WA’s ban on high capacity magazines challenged in US District Court

A non-profit that promotes gun rights, the Second Amendment Foundation, has filed suit against Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, challenging the state’s recently passed ban on high capacity magazines.

The U.S. District Court lawsuit alleges that the State of Washington has effectively criminalized a self-defense mechanism. In the state’s most recent legislative session, lawmakers prohibited the sale and manufacture of magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition.

A representative of the Second Amendment Foundation, Dave Workman, points out that “modern, semi-automatic rifles” traditionally hold 20 to 30 rounds. While the law, which goes into effect in July, grandfathers in weapons that exceed the 10-round threshold, the new legislation would make it difficult for consumers to purchase new rounds with guns designed to hold additional capacity.

After years of stalled efforts, state lawmakers approve ban on high-capacity magazines

“This statute will make it impossible for gun owners to replace magazines that came standard with their guns if something goes wrong with the magazine. It’s possible that some of those guns won’t even be allowed to be sold here in Washington State,” Workman told KTTH’s Jason Rantz.

“If you buy a magazine that holds 17 rounds on June 30, you can keep that magazine. Magazines are not serialized … There’s no way to prove or disprove when a person purchased a magazine for a rifle or pistol.”

Listen to Jason Rantz’s entire interview with Dave Workman here:

Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson spoke at a gun safety event Friday.

He said he had not yet reviewed the lawsuit, but he says one of the reasons why he’s confident the Washington State law will hold up in court is that similar laws have been upheld elsewhere in the U.S.

AG Ferguson’s statement on the gun lobby’s lawsuit challenging Washington’s new law banning the sale of high-capacity magazines: pic.twitter.com/pUnypVU3pW

— Attorney General Bob Ferguson (@AGOWA) June 3, 2022

Listen to the Jason Rantz Show weekday afternoons from 3 – 6 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (or HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here.