State Legality Matrix / Binary Triggers / Washington

Are Binary Triggers Legal in Washington?

Statute-cited, last verified 2026-07-10

Banned

No. Falls within Washington's machine-gun definition covering mechanisms not requiring that the trigger be pressed for each shot.

Controlling law: RCW 9.41.010; RCW 9.41.190

Litigation Status and Details

The release-fired round places a binary trigger within RCW 9.41.010's machine-gun definition, effectively banning it. Note the asymmetry: Washington does NOT ban forced reset triggers, which fire one round per pull.

Federal baseline

Binary triggers are legal under federal law and are not machine guns under 26 U.S.C. § 5845(b); ATF treats the trigger pull and the trigger release as two separate functions of the trigger, so one round is fired per function. Cargill v. Garland (2024) concerned bump stocks, not binary triggers, and does not change this.

Scope: Binary triggers (Franklin Armory BFSIII and similar): fire one round on trigger pull and one on release. Forced reset triggers are a separate class.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are binary triggers legal in Washington?

No. Falls within Washington's machine-gun definition covering mechanisms not requiring that the trigger be pressed for each shot. Controlling law: RCW 9.41.010; RCW 9.41.190.

What law covers binary triggers in Washington?

The controlling law is RCW 9.41.010; RCW 9.41.190. Falls within Washington's machine-gun definition covering mechanisms not requiring that the trigger be pressed for each shot.

Are binary triggers legal under federal law?

Binary triggers are legal under federal law and are not machine guns under 26 U.S.C. § 5845(b); ATF treats the trigger pull and the trigger release as two separate functions of the trigger, so one round is fired per function. Cargill v. Garland (2024) concerned bump stocks, not binary triggers, and does not change this.

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