Washington Can you carry a loaded Shockwave in your car

Nick Burkhardt · Dec 30, 2021

If you intend to fire it one handed, yes.

The Heretic · Dec 31, 2021

Flopsweat · Dec 31, 2021

He seems to be saying that by Federal law it's a Firearm, but by state law it's a pistol.

"'Pistol' means any firearm with a barrel less than 16 inches in length or is designed to be held and fired by the use of a single hand."

Notice the "or". This means that if you meet either criterion it's a pistol. I agree that the Shockwave is a pistol by state law.

From a practical side it seems to me that you shouldn't plan for a LEO to have researched this issue deeply enough to understand that, nor should you try to hold court with them during an encounter.

Nosferatu · Dec 31, 2021

Flopsweat said:
He seems to be saying that by Federal law it's a Firearm, but by state law it's a pistol.

"'Pistol' means any firearm with a barrel less than 16 inches in length or is designed to be held and fired by the use of a single hand."

Notice the "or". This means that if you meet either criterion it's a pistol. I agree that the Shockwave is a pistol by state law.

FWIW, when I bought my Shockwave, there was no additional pistol transfer paperwork. I walked out the door with it as soon as the proceed from NICS came through.

It was recorded as a "firearm" in Section D of the 4473.

Flopsweat said:
From a practical side it seems to me that you shouldn't plan for a LEO to have researched this issue deeply enough to understand that, nor should you try to hold court with them during an encounter.

Yep. Keep your yaphole shut around LE. There are other amendments beside the 2nd gun owners and concealed carriers should be familiar with.

I don't carry my shockwave mostly because I don't feel the need to, but I also don't expect anyone who's not in the gun hobby to really be familiar with the grey-ish area the shockwave resides in within the law. I would bet most officers would assume it's just a pistol-grip shotgun with an illegally short barrel and would slap some bracelets on me and let me pay the court fees and a lawyer to prove myself right. Not interested.

The Heretic · Dec 31, 2021

Yup. My SW is my home defense shotgun and my truck gun/etc., I am going to treat it like it is a shotgun, and generally won't carry it loaded in a vehicle except on private property (generally my own and/or my neighbors - the little mountain community I live in). Outside of that, it will be unloaded if I bring it at all. Not sure about how Orygun feels about these "firearms" and I do not want to be the test case in court.

I need to get my CHL and then a SIG Mk25 with a spare 20 round mag would be more handy for most situations where I have a pistol in the car. On my person would be something like my SIG 224.

Nosferatu · Dec 31, 2021

The Heretic said:
Yup. My SW is my home defense shotgun and my truck gun/etc., I am going to treat it like it is a shotgun, and generally won't carry it loaded in a vehicle except on private property (generally my own and/or my neighbors - the little mountain community I live in). Outside of that, it will be unloaded if I bring it at all. Not sure about how Orygun feels about these "firearms" and I do not want to be the test case in court.

I need to get my CHL and then a SIG Mk25 with a spare 20 round mag would be more handy for most situations where I have a pistol in the car. On my person would be something like my SIG 224.

I admit, my Shockwave has taken a few rides in my tractor out in MT. This summer my 1895GBL took over those duties, it's just such a handy, handsome sum beyotch!

I don't have a "truck gun" per say anymore. I recently picked up a Howa mini action in 6.5 Grendel to toy around with. Maybe that would be happy in that role.

Jay Walk · Dec 31, 2021

I doubt even an Attorney would touch this question.

The Heretic · Dec 31, 2021

Nosferatu said:
I admit, my Shockwave has taken a few rides in my tractor out in MT. This summer my 1895GBL took over those duties, it's just such a handy, handsome sum beyotch!

I don't have a "truck gun" per say anymore. I recently picked up a Howa mini action in 6.5 Grendel to toy around with. Maybe that would be happy in that role.

I am waiting on a BGC to get a Keystone Crickett. This will be modified and be a truck gun and any other use where I want a small lightweight .22 RF. Eventually I would like to get one of their .22 WMR pistols too.

Nosferatu · Dec 31, 2021

The Heretic said:
I am waiting on a BGC to get a Keystone Crickett. This will be modified and be a truck gun and any other use where I want a small lightweight .22 RF. Eventually I would like to get one of their .22 WMR pistols too.

We're nearly on the same wavelength, I finally got the final piece, the barrel, to finish off my not-a-Ruger-10/22 takedown (Brownell's receiver). I've wanted a 22 to throw in my backpack for a long time, but the barrels have been Covid-ed forever until recently.

The Heretic · Dec 31, 2021

Nosferatu said:
We're nearly on the same wavelength, I finally got the final piece, the barrel, to finish off my not-a-Ruger-10/22 takedown (Brownell's receiver). I've wanted a 22 to throw in my backpack for a long time, but the barrels have been Covid-ed forever until recently.

I have a Magpul backpacker stock with an older 10/22 receiver and a TacSol barrel. I put a Ramline plastic barrel on it, but it wouldn't shoot straight or feed well, so I replaced that with the TacSol. Haven't been able to find time to shoot it with the TacSol yet though.

The nice thing about the Crickett is that it will shoot any .22 RF from CB to LR.

I already have a Pack Rifle, but I prefer a bolt action - the Pack Rifle is very slow to reload, but very light at 15 ounces.

Nosferatu · Dec 31, 2021

I would have preferred a bolt action as well, but outside of the Tacsol $1k special, not much exists that I'm aware of in a takedown.

BrentN · Dec 31, 2021

I'm gonna buy 2, strap one to each fender. Maybe yank a tail light bulb just to insure I don't get pulled over.

Flopsweat · Dec 31, 2021

Jay Walk said:
I doubt even an Attorney would touch this question.

The video is by an attorney.

titsonritz · Dec 31, 2021

Remington TAC-13 on each hip.

coop44 · Dec 31, 2021

As with all things, it's legal until they tell you it's not.

po18guy · Dec 31, 2021

Jay Walk said:
I doubt even an Attorney would touch this question.

They are still arguing over 1639 - all the while crime has grossly increased. Good law, huh?
IMO, all such laws should sunset if they produce the opposite of claimed results.

Gunbuggy · Jan 1, 2022

No you can't. Just like you can't carry a loaded ar15 that's considered a "firearm" in your vehicle just because it has a brace on it.

The shockwave is not a pistol. You can't carry it loaded in your truck in Washington the same way that you can't have a shotgun loaded in your truck in Washington. Doesn't matter if it has a brace on it or not

wired · Jan 2, 2022

Gunbuggy said:
No you can't. Just like you can't carry a loaded ar15 that's considered a "firearm" in your vehicle just because it has a brace on it.

The shockwave is not a pistol. You can't carry it loaded in your truck in Washington the same way that you can't have a shotgun loaded in your truck in Washington. Doesn't matter if it has a brace on it or not

A shockwave is a pistol. A shockwave is not a shotgun. Fire that shockwave one handed like a man.

RCW 9.41.010

(23) "Pistol" means any firearm with a barrel less than sixteen inches in length, or is designed to be held and fired by the use of a single hand
9.94A.030
(31) "Shotgun" means a weapon with one or more barrels, designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder and designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball shot or a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger.

Gunbuggy · Jan 2, 2022

wired said:
A shockwave is not a pistol. A shockwave is not a shotgun.
9.94A.030
(31) "Shotgun" means a weapon with one or more barrels, designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder and designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to use the energy of the explosive in a fixed shotgun shell to fire through a smooth bore either a number of ball shot or a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger.

Correct it is not a pistol and it is not a shotgun. It is a "firearm" and how Washington states their laws you cannot carry this type of weapon loaded in your vehicle. I think people get confused with the brace thing. The brace doesn't make it a pistol it makes it a "firearm"

wired · Jan 2, 2022

Gunbuggy said:
Correct it is not a pistol and it is not a shotgun. It is a "firearm" and how Washington states their laws you cannot carry this type of weapon loaded in your vehicle. I think people get confused with the brace thing. The brace doesn't make it a pistol it makes it a "firearm"

Sorry. Had to modify my first answer. .Yeah it is a pistol. Show me in the RCW where it says otherwise. One handed? Check. Definitions matter..

(11) "Firearm" means a weapon or device from which a projectile or projectiles may be fired by an explosive such as gunpowder. "Firearm" does not include a flare gun or other pyrotechnic visual distress signaling device, or a powder-actuated tool or other device designed solely to be used for construction purposes.

RCW 9.41.010: Definitions.