Buckeye Reporter

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the Firearm Industry Trade Association, has released a report indicating that detachable magazines with a capacity exceeding 10 rounds have become the norm for firearm owners across the United States. The report, which analyzed over 30 years of detachable magazine production and distribution, revealed that a significant majority of the estimated 963,772,000 detachable magazines in circulation have a capacity exceeding the 10-round limit imposed by some states.

Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF senior vice president and general counsel, emphasized that "law-abiding gun owners overwhelmingly choose magazines that have a capacity to hold more than ten rounds for lawful purposes including self-defense, target shooting and hunting."

According to the Detachable Magazine Report spanning from 1990 to 2021, detachable magazines are widely used for lawful firearm activities such as recreational target shooting, hunting, and self-defense. These magazines are considered essential components of modern semi-automatic firearms and are integral to their functionality.

The data from the report indicates that approximately 46% of the magazines analyzed are rifle magazines with a capacity of 30 rounds or more, while about 55% of total pistol magazines have a capacity exceeding 11 rounds. The consumer market for rifle magazines shows a significant preference for 30+ capacity magazines, with over 413 million in circulation, surpassing the availability of magazines with a capacity of 10 rounds or less by a significant margin.

Further examination of the data reveals that out of the 717,900,000 detachable magazines with a capacity greater than 10 rounds, over 209 million are pistol magazines, and more than 508 million are rifle magazines. Notably, rifle magazines with a capacity of 30 rounds or more make up a substantial portion of the total detachable magazines in circulation.

In contrast, the report highlights that only 245,872,000 pistol and rifle magazines with a capacity of 10 rounds or less are currently in circulation, indicating a clear preference among firearm owners for magazines with higher capacities.

The NSSF report sheds light on the prevailing trend among gun owners in the United States, emphasizing the widespread use of detachable magazines with capacities exceeding 10 rounds for various lawful purposes.

This article has been republished with permission from NSSF.