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Many of you have seen the Mossberg 590 Shockwave and various scabbards that can be had for it. Washington State doesn't blanketly forbid open carry, and allows concealed carry with a permit, but only for pistols. WA also has its own definitions of firearm types, which are different from the federal ones. This made me curious.
Question 1: Is the Shockwave considered a pistol by the State of Washington? If not, what kind of gun do they call it?
It looks like it is probably not a pistol.
But it's certainly not an SBS:
So what does the State of Washington call it? Maybe it's a Firearm to them too.
So what do you think? Is it a Firearm?
Question 2: What does the State of Washington consider concealed?
There doesn't seem to be a definition. A lot of states use phrases like "recognizable as a firearm" or similar, but apparently not WA. If you put a Shockwave in a scabbard, how much of the gun has to stick out for it not to be concealed? Just the grip, or some of the receiver? What do you think, and why?
Question 1: Is the Shockwave considered a pistol by the State of Washington? If not, what kind of gun do they call it?
It looks like it is probably not a pistol.
The Shockwave has a strap attached to the pump grip and designed, so I'm told, to keep your hand from passing the end of the barrel and getting holes in it. So it would seem to be designed to be fired by the use of two hands.(18) "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.
But it's certainly not an SBS:
The Shockwave is 26.25 inches long specifically so that it is considered a Firearm (not an AOW, not an SBS) by the ATF.(23) "Short-barreled shotgun" means a shotgun having one or more barrels less than eighteen inches in length and any weapon made from a shotgun by any means of modification if such modified weapon has an overall length of less than twenty-six inches.
So what does the State of Washington call it? Maybe it's a Firearm to them too.
(IIRC gunpowder is technically not an explosive, but let's not hold that against them. )(9) "Firearm" means a weapon or device from which a projectile or projectiles may be fired by an explosive such as gunpowder.
So what do you think? Is it a Firearm?
Question 2: What does the State of Washington consider concealed?
There doesn't seem to be a definition. A lot of states use phrases like "recognizable as a firearm" or similar, but apparently not WA. If you put a Shockwave in a scabbard, how much of the gun has to stick out for it not to be concealed? Just the grip, or some of the receiver? What do you think, and why?