Read this! Silencer rights imposed!!!!!!!

[ZachS]

Call a lawyer with firearm law knowledge, then (if advised by your lawyer) call the ATF.

Even though this is BS, you might be facing some serious charges. If you win, you may be able to sue the cops for taking your property and violating your civil rights. Regardless, I'd suggest that you don't make any more public postings about this situation until the matter is resolved. In fact, I'd consider asking a mod to delete this thread.

 

[chris61182]

Call a lawyer with firearm law knowledge, then (if advised by your lawyer) call the ATF.

Even though this is BS, you might be facing some serious charges. If you win, you may be able to sue the cops for taking your property and violating your civil rights. Regardless, I'd suggest that you don't make any more public postings about this situation until the matter is resolved. In fact, I'd consider asking a mod to delete this thread.

I couldn't agree with a post more, every last bit of it. But of course come back and let us know how it turns out once it's all said and done.

 

[matt_w]

The mods should be deleting all threads like this until they are settled in/out of court. Some people need to be saved from themselves!

 

[ZachS]

The mods should be deleting all threads like this until they are settled in/out of court. Some people need to be saved from themselves!

Yep, I had a similar one a couple of months ago...

Will be able to post about it again very very soon. Individuals can win in the end when police officers overstep the boundaries.

 

[RVTECH]

took my pistol out and threw it across two lanes of pavement and just ruined the thing.

Did you ever find out law/statute/other legal authority allowed this person to do this? Is this action documented?

 

[Strongrthnall]

Yeah, bet your buttons I tried to get the Dept. to make it right or at least acknowledge it, but in the end it was explained to me that it was a police officer's word against a 28yr. old gun nut with too many tattoos. (Ever see The Breakfast Club?) I'm probably just some punk looking to cause problems or trying to get back at authority. I just don't put myself in those situations anymore. Theres all kinds of injustice and corruption in places of power these days and fighting it just puts you under the magnifying glass. I still shoot every day of my life but I had to buy my own place out in the sticks to not be harrassed. Yes silencers are legal, so are most assault rifles but in the real world you get to argue that fact with a police officer who can pretty much do what they want

 

[d1esel]

This is a very unfortunate situation. And I hope for the best possible outcome for the OP. But I have to say my lesson gleaned from this is to "keep your mouth shut". It makes no sense to draw unnecessary attention to yourself or your property.

 

[PhysicsGuy]

It is not illegal to own a suppressor in WA, but as far as I know it is illegal to take one shooting in WA.

But I hope you get them back asap!

 

[Strongrthnall]

Yeah I'll admit bringing it up can't help much but my ordeal happened around 8 years ago so it's dead and done. Got a lesson in the school of hard knocks from it and now I see/do things very differently. I'm just suprised people think these things can't/don't happen. I guess I'm just still bitter and hearing about more folks' misfortune gets me grumpy again

 

[RVTECH]

So you are saying the LEO lied and the dept did not acknowledge his throwing it? Do not get the wrong idea here Strong, is just burns my butt hearing things like this. A couple of years ago I made two complaints on local deputies for poor duty performance and went right to the sheriff - and I got a private meeting with him and the undersheriff. At first they tried to intimidate me and I got up and said "Ok, thanks for your time and I am on my way to the Governors Office" to which they said sit down, no problem and heard me out and ultimately the two deputies were reprimanded . My point being if you are in the right, let nothing stop you and go IMMEDIATELY to the highest person in the chain of command with your issue.

 

[MacBookProAR]

I need

 

[Bhowe]

It is not illegal to own a suppressor in WA, but as far as I know it is illegal to take one shooting in WA.

But I hope you get them back asap!

It is not illegal in WA to;

Own a suppressor, (registered of course)
Travel with a suppressor,
Go shooting with a suppressor,
Have a suppressor on your gun (even permanently attatched),

It is a Gross Misdomeanor to;

(c) Uses any contrivance or device for suppressing the noise of any firearm

This includes putting one to a pillow (one of the few Hollywood stunts that actually works) according to RCW 9.41.250

 

[PhysicsGuy]

It is not illegal in WA to;

Own a suppressor, (registered of course)
Travel with a suppressor,
Go shooting with a suppressor,
Have a suppressor on your gun (even permanently attatched),

It is a Gross Misdomeanor to;

(c) Uses any contrivance or device for suppressing the noise of any firearm

This includes putting one to a pillow (one of the few Hollywood stunts that actually works) according to RCW 9.41.250

Does this cover "constructive intent"?

It is not a written law that it is illegal to own an AR pistol upper (and no pistol lower), and an AR rifle, but you can go to prison for "constructive intent" to build an illegal SBR.

I'm not saying that I agree with what they did, the WA suppressor law is just ridiculous. But what were you really doing out shooting with a suppressor with you? Such a thing is just begging for something like this to happen.

It's not illegal to drive around with 2 tons of fertilizer and 50 gallons of diesel in the back of a van, but if I had no reason to, I definitely wouldn't do it, because its just asking for trouble.

 

[clearconscience]

To be honest I'm suprised you're suprised. We in Wash. are taxed to death and have no rights. Never had my rights read to me in washington, ever. I've had legally owned guns taken from me in the woods for no reason and have been treated like a criminal. I once got arrested for pulling a pretty long wheelie on a motorcycle, upon my telling the officer that I had a CWP and was carrying a Glock in my waist the cop took my pistol out and threw it across two lanes of pavement and just ruined the thing. I've had MULTIPLE cops tell me I "can't own that thing" when looking at my AR's or AK's. Seriously. Ever try to get a seized gun back from a police dept? Well, the arresting officer's precinct doesn't have it, its in Seattle... but Seattle tells you its not there, it's at precinct 3. This goes on and on until you give up. My average time it takes me to get my property back is about 12 weeks. The way they see it, every second they delay you your gun from reaching your hands they are saving lives and making the world a better place. Worked out pretty sweet for Australia wouldn't you say? I wish you the best of luck but it sounds like you have a few more hoops to jump through

Well you were breaking the law while carrying a firearm. Not smart on your part, However, that's jacked up they trashed your firearm. No doubt they did so to hit you where it hurts.
And I was never stopped by WA LEOs when I had my AR, but I was in Oregon. Had two Sheriffs from Bend stop us while shooting they asked to run my rifle, of course I said yes, they ran it and gave it right back, said Thanks and left us alone.

 

[clearconscience]

The OP mentioned a couple of times in this thread that they never used the suppressors nor did they intend to. I'm thinking that somewhere along the line you are going to have to answer the question...If you had no INTENT to use them, then why did you have them with you while shooting? As much as you would rather not have to get a lawyer, this is a question they could help answer or dodge.

Personally, if I had suppressor(s) with me while shooting, I know I would at the very least be tempted, so the intent question is one you should prepare for. At least I think so.

I would think this could go either way. They had them maybe just had them in a gun bag. No law against that. So the LEOs can't prove they intended to use them out shooting. I'm sure these LEOs just didn't know the law. I would fight at all costs to get those supressors back and file complaints with everyone from the Sheriffs office, to the Mayor, DA, and ATF. And file a lawsuit if the Lawyer/ ATF feels they violated your Constitution rights. They would pull no punches with you, don't pull back from them.

 

[cyclesarge]

Call the feds and report the sheriff for illegally possessing suppressors. It'll be interesting to find out what happens. As far as I can tell the deputies broke the law by illegally seizing and possessing the suppressors, since YOU(or your trust) are the only one authorized by the ATF to possess them.

This is a subject that worries me since it seems like a lot of LEO's don't know the laws.

 

[Bhowe]

So you are saying the LEO lied and the dept did not acknowledge his throwing it? Do not get the wrong idea here Strong, is just burns my butt hearing things like this. A couple of years ago I made two complaints on local deputies for poor duty performance and went right to the sheriff - and I got a private meeting with him and the undersheriff. At first they tried to intimidate me and I got up and said "Ok, thanks for your time and I am on my way to the Governors Office" to which they said sit down, no problem and heard me out and ultimately the two deputies were reprimanded . My point being if you are in the right, let nothing stop you and go IMMEDIATELY to the highest person in the chain of command with your issue.

Who would be the next highest person?
And how would I get in touch with them?

Thanks.


Really appreciate all the feedback and support guys and gals!

You know, years ago I had a similar thing happen. I was pulled over for no front license plate (on a car that had no place for one) and when asked if there were any drugs or weapons, I was honest and said I had a rifle in the trunk that was legally owned by myself. In an instant he ordered me from the vehicle and opened my trunk with my keys. He retrieved the AR and 'detained' me in the back of his patrol car. He read the serial number to his radio and a minute later a lady responed repeating the serial number back and indicated "no record" which I assume meant "its not stolen", but to him it meant "you are a criminal illegally posessing an unregistered firearm". I told him it was legally purchased from a store less than 10 minutes away. It wasn't until a superior showed up that I was returned my AR and let go without a ticket or anything.

Knowing that LE does not always have a grasp on the law is what kept me from arguing with him, and probably why I am able to be here typing instead of dropping the soap in the jail (although I know I did nothing wrong, I'm sure he could have found a reason to take me in).

Part of the problem is POLICE ARE NOT PUNISHED WHEN THEY ARE WRONG!!!
They can lock you up, make a big scene, ruin your reputation, get you fired, and cause you lots and lots of money even for doing nothing wrong. Sure after months you may end up getting it all sorted out, but they were able to go about their lives the entire time you spent cleaning your good name.

If they want to try to charge someone with a crime, but they were found innocent, the people trying to put them away should be penalized with the same punishment the other person was facing. Seems only fair. If you are going to try to charge someone without the evidence of a crime, you should be punished, not just move to the next poor shmuck.

I have always, and will continue to support those officers who I know personally to be respectable members of LE. I also personally know of LE officers who bend and break rules like stealing items from the dept (which is stealing from the people you are paid to protect and serve), or lying to doctors to stay at work or to get meds for false injuries (yes, I actually know of LE officers who lie to get narcotics that they abuse). Those people are no better than the criminals they lock up.

 

[Bhowe]

Call the feds and report the sheriff for illegally possessing suppressors. It'll be interesting to find out what happens. As far as I can tell the deputies broke the law by illegally seizing and possessing the suppressors, since YOU(or your trust) are the only one authorized by the ATF to possess them.

This is a subject that worries me since it seems like a lot of LEO's don't know the laws.

I totally would if I wasn't worried about catching a Fed case for filing a false report. I am going to do what is probably the right thing (and also the hardest because I want a s!@# storm to fall hard on them) and contact the Rainier Law Group and let them handle it.

I have been doing research all night tho and other than RCW 9.41.250, there really is not any laws pertaining to the ownership of silencers in WA.

 

[Bhowe]

What if you said no. Just asking, if you know 110% that you have every legal right to posess those silencers, what if you said no. Do you have that right? Does anyone have any rights when it comes to an officer demanding your weapons, if you're in 100% compliance with all laws to your knowledge.

you dont even have the right to disagree with an officer, they have tazers.

 

[Strongrthnall]

Back then I wasn't armed with wisdom so my only course of action was to get this guys badge #. I waited a long time until my pistol returned to my posession, (out of fear of losing it altogether) took pictures and called the nice ladies in the police office. After getting blown off several times I received a message on my phone that said that unless there were witnesses to the event then I didn't have a leg to stand on, and that if indeed my property was damaged it was unfortunate but the officer had every reason to try to distance me from any weapons to keep himself safe. I didn't have money for a lawyer nor did I have any faith in a favorable outcome so I just dropped it. Nowadays I don't know what would happen, but I think you're right to go to the source and not back down. Biggest problem is that the laws are enforced by people and people aren't perfect. I don't know what the answer is on that one, there will always be idiots but honest respectful decent people do still exist, I'd like to think they're making a comeback