Okay, sorry if this is a stupid question. Regarding the reduced mag capacity of the guns manufactured during the hi-cap ban. The only difference is the magazine right? Guns are the same?
Correct. Of course S&W sometimes re-named them, for example the 411 became the 410. But pre-ban mags should work in their post-ban equivalents. As always however check your local laws.
True. I used to think my Beretta 92 had a different grip because it was made during the AWB and came with 10 round mags. I eventually got 15 round mags, and found they're exactly the same length as their 10 round counterparts.