misanthropist said:Of what? What law would he be breaking? He isn't designing or manufacturing a magazine, he's cutting holes in one. Is there a law which prevents anyone from modifying magazines designed and intended to be used in bolt action rifles? I don't know of one - note that I am not saying there is not such a law, but if there is, where is it?
The only way mens rea can come into the question at all is if there is a specific law being broken - without actus reus then what does mens rea matter? Having intent to use the magazine in a rifle different than the one it is intended by the manufacturer to be used in (and then going and doing it, even) is not illegal at all. Look at Questar's importation of 10 round AR mags. Totally legal! The magazines themselves are prohibited or not depending on what gun they were manufactured for, not what gun you use them in. If somebody builds a bolt gun that takes magazines which work in an m14, or AR, well, as long as they are proprietary mags for that bolt gun, there is no problem. Load up your M14 with all the ammo you can stuff in the mag.
So unless there is a law which prevents the modification of magazines for bolt rifles, I am having a hard time imagining what actus reus is about to occur, and if there is no actus reus, then who cares if there is mens rea!
I will bet you are told its illegalLuckyorwhat said:Thanks a million for the link; I think that's ample evidence that even the most determined and fraudulent CFC rep couldn't deny it. But I'll be asking the RCMP on Monday specifically.
BAITRON said:This is the same as modifying a PINNED mag to take more than 5 rounds. QUESTAR's mags do not need you to cut holes in them yourself. Ie modifying. There is an RCMP ruling allowing those because they are stock. Actus reus: modifying/altering mag. Mens reus, doing it to use in a m14. In addition unless you plan on carrying both rifles on your shoulder at the same time there is no logic to you swapping it in a different gun. I wish this wasn't so. I will look up the section in the firearms act but guarantee you there is a provision in the criminal code that definitely doesn't condone this. This is my two cents go ahead and do waht you want but you don't have me convinced it is legal so I would think twice.
Polar Man said:I just thought of something, if you modded the rifle and ground off the mag catch so they would drop out, the AIA mags would fit.
Luckyorwhat said:Will the A4 mags stay in the M14 rifle still though? I'm going to have to get some and see with my hands. That could skip all problems altogether.
tiriaq said:But if you take an existing magazine for a manually operated firearm, and alter it to fit in an autoloading firearm (in which it would not function prior to modification) are you not manufacturing a magazine for use in an autoloading firearm? And you are knowingly altering the magazine for use in an autoloader.
Let us know the content of the written ruling that you receive from the CFC legal section. Without a written opinion, and/or court precedent, any opinion is just that, an opinion, without any legal weight.
BAITRON said:This is the same as modifying a PINNED mag to take more than 5 rounds. QUESTAR's mags do not need you to cut holes in them yourself. Ie modifying. There is an RCMP ruling allowing those because they are stock. Actus reus: modifying/altering mag. Mens reus, doing it to use in a m14. In addition unless you plan on carrying both rifles on your shoulder at the same time there is no logic to you swapping it in a different gun. I wish this wasn't so. I will look up the section in the firearms act but guarantee you there is a provision in the criminal code that definitely doesn't condone this. This is my two cents go ahead and do waht you want but you don't have me convinced it is legal so I would think twice.
tiriaq said:An Enfield magazine basically slides up into a well, and is latched at the rear by a catch. The M14 magazine hooks on its front end (that's why the square hole is there) and then rocks back to latch. Whether a magazine would function when it is not secured at the front end is an open question. AFAIK the AIA magazine is derived from the M14 magazine. The square hole was deleted so that it could be argued that the magazine was not an M14 magazine. If you want to experiment with an unaltered AIA magazine, or with a M14 magazine unsecured at the front end, I have a Norinco operating spring guide you can experiment with. Grind back the corner so that it does not engage the magazine. If you want it, PM your mailing address.
If the AIA magazine is altered in any way, so that it will function correctly in a M14, and retains its capacity of 10 rds, I suspect that the powers that be would determine that this was manufacutre of a prohibited device.
BAITRON said:Altering the rifle to acept the 10 round mag is also not legal.
misanthropist said:Fair enough - you essentially figure that the crime being committed is manufacturing a prohibited device...I think a court case would be required to know for sure but IF you can get away with the mod without manufacturing a prohibited device, then I would say everything else is extraneous - you don't have a prohibited device so no problem, no matter what gun you stick it in.
But you could well be right that cutting a square hole is enough to be manufacturing a prohibited device.
Polar Man said:Anyone talk to the RCMP about it yet?
Do you think cutting off the mag catch is manufactuing a prohib. device?
HeadDamage said:There where semi and full auto LeeEnfields.