Firearm enthusiasts

[Al_Steel]

Allright I've been looking at the XD's off and on for a couple months while I build up some disposable income.

Reading a review somewhere it was mentioned that because the magazine is gripped in the center you can modify large capacity magazines to fit the firearm.


Are most double stack pistol magazines interchangable (at least of the 9mm variety)? Would I be able to use mags from my fathers 9mm Beretta in a 9mm XD if modified?

That 9mm Beretta I mentioned is really the only experience I have with these types of pistols, besides a .22 every other pistol I have ever owned was a revolver.

XD's are really nice pistols, a friend of mine has one in .40 and I have shot it on several occasions. In general, most manufacturer's mags are not interchangeable regardless of caliber. The followers, mags springs, catches, etc are all different and typically cannot be interchanged. There are some exceptions though. Also, 1911 mags are almost all interchangeable.

First things first. If you live in MA you are prohibited from posessing a magazine with a capacity over 10 rounds that was manufactured after Sept 1994. So buying a new high-cap mag for an XD is out. I can only guess that the reason that you are asking about modifying Beretta mags is b/c you have an idea where you can get pre-ban ones.

I have heard there are 2 ways to get hi-cap mags for XD's without buying an actual XD hi-cap mag:

1 - Take a standard cap .40 caliber mag, modify it slightly and it will fit 15 9mm rds. This is all well and good, but you gotta know exactly how to modify the mag. Also your witness holes won't line up properly. But the real catch is that this may run afoul of the Mass law about magazine capacity even if the original mag is for a .40 and is legal. Since OEM XD mags didn't exist in 1994, once you modify it for high-cap you are probably breaking the law.

2 - Find a pre-ban high cap Beretta 92 (or SIG, CZ, etc) 9mm mag and modify it for use in the XD. I have read this is very easy to do and simply invovles cutting a notch in the mag to line up with the mag release on the XD. Again I'm not 100% sure where this falls legally. To be safe I wouldn't use ANY high cap magazine made after Sept 1994.

I'd link you to the sites for doing these mods buuut a little research and you will find them easily on your own.

As an aside, if you plan on using this gun for CC my advice would be to keep the high-caps strictly for the range. Why? B/c MA is very anti-2A and if you make defensive use of you your pistol with a high-cap magazines a PA will have a field day with you. I know it sucks, but its the world we live in today.

Stay safe!

[Recon by Fire]

Modify a Beretta 92 mag for use in a XD?

Just keep it legal and go with the 10 round legal maximum for your state. As much as I hate these limitations, 10 rounds should be plenty should you ever actually need them. But since you are limited in capacity anyway, just get the new 45ACP XD.

[Pacifist_Farmer]

Thanks for the input so far guys.

To be honest I have never possessed a firearm in MA and probably never will, I do all of my hunting and shooting in VT where my parents live, and have a large plot of land.

While I feel that some of the restrictions in this state are silly, I completely understand when you factor in things such as population density, and the number of ignorant and angry people around here.

I was not as interested in using high capacity mags, I was mostly curious as too wether I would be able to use mags from several different firearms in all of them, i.e. an XD and say a CXStorm. The flexibilty of not worrying about which mag you have with you seems awfully nice.

Sounds like thats not really an option, but I'll do some reading on the subject on the gun forums.

[Al_Steel]

VT! Well then disregard everything I said about legality, they hand out firearms at the state line in VT don't they? No restriction on firearms ownership (except for the Federal tests), no restrictions on carry, no getting permission from the state to buy a gun.. how sweet is that?

Factoid: VT has the lowest incident of gun violence in the nation and the most lax gun laws. Washington DC has one of the highest incidences of gun violence in the nation and the most restrictive gun laws. Coincidence?

On a serious note, the restrictions placed upon you are not a subject of where you intend to use the firearm, it's where you reside. Handguns have a whole slew of laws and restrictions stapled to them. If you reside in MA then you are still bound by the restrictions of that state for handgun ownership and purchasing. You cannot buy a gun in VT and keep it in VT or transport it into MA without taking ownership in MA via the proper channels. That's called "unlawful interstate transport of a handgun" and it's HIGHLY illegal. To take posession of a handgun that you purchase in VT you must have the firearm shipped to a FFL dealer in MA to complete the transfer of ownership per MA law. Again, it sucks but that's the way it works.

You CAN have your father purchase the firearm, he will be the owner, have him keep it for you in VT and then loan it to you when you go to VT for shooting there. Most importantly your father cannot buy the gun with the intention of giving it to you to take back to MA. This is called a "Straw Purchase", which is illegal on about 15 different levels.

On top of all of this, MA has a list of "approved" handguns that restrict the type and model of handguns that you may purchase. I'm pretty sure the XD is on the list, but you should check it before you purchase.

As far as mag capacity is concerned you can have as many high-cap mags as you want in VT regardless of manufacture date and they are legal, just don't transport them back into MA.

[Pacifist_Farmer]

Don't I know it!

I've been using the "dad "owns", I borrow" system for quite some time now. Since I don't hunt and I'm not worried about defending my self or home in MA I have no reason to have a firearm in this state.

And like you pointed out there are so many restrictions and legal ramifications to firearm ownership/possesion in MA I have chosen to avoid it entirely. So I'm not worried about breaking any laws with a "Straw purchase".

And to the best of my knowledge, aside from "discharging firearms in city limits" laws, the only town you can't openly carry in is Montpelier, the capital.

[hipster]

Just to let you know I live in MA and have a lic to carry concealed and do own and have purchased new firearms with high cap clips

that ten round cap is not exactly true

also ma has three types of concealed cary pistol permits one of which being for high cap firearms
for a while when the new laws went into effect everyone ran scared and stopped selling high cap pistols and in some cases stopped selling certain brands all together but since then official interpitaions of the new laws are being released to clarify some of these things
( even a lot of dealers are still having a hard time knowing whats what with the way the laws are worded)

[Al_Steel]

Well, your MA class A LTC (I'm assuming you have a class A b/c class B does not allow you to posess hi-cap mags and does not allow you to CC) allows you to posess and purchase hi-cap mags. Since the OP stated that he didn't own a pistol and was relatively new when it came down to handguns I assumed that he didn't have a LTC. In fact the average law abiding citizen can't even posess a firearm without the state's permission.

About 12 years ago I looked at moving to Boston (when my judgement was clouded by my sexual drive.. I was dating my spouse). By the grace of God I ended up staying in VA and was spared. Since I owned several firearms at the time, I researched the local laws which is how I know some of MA laws regarding firearms. That and I have a VA CCP which means I try to stay abreast of the laws of states I may travel through or to.

The 3 type of MA gun licenses are:
FID - Firearms ID card - Allows you to buy/own rifles (<10 rd cap) and shotguns
Class B - Allows you to buy/own >10 rd cap rifles, shotguns and handguns (10rd mags)
Class A - Allows you to buy/own all the above, high-cap handgun mags, and carry concealed

BIG CORRECTION: Upon further inspection... my US DoJ handbook on State Firearms Laws and Ordinances 25th Ed, 2004 is a little out of date... forget what I said about pre-1994 hi-cap mags. It appears that ALL high-capacity handgun mags are completely out except for Class A license holders.

[Recon by Fire]

Stupid laws

[edweird]

Stupid laws

just another reason im glad I live in AZ.

[Recon by Fire]

15 rounds are my low-cap magazines. I like the 20 round mags in my Beretta now. 30's are a bit too big.

[Pacifist_Farmer]

So you prefer your guns to be taller than they are long?

[Recon by Fire]

Nothing wrong with an empty mag-club