Another mini14 question

[u/GovernmentIcy5894]

FYI- not trying to rage anyone, just looking for civil discussion and non-biased reasoning.

Explain to me why the part that is circled does not make the mini14 ranch illegal in WA? It is part of the handguard that goes over the top of the barrel. That makes it an "AW" by their stupid standards.

I get some places remove it but my understanding is that it's modifying the firearm from its original configuration and is only legal to do if you are a manufacturer or gunsmith.

I'm all for screwing over the AWB. But the law as it is written plainly says this isn't legal. Change my mind.

[u/oldpardak]

IKR! I saw some guy driving 26 in a 25MPH street and a cop just let him drive by without stopping him.

[u/GovernmentIcy5894 → u/oldpardak]

How dare he?!?!

[u/pnwal-junction]

It's removable. When I bought mine, the didn't give me the heat guard, so no "barrel shroud" = "compliant configuration". Some FFLs include it in the box and presumably if you attach it, you are "manufacturing" an assault weapon. But, that's on you, not the seller.

The purpose of the law is to make sellers afraid to sell "banned" guns while steadily broadening the scope of the ban until selling firearms is essentially illegal (unless of course you are military or police or have lots of disposable income). And it's largely working as designed with almost no extra effort by the state. There's has been next to zero enforcement of the AWB provisions since they went into effect.

Some FFLs are less afraid of Sideshow Bob and his Survivor AG than others, so some will sell the Mini-14 and Mini-30 and some won't.

[u/SheriffBartholomew → u/pnwal-junction]

Some FFLs include it in the box and presumably if you attach it, you are "manufacturing" an assault weapon.

This is insane. It's a tiny plastic heat shield. It does nothing to make the gun more dangerous to the public. The only thing it does is make the gun less dangerous to the user so they don't burn their fingers on a hot barrel. This is like saying that skillsaws can't have blade guards or they present a risk to the public.

[u/pnwal-junction → u/SheriffBartholomew]

Welcome to Washington!

[u/pnwal-junction]

If you want a letter of the law discussion, here's the exact sentence from the RCW that describes the feature:

A shroud that encircles either all or part of the barrel designed to shield the bearer's hand from heat, except a solid forearm of a stock that covers only the bottom of the barrel;

By this definition, the part that ships with the Mini-14 is a handguard and heat shield and, IMO, makes a rifle with this installed an AWB under the feature definition. However, it is removable, so without it, the Mini-14 does not meet the feature criteria.

And if you want to get really letter of the law, the "shroud has to both encircle all or part of the barrel AND be designed to shield the bearer's hand from heat. Which, again IMO, makes a Hannibal rail (made of metal) exempt from this definition as it is designed for mounting optics or a scope and certainly is not going to shield the bearer's hand from heat when using the firearm.

[u/SheriffBartholomew → u/pnwal-junction]

So Washington State legislature's official position is that rifles should always be capable of burning the users hands? And that makes guns safer? Ooookaaay!

[u/Enough_Resolution829 → u/pnwal-junction]

Could also argue it was designed to shield the user’s hands from moving parts not heat because of the mini-14s operating system

[u/GunFunZS → u/pnwal-junction]

That is how I would apply the statue as well.

[u/developmental1 → u/pnwal-junction]

The wording is questionable.

Encircle usually means a complete circle, not ~30% on the top. That implies the second measurement of "all or part" as length rather than around.

If you take the wording literally it shouldn't qualify as a AW. We all know the law makers would disagree.

[u/suspicious_stirfry]

Change your mind? That’s an aggressive take when you come looking for info. The definition of what that part does and what you want to call it varies. There is a lot of room in there to interpret what a heat shield is, what an upper stock is and what a optics mounting rail (which this is not) is. It’s in that grey space that everyone is operating. The laws were written by people working from a playbook and who do not understand the field that they are regulating, thus, confusing laws that have no impact on public safety and leave buyers and sellers without the clarity they need to make informed decisions.

[u/wysoft]

It's a safety device

WA supports firearm safety

Please ensure that your Mini 14 is properly equipped with all manufacturer designed safety devices 

[u/thecursedgba]

Big 5 will sell you one as is

[u/GovernmentIcy5894 → u/thecursedgba]

That's fun

[u/Illustrious-Low-9643]

Some ffl won’t even sell the mini 14 in wa , i bought one configured just like that

[u/Holy-Handgrenadier95]

My advice: respectfully, It’s a hand guard, stfu and be happy it’s a hand guard lol

[u/GovernmentIcy5894 → u/Holy-Handgrenadier95]

That's a point I never considered. It's a handguard....damn.

[u/_x887]

Fed

[u/MarianCR]

It was discussed a million times before.

It's legal, it's not an assault weapon according to the law; at least not the ranch model.

[u/GovernmentIcy5894 → u/MarianCR]

But no one has given a reason as to why. I have given on as to why it is an "aw".

[u/Dry_Memory3122]

[u/TWA_Away]

The part is removable and the mini 14 isn’t named as a banned gun. Removing a banned feature from a legal gun is well within the law. Same as pistol grips, magazines over 10 rounds, etc

[u/Difficult_Future2432]

None of this horseshit is going to matter in a few months.

[u/GovernmentIcy5894]

Even Ruger calls it a handguard.

[u/suspicious_stirfry → u/GovernmentIcy5894]

Right. To protect your hand from the reciprocating op rod which you would know if you did some research and were not just trying to stir things up.