I'm looking for background info for a letter to editor concerning 1994 AWB. My local rag posted an editorial in favor of not only continuing the ban, but actually expanding on it. I've found a lot of material concerninging weapons themselves, but so far I can't find anything written about the high capacity magazine part of the bill.

I think what I'm looking for is:  exactly what is actually banned, can these magazines still be imported, did the "pre bans" go away or were they grandfathered....

I want to be armed with the facts before I start spewing forth venom.

Any help or links or articles much appreciated.

[url=http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=8201178&BRD=1973&PAG=461&dept_id=177147&rfi=6]Original editorial[/url]

My understanding is that as long as the magazines were manufactured prior to the 1994 ban, and they were in the continuous possession of a foreign army, they can still be imported into the U.S.  I jokingly thought the other day that it would be interesting to approach the Vietnamese government to see if they still had all the AR mags from when they rolled into Saigon in 1975 and defeated the ARVN.  There may be a warehouse somewhere loaded with them.  The rusted springs could be switched out as the aluminum bodies, followers and floorplates should still be intact.  Sorry to get off topic.  I think the above is the reason the British SA-80/AR mags could be imported into the U.S. even though it is well after the ban.  New mags must have LEO/Military USE ONLY and, I believe a serial # (someone correct me here).  Since the pre-bans don't have this written on them, they're ok to possess ie. they're grandfathered.  Strange that they would ban new 20/30 rnd mags but allow their importation.  Basically, 'lets screw the U.S. public but help our NATO allies get rid of their mags for $$$ if they want to'.  The whole AWB is ridiculous to begin with.  The above, I believe, is also the reason for the ample and inexpensive supply of AK-47 mags.