Washington State

Office of the Attorney General

Attorney General

Bob Ferguson

AGO 2020 NO. 3 >

A person licensed as a “dealer” under 18 U.S.C. § 923(a) is a “federally licensed gunsmith” when engaged in the business of repairing or modifying firearms, and a person licensed as a “manufacturer” or an “importer” under 18 U.S.C. § 923(a) is a “federally licensed gunsmith” when engaged in the business of repairing or modifying firearms of the type he or she manufactures or imports at the premises where he or she is licensed to manufacture or import them.

October 5, 2020

AGO 2023 NO. 4 >

The restriction on the manufacture, import, distribution, sale, and offer of sale on “any assault weapon” in RCW 9.41.0001 applies to rim fire semiautomatic firearms that meet the definition of “assault weapon” in RCW 9.41.010(2), including any of the firearms listed in subsection 2(a)(i) and semiautomatic rifles that have an overall length of less than 30 inches as specified in subsection 2(a)(ii).

AGO 2023 NO. 5 >

The restriction on the manufacture, import, distribution, sale, and offer of sale on “any assault weapon” in SHB 1240 does not preclude pawnbrokers holding assault weapons as pledged articles from returning the firearms to their owners.

The restriction on the manufacture, import, distribution, sale, and offer of sale on “any assault weapon” in SHB 1240 limits a pawnbroker’s ability to sell an unredeemed assault weapon. But pursuant to § 3(2)(b), pawnbrokers, like other licensed firearms dealers, may sell assault weapons to armed forces or law enforcement agencies.