Lawmaker: Washington’s new gun laws will ‘completely decimate the industry'

TheCenterSquare ^ | 4/21/23 | TJ Martinell

[CFW]

The passage of several gun control bills this session and in recent years could have enormous implications for certain firearm programs, such as shooting sports for both youth and adults, which may migrate toward friendlier states.

HB 1240 bans various semi-automatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns, including youth target rifles shorter than 30 inches, labeling them “assault weapons.” SB 5078 prohibits the marketing of any firearms or accessories to minors, including gun holsters. Both bills have cleared the Legislature and have been sent to Gov. Jay Inslee for signing.

Last year, the Legislature banned the sale or purchase of gun magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.

Among the legislators opposed to the two bills this session was Rep. April Connors, R-Kennewick, whose children participate in shooting programs.

She told The Center Square that “we are going to see (shooting) competitions in Washington state slow down. It’s a chilling effect overall that we keep adding gun laws to Washington state. My bigger concern is it will completely decimate the industry.”

Even though HB 1240 bans youth semi-automatic training rifles, some shooting programs in the state would be unaffected because they use bolt-action rifles not covered by the bill or air rifles firing .177 caliber and which are not legally considered firearms.

For Connors, the canary in the coal mine for shooting sports was Colorado, where the U.S. Practical Shooting Association, or USPSA, canceled a planned event at the Cameo Shooting Complex last year in response to the state’s newly-enacted law banning magazines that hold 15 or more rounds. The Colorado Parks and Wildlife operates the complex and required all participants to sign an affidavit stating they were in compliance with state laws, which Connors said could have opened them up for perjury if it was discovered they unintentionally broke a law.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Back when it looked like the US government planned to ban all semi-auto rifles, RUGER came up with a plan to convert their rifles to either pump or lever actions.

Suppose some enterprising company made a rifle using an AR-15 frame but with a pump action by removing the gas operating system.
That would send the politicians into a real tizzy since a pump action can shoot almost as fast as a semi-auto!

[hanamizu]

The irony being that the rationale for banning sawed-off shotguns was because they weren’t wet a militia would require.

[RideForever]

well regulated (which means well equipped)

You left out '... with rules and regulations)'

[matt04]

I’m willing to bet that none of them ever occurred. They are so rare that it is literally like one of the last items on the crime statistics list of ways to get murdered.

[21twelve]

I had to look up that shooting at the Burlington Mall - 5 dead, but done with a “hunting style” rifle. By a 20-year old that had a restraining order and was not supposed to have a gun.

Meanwhile, the Washington lawmakers were not able to come up with fair rules on the use of illegal drugs, so by default, there are no laws at the time regarding the use of heroin, fentynal or other hard drugs.

Hmm - I suppose all of the laws and rules covering legal pot are still in place so as not to upset the tax revenue stream.