Washington Heading into WA from OR with AR or AK to shoot at range then return home?

[KalashnaKobold]

Hey all,

Pardon the ignorance and possibly stupid question, after a short sweep of the section I didn't see anything specific to what I'm asking, or only was being discussed prior to the law passing. I'm an Oregon resident who usually shoots near Castle Rock, but haven't been since before the ban and I haven't ever taken my long guns anyways as I usually go with friends. They'd like to shoot my M16A2 and my AKMS but we're discussing ranges right now due to me being unsure about the ban. Can I lawfully travel into WA with these, go shoot at a range, and return home to Oregon, or should we find a range here in Oregon? Both have 10, 20, 30, and one has 40rd mags if that matters.


Thanks much for your time and help,

Colette.

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[Koda]

Can I lawfully travel into WA with these, go shoot at a range, and return home to Oregon, or should we find a range here in Oregon? Both have 10, 20, 30, and one has 40rd mags if that matters.

The relative law for that is SB5078, now codified as RCW 9.41.010
The relevant section your looking for is in Section 2(38) [page 8]

https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2021-22/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Passed%20Legislature/5078-S.PL.pdf?q=20230527190717

As far as the rifles themselves the relative law for that is HB1240
The relevant section your looking for there defines "import" in Section 2(21) [also page 8]

https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2023-24/Pdf/Bills/House%20Passed%20Legislature/1240-S.PL.pdf?q=20230527191211

 

[KalashnaKobold]

The relative law for that is SB5078, now codified as RCW 9.41.010
The relevant section your looking for is in Section 2(38) [page 8]

https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2021-22/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Passed%20Legislature/5078-S.PL.pdf?q=20230527190717

As far as the rifles themselves the relative law for that is HB1240
The relevant section your looking for there defines "import" in Section 2(21) [also page 8]

https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2023-24/Pdf/Bills/House%20Passed%20Legislature/1240-S.PL.pdf?q=20230527191211

Sounding like no then, thank you very much for the help!

 

[gunsmithkinks]

I think you can bring them in to shoot provided you leave the state with Saud gun yo the original state in which you reside. I have been told that it's nit considered importing because the rifle will not be left in WA State.

 

[Jay Walk]

Civilian Import, transfer or distribution into WA State for recreational purposes is not listed as an exception to the ban.

 

[wired]

I think you can bring them in to shoot provided you leave the state with Saud gun yo the original state in which you reside. I have been told that it's nit considered importing because the rifle will not be left in WA State.

Its still not legal.

 

[gunsmithkinks]

I do KNOW that WA STATE residents CAN leave the state to go shoot or hunt in another state with a AR etc and return with the same rifle they had before the ban was set in place. I also know that they made that exception as Mike Paden was the one who made the ammendment to that because aa he said they made thst same ammendment for the magazine ban last yr that they passed, and they agreed and voted it as a yes vote on that particular ammendment.

.i watched it happen during the live hearing in Olympia when they voted on all the ammendments for the assault weapon ban one by one.
It's my understanding out of state people can do the same provided they do NOT leave the gun here in WA. the same as high capacity mags.

 

[Ops]

youre not a washington resident so ill say no you cant

 

[kurpak]

Federal safe passage act allows anyone out of state to travel through any other state with their firearms, but that's assuming they're unloaded and kept locked away.
The dictionary definition of import:
...a commodity, article, or service brought in from abroad for sale.
1240 does not explicitly define import to mean anything other than the standard definition, except for:

"The definition of "import" is modified to exclude situations where an individual possesses an assault weapon when departing from, and returning to, Washington, so long as the individual is returning to Washington in possession of the same assault weapon the individual transported out of state."

Someone out of state traveling to, and then leaving from, WA with the same firearms and magazines they entered with aren't importing them, they're just traveling with them. 1240 does not ban the use of AWs, only the trade in them. Importation implies commerce, sale, or offering for sale. I think out of state folks are fine shooting their AWs in WA, assuming they don't sell or leave them in the state, but hey I'm not a lawyer

 

[RX-79G]

I'm sure the representatives who wrote a law that was concerned about mass shootings would be fine if someone from Oregon brought an AR to WA, shot up a WA elementary school and then returned home with their AR when they were done.

 

[kurpak]

Well if that was something they were overly concerned about, they should have added a section defining import as: The act of physically moving an AW into WA from outside the state for any purpose.
As the bill is currently worded, they just prohibit "importation", which left without clarification, is defined as bringing in goods for sale from abroad via the standard definition. Let's not go making their job's easier by just assuming they meant the strictest possible interpretation without more clarity, I'm just reading what they wrote (or didn't write) in the bill

 

[ilikegunspdx]

...
It's my understanding out of state people can do the same provided they do NOT leave the gun here in WA. the same as high capacity mags.

I'm no expert but I don't see that in the hb 1240 law anywhere. Please post it if you know where it is. I see what is in post #2 above, that it would be illegal:

 

[RX-79G]

Well if that was something they were overly concerned about, they should have added a section defining import as: The act of physically moving an AW into WA from outside the state for any purpose.
As the bill is currently worded, they just prohibit "importation", which left without clarification, is defined as bringing in goods for sale from abroad via the standard definition. Let's not go making their job's easier by just assuming they meant the strictest possible interpretation without more clarity, I'm just reading what they wrote (or didn't write) in the bill

You mean where the law defines "import" in the definition section?

(21) "Import" means to move, transport, or receive an 36 item from a place outside the territorial limits of the state of 37 Washington to a place inside the territorial limits of the state of 38 Washington. "Import" does not mean situations where an individual 39 possesses a large capacity magazine or assault weapon when departing 40 from, and returning to, Washington state, so long as the individual p. 8 SHB 1240.PL 1 is returning to Washington in possession of the same large capacity 2 magazine or assault weapon the individual transported out of state.

 

[ktgee]

I called English Pit Shooting Range in Cama a few weeks ago and they said they still are accommodating those nasty guns and stating that they haven't been restricted and I still haven't gone yet because of the uncertainty of breaking the law. There are four gun ranges in Vancouver. Had anybody gone shooting those nasty guns over at those ranges yet? And what do they say about the legality?

 

[RX-79G]

I called English Pit Shooting Range in Cama a few weeks ago and they said they still are accommodating those nasty guns and stating that they haven't been restricted and I still haven't gone yet because of the uncertainty of breaking the law. There are four gun ranges in Vancouver. Had anybody gone shooting those nasty guns over at those ranges yet? And what do they say about the legality?

The gun range has nothing to do with what happens when you cross the border into WA with contraband in your car. It doesn't matter if it is a brick of opium or a rifle banned from import - the act of crossing the border violates WA state law and if you are caught with it you'll likely go to jail.

A gun range is not charged with checking to see where the guns people bring are from. But if a cop is also at the range and sees Portland plates and an AK, that is probably more than enough probable cause - especially since WA doesn't let you lend someone a gun in most circumstances.

 

[kurpak]

(21) "Import" means to move, transport, or receive an 36 item from a ....

Oh well dang, I did a text search for import and didn't see that. Maybe I was looking at a different draft of the bill. Forget everything I said and carry on

 

[ilikegunspdx]

It's ok if you are heading from AR to AK or AK to AR though.

 

[Koda]

Federal safe passage act allows anyone out of state to travel through any other state with their firearms, but that's assuming they're unloaded and kept locked away.

I forgot the name of that law, but it only covers traveling thru states, not visiting states. There is a distinct difference.

 

[wired]

I forgot the name of that law, but it only covers traveling thru states, not visiting states. There is a distinct difference.

That was part of the 86 FOPA. Only covers travel through. You have to follow the laws of the state you are in as far as use though. The situation in WA being not much different than what you'll find in California. You can't just visit California with your state regulated rifle and go shooting.

 

[washagonian]

I forgot the name of that law, but it only covers traveling thru states, not visiting states. There is a distinct difference

I think this is what you're referring to.

18 U.S. Code § 926A - Interstate transportation of firearms | U.S. Code | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute

Notwithstanding any other provision of any law or any rule or regulation of a State or any political subdivision thereof, any person who is not otherwise prohibited by this chapter from transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm shall be entitled to transport a firearm for any lawful purpose from any place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm to any other place where he may lawfully possess and carry such firearm if, during such transportation the firearm is unloaded, and neither the firearm nor any ammunition being transported is readily accessible or is directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such transporting vehicle: Provided, That in the case of a vehicle without a compartment separate from the driver's compartment the firearm or ammunition shall be contained in a locked container other than the glove compartment or console.


(Added Pub. L. 99–360, § 1(a), July 8, 1986, 100 Stat. 766.)