Using K-Romulus' template, some facts on Washington:
Washington State was the first state to be shall-issue specific to statute. 30 years ago, some of the city authorities used to resist their lawful duties tooth and nail, but thanks to the state law, you can always go to the Sheriffs Office. Resident and Non-resident permits given out on a shall-issue basis.
Washington State does have a handgun database registration system, but only for firearms that are sold at gun stores and FFL's. Afterwards, it's optional to register your firearm.
No AWB.
5 day waiting period on handgun purchases, but this is waived with your CPL.
No High Capacity Magazine Restrictions.
We allow suppressors, but not SBS, SBR, or Select Fire Weapons unless you possessed it before a certain date in 1994.
We have no license to own or possess, only to conceal.
Business owners are allowed to CCW on their business premises, same with home and land owners w/o a CPL.
No ammo registration.
Foreward progress on passing more pro-gun laws is stymied due to a divided party legislature and a democratic governor. The upcoming election is indicating that the next governor will be a Democrat as well, crossing fingers on Dino Rossi, though.
Use of Force law:
Washington is not a duty to retreat state. Attempts by prosecutors in the past to "end run it", but the Washington State Supreme Court on a repeated basis that there's no provision in the statute to charge people with homicide or other crimes for "refusing to retreat" from where they have a legal right to be.
Here's the law on justifiable self defense homicide.
RCW 9A.16.050
Homicide -- By other person -- When justifiable.
Homicide is also justifiable when committed either:
(1) In the lawful defense of the slayer, or his or her husband, wife, parent, child, brother, or sister, or of any other person in his presence or company, when there is reasonable ground to apprehend a design on the part of the person slain to commit a felony or to do some great personal injury to the slayer or to any such person, and there is imminent danger of such design being accomplished; or
(2) In the actual resistance of an attempt to commit a felony upon the slayer, in his presence, or upon or in a dwelling, or other place of abode, in which he is.,
Figure that this is the highest standard for using self defense in this state, ie it doesn't take much. Merely assaulting a bus driver in the performance of his duties in your presence is enough to have this statute protect you. Considering what happened 6 years ago to a Metro Bus (Metro being King County Public Transit System) falling over a bridge.
Here's another statute that must be followed too, but I'm not 100 percent sure if both this and the above statute need to be followed in concert, or if "Use of Force" is just non-deadly force:
http://www.leg.wa.gov/RCW/index.cfm?section=9A.16.020&fuseaction=section
General acceptance of guns and gunnies.
- Depends. Within Seattle city itself, it's pretty well not acceptable among the elite. Hell, I'm having to fight with the City Library system to follow the preemption law. I'm sure that Bellevue and Redmond and the eastside urban areas will have the same problem. But South King and the rest of the area seems ok with guns.
Gunshops and Ranges.
- Firearms Academy in Chehalis, Bullseye Shooting Range in Tacoma. Can anyone else chime in on other ranges in King or Snohomish County?
, and definitely want to avoid the states where gun-owners are treated almost as potential criminals.
