Concealed weapon over 6' in length

[Lancastrian]

I'm sure this is a UL, but the mental image it creates amuses me so I have to ask: has anyone else heard that there's a law in Washington State prohibiting the ownership of a concealed weapon over six feet in length?

I've looked in the appropriate place on the state website, but length wasn't mentioned.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Originally Posted by Lancastrian

I've looked in the appropriate place on the state website, but length wasn't mentioned.

Can you be more specific as to where you looked and how you searched?

Seaboe

ETA: This is not something I've heard of (3 yrs Law School in the state, 16 years in the legal industry in the state), but given that it was once illegal in the city of Seattle to wear a hat pin longer than 6", I'm not taking bets.

[Lancastrian]

Originally Posted by Seaboe Muffinchucker

Can you be more specific as to where you looked and how you searched?

Seaboe

I looked here, mainly.

http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/firearms/faconceal.html

[Eddylizard]

Originally Posted by Lancastrian

I looked here, mainly.

http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/firearms/faconceal.html

That site pertains to requirements regarding carrying a concealed pistol.

If anyone's made a six foot long pistol I'd love to see it. I'd also love to see them try to use it. Or conceal it.

Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you getting ready to perform a levitation trick?

[Lancastrian]

Originally Posted by Eddylizard

That site pertains to requirements regarding carrying a concealed pistol.

I realize, but if you click around that's the only concealed-carry information they have on their weapons regulation area of their site. No other forms of firearms are mentioned.

[geminilee]

Unless you are really tall, how would you carry any weapon over 6 feet long and manage to conceal it? Even if it is illegal, I doubt it comes up much.

[Bryan With a 'Y']

Originally Posted by Lancastrian

I'm sure this is a UL, but the mental image it creates amuses me so I have to ask: has anyone else heard that there's a law in Washington State prohibiting the ownership of a concealed weapon over six feet in length?

I've looked in the appropriate place on the state website, but length wasn't mentioned.

Pretty sure it's a UL - I like the version I've heard even better, which was that it's illegal to carry a concealed weapon in Seattle (I'm pretty sure they said Seattle specifically) that's under six feet in length

[rhiandmoi]

Seattle Municipal Codes

A. "Dangerous knife" means any fixed-blade knife and any other knife having a blade more than three and one-half inches (3 1/2") in length.

B. "Fixed-blade knife" means any knife, regardless of blade length, with a blade which is permanently open and does not fold, retract or slide into the handle of the knife, and includes any dagger, sword, bayonet, bolo knife, hatchet, axe, straight-edged razor, or razor blade not in a package, dispenser or shaving appliance.

C. "Firearm" means a weapon or device from which a projectile may be fired by an explosive such as gunpowder.

It is unlawful for a person knowingly to:

...snip

B. Carry concealed or unconcealed on his or her person any dangerous knife, or carry concealed on his or her person any deadly weapon other than a firearm;

[Eddylizard]

It is unlawful for a person knowingly to:

...snip

B. Carry concealed or unconcealed on his or her person any dangerous knife, or carry concealed on his or her person any deadly weapon other than a firearm;

Is it me or is this clause nonsense.

We absolutely concur with your right to carry something with which to kill another person, but we will specify the manner of their death. So no knives, swords, sickles, razors, pitchforks or pointy sticks. But a gun is okay.

Originally Posted by Eddylizard

Is it me or is this clause nonsense.

We absolutely concur with your right to carry something with which to kill another person, but we will specify the manner of their death. So no knives, swords, sickles, razors, pitchforks or pointy sticks. But a gun is okay.

But it's every Americans right to bear arms (or is that arm bears I can never remember) and woe betide anyone trying to approach this one with logic in the USA.

[NeeCD]

Originally Posted by Eddylizard

Is it me or is this clause nonsense.

We absolutely concur with your right to carry something with which to kill another person, but we will specify the manner of their death. So no knives, swords, sickles, razors, pitchforks or pointy sticks. But a gun is okay.

I would guess that it's because you can get a permit to carry a concealed gun, but there is no concealed dangerous knife permit. It is just a guess, but that's the only way that statement makes sense to me.

[Eddylizard]

Originally Posted by NeeCD

I would guess that it's because you can get a permit to carry a concealed gun, but there is no concealed dangerous knife permit. It is just a guess, but that's the only way that statement makes sense to me.

But if you have the right to bear and carry arms, doen't that extemd to all arms. Knives, swords, spears are all arms, along with the agricultural implements I mentioned if carried for offensive/defensive purposes or even a heavy rock. It's got to be all or nothing surely.

[Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Eddylizard

Is it me or is this clause nonsense.

We absolutely concur with your right to carry something with which to kill another person, but we will specify the manner of their death. So no knives, swords, sickles, razors, pitchforks or pointy sticks. But a gun is okay.

The general idea is that a handgun is a good tool for neutralizing a potentially deadly attack, and a melee weapon isn't. There's a reason police officers carry guns but not knives or axehandles or brass knuckles or a sack of doorknobs. Guns neutralize, melee weapons brutalize.

If you want to carry a concealed deadly weapon where I live you have to apply to the police for a permit. IIRC here in VA, of all the million(s?) of concealed-carry permits issued, only once has a permit-holder used that concealed weapon to commit a violent crime. So it's a good system, I really think.

Banning concealed melee weapons (hopefully) makes it harder for criminals to operate. If you want to carry a concealed weapon legally, you have to prove yourself a law-abiding citizen with the ability to use that weapon properly.

Interestingly enough, permit-free open-carry is legal here. Though very rare, as it upsets people for very good reasons.

[Seaboe Muffinchucker]

Originally Posted by Lancastrian

I'm sure this is a UL, but the mental image it creates amuses me so I have to ask: has anyone else heard that there's a law in Washington State prohibiting the ownership of a concealed weapon over six feet in length?

I've looked in the appropriate place on the state website, but length wasn't mentioned.

I believe this is playing off the fact that state law provides for concealed pistol permits, but not (apparently) concealed rifle permits.

The logic would be that if you have to have a permit to carry a concealed weapon, and the law only provides for concealed pistol permits, and pistols are hand guns (thus small), then you cannot carry a large concealed weapon.

The law concerning concealed pistol permits is RCW 9.41.070.

Seaboe