NJ Democrats Seek New Gun Law to Limit Magazines to 10 Rounds for Gun Owners

Gun-control legislation proposed earlier this week would reduce the fixed-magazine capacity from 15 rounds to ten rounds for semiautomatic rifles. Policymakers say the measure does not negatively impact lawful gun owners or hunters in any way. The bill is intended to prevent or diminish mass shootings following the tragic massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

By limiting the capacity of the magazines, the shooter would have to reload more often. This gives victims an opportunity to escape as evidenced by the 11 children that fled successfully when the Sandy Hook shooter reloaded.

New Jersey currently has the third-toughest gun laws in the United States, according to the Brady Campaign. The state’s high ranking is due the ban of “military style” assault weapons and being one of only seven states to restrict magazine capacity. Governor Christie has signed several gun-control bills including increased penalties for gun trafficking and requiring mental-health records to be included in the national background check database.

Opposition from gun-rights groups cites the proposed legislation infringes upon the Second Amendment right to bear arms. The bill has the potential to make hundreds of thousands of citizens into felons overnight according to a NJ representative from the National Rifle Association. Critics also point out that mass killers ignore gun restrictions altogether and this proposal hurts those trying to defend themselves. If the measure reaches Governor Christie’s desk, it will be interesting to see if he believes restricting magazine capacities will be effective in reducing gun crime.

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