WA gun shop asks US Supreme Court to review high-capacity magazine ban

washingtonstatestandard.com ^ | Aug. 8, 2025 | Jake Goldstein-Street

[PROCON]

A Washington gun shop is taking its case against the state’s ban on the sale of high-capacity ammunition magazines to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Gator’s Custom Guns in Kelso filed a petition this week, asking the high court to review the state Supreme Court’s decision in May upholding the controversial law. Supporters of the restriction see it as an important step for quelling gun violence.

Walter Wentz, the Cowlitz County store’s owner, said Friday he hopes to convince the Supreme Court justices to “do their job and not accept all these lower courts waving their finger at them.”

“I look forward to exercising our rights,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll get some justice out of this.”

A spokesperson for the state attorney general’s office said Friday afternoon, “These reforms are constitutional, as every Court of Appeals to review similar large capacity magazine reforms has found.”

“The Supreme Court has previously declined multiple petitions like this one, leaving lower court rulings upholding these public safety reforms in place,” the spokesperson, Mike Faulk, said in an email.

Gator’s has argued the state’s 2022 ban on the sale of gun ammunition magazines that hold more than 10 rounds violates the Washington and U.S. constitutions. The state constitution protects “the right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state.”

But in their 7-2 decision, state Supreme Court justices ruled high-capacity magazines aren’t “arms,” but just a component of a gun that isn’t generally used for self-defense.

[PROCON]

As most of you know, Washington isn't the only state with magazine capacity bans, there are 12 other states with similar restrictions; California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Vermont.

With the exceptions of Colorado (15 rds) & Delaware (17 rds) the other states have magazine bans of 10 rds.

I live in Washington state, the "high-capacity" magazine bans apply to the buying, selling or transfer of the mags, all high-capacity mags currently owned were 'grandfathered' in.

It's high time SCOTUS takes up this important lawsuit, overturns these unconstitutional bans and return a basic constitutional right back to gun owners.

[PROCON]

RKBA Ping List

This Ping List is for all news pertaining to infringes upon or victories for the 2nd Amendment.

FReepmail me if you want to be added to or deleted from this Ping List.

More 2nd Amendment related articles on FR's Bang List.

[kawhill]

The Constitution of the State of Kansas provides that “A person has the right to keep and bear arms for the defense of self, family, home and state, for lawful hunting and recreational use, and for any other lawful purpose; but standing armies, in time of peace, are dangerous to liberty, and shall not be tolerated, and the military shall be in strict subordination to the civil power.”

It don’t state anything in there about magazine capacity.

[hanamizu]

“...high-capacity magazines aren’t “arms,” but just a component of a gun that isn’t generally used for self-defense.”

---

So seven of the nine ruled that standard-capacity 9mm handguns aren’t ‘generally used for self-defense’? Does Washington’s law exempt LEOs? If so, why?

[PROCON]

Does Washington’s law exempt LEOs? If so, why?

Yes and active duty military too.

There's no good, legal reason other than because they say so.

[Glad2bnuts]

During Covid the State was letting people out of prison for their own safety. They were thinking of releasing the Green River Killer, and the State Supreme Ct stopped it by one vote. Trapped in WA.. should start a blog.

[FlingWingFlyer]

The commie bass turds, Republican killers are sneaking all kinds of Nazi gun confiscation laws through. I doubt the SCOTUS will do anything. We’ll probably have to do it ourselves. Take care of your firearms. We’re going to need ‘em.

[tumblindice]

It’s ridiculous that Americans must keep re-litigating DC v. Heller.
Start collecting attorneys fees, costs, etc. from these scofflaws.

[allblues]

The only surprise in the WA ruling is that it wasn’t 9-0, as the WA supreme court is 100% libtard.

[smokingfrog]

Give them an inch & gun grabbers will take a mile. First 10 rounds, then 6, ‘till they get down to single shot BB guns, & then they will make those illegal too.