing some push-back from the public. Several Sheriffs in California say that they have no intention on forcing citizens to comply with such a law, and lawsuits are in the process of being filed. Perhaps the Supreme Court could get involved...