Once Gov. Jay Inslee signs HB 1240 into law, it will immediately be illegal to sell any firearm deemed to be an “assault weapon”. But ahead of the governor’s expected signatures buyers are keeping gun stores busy, and the soon-to-be-banned rifles are flying off the shelves.

Customers stripped entire sections of wall at Surplus Ammo & Arms bare this week, flocking to the Tacoma gun store for rifles that are about to become illegal in the state of Washington.

“We are running out of almost everything,” store manager Bruce Smith said.

“They’re going to ban all AR-style guns and anything that attaches to those guns,” Smith said. He estimated sales have doubled in the past month, with customers primarily focusing on rifles like the AR-15, kits and replacement parts. “People are focusing on what they won’t be able to get.”

The bill bans more than 60 specific firearms, most of them semiautomatic long guns. Semiautomatic pistols and shotguns with certain features outlined in the bill may also be banned, but the specific guns are not listed.

While the surge in sales is good for business in the short term, Smith says the longer the ban remains in place, the harder it will be for shops like his to keep the doors open.

“They’re going to ban all AR-style guns and anything that attaches to those guns,” Smith said. He estimated sales have doubled in the past month, with customers primarily focusing on rifles like the AR-15, kits and replacement parts. “People are focusing on what they won’t be able to get.”

The bill bans more than 60 specific firearms, most of them semiautomatic long guns. Semiautomatic pistols and shotguns with certain features outlined in the bill may also be banned, but the specific guns are not listed.

The future is unclear for Surplus Ammo & Arms.

“What’s next is a good question,” Smith said. “We’re still trying to figure that out ourselves.”

The best case scenario for Smith and other FFLs (along with every Second Amendment supporter in the state) is that a judge grants a temporary restraining order halting enforcement of the law shortly after it takes effect, as was the case in Oregon after Measure 114 was narrowly approved by voters last November.

As in Oregon and the more recent legal challenges in Illinois, we’re also likely to see lawsuits filed in both federal and county courts. Article I, Section 24 of Washington’s Constitution states: “The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state, shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain or employ an armed body of men.”

Is an “assault weapons” ban impairing the right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself or the state? I’d say so, and I suspect that there are probably a few judges out in the state’s more rural counties who’d agree if the question was posed to them.

Beyond Washington, there are several other challenges to existing “assault weapons” bans already underway, and the Fourth Circuit could issue it’s decision in Kolbe at any time after hearing oral arguments last December. Unless the three judges on the panel decide to kick the case back down to district court for an entirely new trial, Kolbe will be ripe for review by the Supreme Court soon after the Fourth Circuit’s decision is released, and SCOTUS will have the opportunity to firmly declare that the most commonly-sold rifles in the country are indeed protected by the Second Amendment. Here’s hoping we don’t have too long to wait, and that stores like Surplus Ammo & Arms can survive in the meantime.