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What NFA Items Can I Buy in Washington?

The National Firearms Act restricts certain types of weapons and devices for use by civilians, either in certain circumstances or for possession at all. Washington is split in terms of what it allows; some weapons are fair game while others are flatly illegal. Here are the NFA firearms and devices you can own to some degree or another in Washington state:

• Short barreled rifles. These are firearms that have barrels that measure less than 16 inches, and which make up a variety of hobbyist rifles, like AR 15 platforms and similar guns. These weapons are totally legal to purchase and possess so long as they were manufactured after July 2016. Older firearms may not be valid even if they fit within the measurement criteria. Be advised you have to pay a $200 tax in addition to the asking price for one of these.
• Destructive devices. These are weapons like rocket launchers, mortar launchers, and other explosive devices such as grenades and landmines. These are purchasable in the state of Washington, although you’ll need to pay the same $200 fee as with a short-barreled rifle. Furthermore, you can only use these in certain areas, and not necessarily on your private property.
• Any Other Weapons, or AOWs. These are any other type of explosive device or projectile-firing weapon that is concealable on your person. It essentially covers any type of weapon not covered under the regular NFA restricted categories. Another $5 is placed on top of the overall asking price when you purchase one of these.
• Washington state does allow you to purchase silencers or weapons that already have silencers attached to their barrels. Silencers or suppressors are popular because they help you control recoil or moderate the amount of noise your firearm generates. These incur an additional $200 fee on top of the overall asking price.

As you can see, Washington does not allow citizens to possess machine guns or short-barreled shotguns under any circumstances. The latter are defined as shotguns with any barrels that are shorter than 18 inches. Furthermore, you cannot use (not just not purchase) any short-barreled rifle that was manufactured prior to July 2016.

Getting a Washington Gun Trust

A gun trust is essentially a legal instrument that provides a plethora of benefits to any firearm enthusiasts. It allows you to purchase weapons that you might not be able to buy in Washington, then store them in out-of-state firearm sanctuaries for use at a later date.

Perhaps more importantly, gun trusts let you share NFA regulated firearms amongst yourself and other certified users. For instance, maybe you and your family like to go on hunting trips together with NFA firearms. Get a gun trust and not only can you purchase new NFA weapons ahead of time, but you’ll also be able to swap ownership of those guns between one another with the right paperwork.

A gun trust is also crucial if you want to pass your NFA regulated firearms down to others in your estate when you eventually pass on. As you can see, a gun trust is one of the most important documents that a firearm enthusiast can get in the United States these days.

The good news is that you can buy and sign a lawful gun trust by getting one from any number of licensed and knowledgeable gun attorneys. Chances are that there are more than you might think in your local area – ask about where your buddies for fellow firearm enthusiasts got their gun trusts from for some pointers.

Class 3 Firearms for Sale in Washington

Thankfully, there are lots of class III firearm dealers in Washington state. But these brick-and-mortar dealers are competing with online retailers – many folks wonder which of the two they should go with.

In truth, there are pluses and minuses to both sides. In-store only class III dealers have a big advantage in that you can check out a firearm before you actually buy it fully. This gives you the chance to test the weapon out, feel its weight in your hands, and otherwise make sure that it will be a good purchase over the long-term instead of ending up a regrettable impulse buy.

On the other hand, online class III dealers let you purchase new NFA regulated firearms right from your couch. There’s nothing simpler, particularly if you already have a gun trust and the associated legal stuff necessary to finalize the purchase. But the downside is that you won’t be able to try the gun or feel it in your hands before buying.

When you take into account the fact that many NFA regulated firearm purchases take up to a year to be approved and then finally processed, that’s a long time before you even hold a gun you might buy!

All in all, think about stopping into a store to check out a gun personally before buying for the best results in most cases.

Buying from a Washington Class 3 Dealer

When you actually do speak with a licensed class III firearms dealer, there are a few things to keep in mind to make sure you don’t get taken advantage of.

For starters, always check other reviews of different dealers and stores before giving them the time of day. Former customer reviews are usually a good place to start, as they can give you insight into whether or not a store owner is a trustworthy person. Furthermore, you’ll be able to learn about whether the store owner charges any unnecessary fees for restocking or bringing in parts are guns from out-of-state.

You should also be careful when ordering custom pieces, like if you want a class III dealer to buy or build a gun that’s made from parts sourced from multiple manufacturers. Some places are better at this than others and may be partnered with local gunsmiths to ensure high-quality. Others cut corners and produce subpar firearms in most cases.

Whatever you do, make sure that you visit a class III dealer that is expedient when it comes to submitting your paperwork. The ATF takes a long time to process NFA applications anyway, and faster dealers can potentially expedite your application process and cut down on a few weeks to a month or so before you get your hands on your new weapon.

How to Get a Class 3 License in Washington?

Instead of buying NFA restricted firearms, maybe you’re more interested in running your own class III dealership. This could be a great idea for a number of reasons, as earning your own class III license will let you:

• Purchase both NFA and non-NFA regulated weapons at much cheaper wholesale prices. This is perfect if you want to build up a stock for your own store or if you just want to add more firearms to your collection
• Earn a decent income by selling NFA regulated firearms and devices in Washington
• Protect your NFA firearm collection and any devices you have from confiscation by the government. A class III license can’t be easily revoked like many other types of firearm ownership certification
• Construct your own NFA weapons and devices
• Operate your own class III dealership within Washington borders – you can do this either from your home and run a mostly online business, or set up a legitimate physical storefront

Regardless of your reasons for wanting a class III license, FFL123 is the ideal place to get the education and materials you need to make it happen. Already, we’ve assisted thousands of other Americans who were interested in getting Class 3 licenses for a business or for growing their gun collections.

As a result, we have lots of experience and plenty of guides to help you along your path to certification. We’re so confident in our ability to help you get FFL or SOT licensure that we’re willing to give you a 150% refund if you aren’t satisfied – that’s right, we’ll pay you!

Click here to begin with our program. Our guides will get you selling your own NFA firearms in no time at all!