In your experience, do privately owned ranges in Washington State allow recreational shooters to use

(1) pistols with threaded barrels, such as a CZ Czechmate with a compensator, and
(2) magazines with a capacity of greater than ten rounds?

I am pretty sure that I understand Washington law in relation to the above, but I also get that privately owned businesses get to make their own rules, and I'd like to get a sense of what to expect.

Thank you.

Ownership (being grandfathered - meaning you had these items before the ban) is totally legal to have and use.

We have not heard of ranges that are checking an impossible means of verifying dates on an item that really can’t be dated (within reason).

Also applies for self defense and carry with CPL - means you can use what you already had and are not limited to 10 rounds in magazine (yet).

I am no lawyer so take this with a lot of self research and apply to what you are needing.


But clearly if you are new to firearms and you recently purchased a handgun recently which only comes with a max 10 round magazine. It’s a bit tough but not impossible to say you had those magazines before the ban. You would most likely have to prove that you owned them before. Versus I have had my firearm for 20 years and those are before the ban etc.

OP - welcome to WaGuns!

So bottom line - yes you can use them legally (if you had them before the ban) but it takes a bit more to fully understand the situation and apply the current ban etc.


Lastly, yes private business can make their own rules. Most ranges won’t as it would be bad for business and no positives for them to ask those questions or interfere with your Rights (legally). But again we have not heard of any ranges with these rules.

Is there a range that is thinking to do so?

The typical things ranges worry about are:

- caliber (depends on range and situation, sometime the big boom is not so welcome indoors)
- drawing from your holster and firing (some ranges like to qualify you for this)
- type of shell casing metal (same ranges only allow brass for example)

As a president of a range, we don’t care about those items. Shoot safely, shoot often.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Most WA ranges are run by bedwetters and Fudds, the kind that lose their fecal continence if you even MENTION AR's or serious self-defense training never mind try to actually DO either. :(

I share your understanding that pre-ban mags and pre-ban threaded barrels are grandfathered. My question is on behalf of a friend... who might have, possibly, very recently moved to Washington State.

Thanks for the welcome!

So, they would fall into the importing of said items. Even if they had purchased their firearm 10 years ago.

Those items would fall into that trap.

I will defer

But say again those ranges would not be checking dates etc

Ranges may ask for ID and log in some of that info and even vehicle in some cases but they may only ask what range (outdoor rifle or pistol range) and maybe what caliber you are shooting. I haven’t run across one that asks for model and/or serial number of firearm and what accessories it may or not have on it.

If there is one asking then please let us know and I would recommend finding a new one.

As an RSO at one of the ranges in the state of Washington, we don't check if you owned the magazine or barrel before you couldn't buy them. That is for others to "worry" about. I do include in my safety briefing that NFA weapons need to have the paperwork with them, and that certain NFA weapons (automatic and sawed off shotguns) are illegal for us mere peons to own in this state, so please don't bring them to the range.

There are legal, peon-owned machineguns in WA. Had to get 'em before, IIRC, 1986.

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I wanna say it was '94 under Lousy Lowry--a high-school classmate's dad owned a Form 4'ed and grandfathered Thompson.

As president of a large range, we don’t care about that. It’s not illegal to own a threaded barrel or a standard capacity magazine.

Hey, quick side question:
Does anyone here happen to be the president of a large range around here? Thanks in advance!

I know a few.