Opinion
NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, revealed in a report that detachable magazines with a capacity exceeding 10 rounds are the overwhelming standard for firearm owners in the United States. The report, which surveyed 30-plus years of detachable magazine production and distribution, demonstrated that of the conservatively estimated 963,772,000 detachable magazines supplied from a firearm manufacturer and in the aftermarket, at least 717,900,000 have a capacity exceeding 10 rounds, the limit some states place for lawful magazine possession.
Detachable Magazine Report Findings: Capacity Exceeds 10 Rounds
The Detachable Magazine Report (1990-2021) confirms what NSSF has known – that the national standard for magazine capacity for America’s gun owners is greater than 10 rounds. With nearly 1 billion detachable magazines in circulation, for both rifles and pistols, they are unquestionably commonly-owned and commonly-used for lawful firearm use, including recreational target shooting, hunting and self-defense. They are “arms” within the meaning of the Second Amendment. Detachable magazines are integral to the design of, and necessary for the proper functioning of, today’s modern semi-automatic firearms.
“The data establishes that law-abiding gun owners overwhelming choose magazines that have a capacity to hold more than ten rounds for lawful purposes including self-defense, target shooting and hunting,” said Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President & General Counsel.
About 46 percent of the magazines estimated in this study are rifle magazines with 30+ round capacity. The percentage of detachable magazines at 11+ capacity is about 55 percent of total pistol magazines. The amount of 10 and below capacity rifle magazines supplied from the manufacturer is over one and a half times the amount of 30+ capacity rifle magazines. The consumer market totals of rifle magazines show 30+ capacity magazines, over 413 million, are over 30 times the amount available than 10 and below capacity rifle magazines, about 13 million.
Live Inventory Price Checker
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Brownells X-Tac 5.56 Nato 62gr Penetrator Fmj 1000rd Case With 10x Pmags | Brownells.com | $ 679.99 |
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Magpul 30 Round PMAG GEN M2 MOE Windowed - Black | Rainier Arms | $ 15.15 |
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Colt Rifle, 5.56mm, 20' Barrel, Semi-Auto, Ambi-Selector, A2 Buttstock, Carrying Handle, 30 Round PMag, Matte Black | Bereli | $ 1099.00 |
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Noveske Chainsaw 5.56mm 16 MLOK 30 Round PMAG Black Rifle | BattleHawk Armory | $ 1975.00 |
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Further examination of the data proves that of the 717,900,000 detachable magazines for pistols and rifles with a capacity greater than 10 rounds, 209,145,000 pistol magazines are in circulation from combined sales through firearm manufacturers (those magazines included with the firearm) and aftermarket production. Rifle magazines with a capacity greater than 10 rounds accounted for 508,755,000 and rifle magazines with a capacity of 30 rounds or greater totaled an estimated 448,369,000 from combined sale of those included with a firearm at sale and the aftermarket.
Just 245,872,000 pistol and rifle magazines with a capacity of 10 rounds or less are in circulation when accounting for the magazines included with a firearm from the manufacturer and the aftermarket.
Detachable Magazine Report 1990 – 2021
About The National Shooting Sports Foundation
NSSF is the trade association for the firearm industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of thousands of manufacturers, distributors, firearm retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations, and publishers nationwide. For more information, visit nssf.org
No surprise there.
The clowns pass laws that limit people to a ten round mag and claim that’s the standard for all . They lie deceive and then expect us to follow the fake narratives they present as reality . Reality is we own alot more 30 round mags in free states because we can !
In common usage. Game. Set. Match.
Doesn’t matter. It would only matter if policy were guided by law and constitutionality. It’s not. The Left ignores the law, the Constitution, court decisions, and logic – and does what it feels like, leaving it to citizens to spend their own money fighting the power of the state through endless appeals. It’s not their money – it’s YOUR tax money being used by them to fight against YOUR money in court. There needs to be a change such that if a decision goes against the state, all litigation costs are paid in treble damages to the person who brought… Read more »
I’m sorry NSSF, but this is biased reporting and needs to be re-done to reflect the honest numbers. The data manipulation in the current report, as it stands, is befitting the antis style of biased survey… we MUST be better! You have manipulated the data to reflect an outcome you desire, rather than to report what the data says. There are no 29 round magazines, we all know this. To include the standard capacity magazine in a 30+ designation is a disservice to the truth of manufacture and purchasing. You would be better served to restructure the criteria to reflect… Read more »
There is nothing wrong in how they depicted the data and you are being ignorant, lying, or both. For example, yes, there are 29 rnd magazines; I own several and here’s an example of one brand: https://atlasgunworks.com/product/29-round-9mm-2011-magazine-170mm-ss-black. More examples are readily available, especially in an age where anyone with a 3D printer and a willingness to learn/experiment can print up magazines, receivers, and the like (what’s freedom sound like? For some, a printer’s whrrrr). Additionally, with the exception of retention springs and the like, there’s really no limit on capacity size for magazines. 20 or 30 rnds is/was the standard… Read more »