Century Arms: No more ammo for WA

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What the h e double hockey sticks is a "Washington State license to sell ammunition" ? Is this something new, or is CAI covering their rear end over some misunderstanding of WA state law?
 
Sage: http://www.centuryarms.biz/ConditionsOfUse.asp

Down near the bottom.

Ammunition Sales Policy - FFL (01) dealers are exempt: [...] A “license to sell ammunition” from the State of WA is required to purchase ammunition for non FFL dealers.

I don't know whether that applies only to businesses who are planning on reselling the ammo they buy in bulk, or if WA state is operating under the theory that anyone who buys in bulk is presumptively selling ammo.

Contact Century / your AG for further details, I expect.
 
They pulled the same stunt in MA. No mail order ammunition or ammunition components (powder, primers, brass, bullets).
 
Gheesh!

DO NOT blame Century!

This is just another way the anti gun folks are getting us to self-destruct, and simultaneously eat our own.

Century does not have the legal budget that the state of Washington has. Hence, they've decided that it's better to lose 2% of their market (assuming each state = 2%) than it is to be bankrupted by a state lawyer intent on getting brownie points.

If you go after anyone, go after the state attorney general's office.
 
Heck, they're not the only ones--Atlanta Cutlery'll sell supersized AK and AR mags, but their super-hicaps for 1911s (like 15+ single-stack, ie IPSC racegun mags) are "no way".

Plenty of others'll sell here anyway... but we need to do some digging about WA laws to present the facts, one way or the other.
 
I'm guessing:

1) They will sell to indiviuals in WA
2) If you're a business looking to purchase for resale, then you must have the proper WA license.
 
I live in an area where mail order ammo is illegal. I just ship it to my folks and pick it up when I visit. :neener:

I'm not really sure how I feel about such laws. Granted most criminals aren't smart enough to even turn on a computer. But with identity theft what it is...

It's the component prohibition thing that really drives me nuts. If a single person was shot in Oakland with handloaded ammunition this year; I'll eat my Lee turret press.:fire:
 
OAKTOWN said:
Granted most criminals aren't smart enough to even turn on a computer.

I wouldn't kid yourself over that... plenty of lifers who enter the prison system can get training on just that, how to use computers...

If I can teach my 2.5 year old how to use a computer... well you can guess the rest...
 
Sad to say its true you must have a license to sell ammo and you must do it from the business premises. From a state that keeps electing McDermott what do you expect.
RCW 9.41.110
Dealer's licenses, by whom granted, conditions, fees -- Employees, fingerprinting and background checks -- Wholesale sales excepted -- Permits prohibited.
(1) No dealer may sell or otherwise transfer, or expose for sale or transfer, or have in his or her possession with intent to sell, or otherwise transfer, any pistol without being licensed as provided in this section.

(2) No dealer may sell or otherwise transfer, or expose for sale or transfer, or have in his or her possession with intent to sell, or otherwise transfer, any firearm other than a pistol without being licensed as provided in this section.

(3) No dealer may sell or otherwise transfer, or expose for sale or transfer, or have in his or her possession with intent to sell, or otherwise transfer, any ammunition without being licensed as provided in this section.

(4) The duly constituted licensing authorities of any city, town, or political subdivision of this state shall grant licenses in forms prescribed by the director of licensing effective for not more than one year from the date of issue permitting the licensee to sell firearms within this state subject to the following conditions, for breach of any of which the license shall be forfeited and the licensee subject to punishment as provided in RCW 9.41.010 through 9.41.810. A licensing authority shall forward a copy of each license granted to the department of licensing. The department of licensing shall notify the department of revenue of the name and address of each dealer licensed under this section.

(5)(a) A licensing authority shall, within thirty days after the filing of an application of any person for a dealer's license, determine whether to grant the license. However, if the applicant does not have a valid permanent Washington driver's license or Washington state identification card, or has not been a resident of the state for the previous consecutive ninety days, the licensing authority shall have up to sixty days to determine whether to issue a license. No person shall qualify for a license under this section without first receiving a federal firearms license and undergoing fingerprinting and a background check. In addition, no person ineligible to possess a firearm under RCW 9.41.040 or ineligible for a concealed pistol license under RCW 9.41.070 shall qualify for a dealer's license.

(b) A dealer shall require every employee who may sell a firearm in the course of his or her employment to undergo fingerprinting and a background check. An employee must be eligible to possess a firearm, and must not have been convicted of a crime that would make the person ineligible for a concealed pistol license, before being permitted to sell a firearm. Every employee shall comply with requirements concerning purchase applications and restrictions on delivery of pistols that are applicable to dealers.

(6)(a) Except as otherwise provided in (b) of this subsection, the business shall be carried on only in the building designated in the license. For the purpose of this section, advertising firearms for sale shall not be considered the carrying on of business.

(b) A dealer may conduct business temporarily at a location other than the building designated in the license, if the temporary location is within Washington state and is the location of a gun show sponsored by a national, state, or local organization, or an affiliate of any such organization, devoted to the collection, competitive use, or other sporting use of firearms in the community. Nothing in this subsection (6)(b) authorizes a dealer to conduct business in or from a motorized or towed vehicle.

In conducting business temporarily at a location other than the building designated in the license, the dealer shall comply with all other requirements imposed on dealers by RCW 9.41.090, 9.41.100, and 9.41.110. The license of a dealer who fails to comply with the requirements of RCW 9.41.080 and 9.41.090 and subsection (8) of this section while conducting business at a temporary location shall be revoked, and the dealer shall be permanently ineligible for a dealer's license.

(7) The license or a copy thereof, certified by the issuing authority, shall be displayed on the premises in the area where firearms are sold, or at the temporary location, where it can easily be read.

(8)(a) No pistol may be sold: (i) In violation of any provisions of RCW 9.41.010 through 9.41.810; nor (ii) may a pistol be sold under any circumstances unless the purchaser is personally known to the dealer or shall present clear evidence of his or her identity.

(b) A dealer who sells or delivers any firearm in violation of RCW 9.41.080 is guilty of a class C felony. In addition to any other penalty provided for by law, the dealer is subject to mandatory permanent revocation of his or her dealer's license and permanent ineligibility for a dealer's license.

(c) The license fee for pistols shall be one hundred twenty-five dollars. The license fee for firearms other than pistols shall be one hundred twenty-five dollars. The license fee for ammunition shall be one hundred twenty-five dollars. Any dealer who obtains any license under subsection (1), (2), or (3) of this section may also obtain the remaining licenses without payment of any fee. The fees received under this section shall be deposited in the account under RCW 69.50.520.

(9)(a) A true record in triplicate shall be made of every pistol sold, in a book kept for the purpose, the form of which may be prescribed by the director of licensing and shall be personally signed by the purchaser and by the person effecting the sale, each in the presence of the other, and shall contain the date of sale, the caliber, make, model and manufacturer's number of the weapon, the name, address, occupation, and place of birth of the purchaser and a statement signed by the purchaser that he or she is not ineligible under RCW 9.41.040 to possess a firearm.

(b) One copy shall within six hours be sent by certified mail to the chief of police of the municipality or the sheriff of the county of which the purchaser is a resident; the duplicate the dealer shall within seven days send to the director of licensing; the triplicate the dealer shall retain for six years.

(10) Subsections (2) through (9) of this section shall not apply to sales at wholesale.

(11) The dealer's licenses authorized to be issued by this section are general licenses covering all sales by the licensee within the effective period of the licenses. The department shall provide a single application form for dealer's licenses and a single license form which shall indicate the type or types of licenses granted.

(12) Except as provided in RCW 9.41.090, every city, town, and political subdivision of this state is prohibited from requiring the purchaser to secure a permit to purchase or from requiring the dealer to secure an individual permit for each sale.


[1994 sp.s. c 7 § 416; 1979 c 158 § 2; 1969 ex.s. c 227 § 4; 1963 c 163 § 1; 1961 c 124 § 8; 1935 c 172 § 11; RRS § 2516-11.]

NOTES:


Finding -- Intent -- Severability -- 1994 sp.s. c 7: See notes following RCW 43.70.540.


Effective date -- 1994 sp.s. c 7 §§ 401-410, 413-416, 418-437, and 439-460: See note following RCW 9.41.010.
 
If you want to sell toasters in WA, then you need a license.

If you want to sell Espresso in WA, then you need a license.

Sounds like if you want to sell ammo in WA (on a retail level), then you need a license.

No big deal.

As a private party, you can order ammo on the net and get it delivered in WA. You can sell ammo FTF in WA. You can sell ammo out of state.

In general, .gov licensing schemes suck... but this one seems pretty par for the course.
 
It's true, I'm in WA and ordered some .308 from them two months ago. My C&R wasn't even good enough, I had to have a friend with a full dealer's license accept it for me. I think Century is just overreacting and playing it extremely safe, but what are you gonna do? It's a private business and if they don't want to sell to states with more than 2 vowels on alternate Tuesdays they can.

I believe there's also a WA law which prohibits mail order sales of "machine gun components", and by some stretch of the imagination maybe ammo could be counted as a component since it's integral to the function of the gun.
 
It's true, I'm in WA and ordered some .308 from them two months ago. My C&R wasn't even good enough, I had to have a friend with a full dealer's license accept it for me. I think Century is just overreacting and playing it extremely safe, but what are you gonna do? It's a private business and if they don't want to sell to states with more than 2 vowels on alternate Tuesdays they can.

Well, if that's the case then Century sucks.

Even sportsmansguide will ship ammo to WA no problem at all -- thousands of rounds, no problem. And SG is a pansy when it comes to state gun laws.

Every major online seller ships to WA afaik, Century was the 1st I heard of any issues.
 
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