LYNDEN, Wash. (UPI) -- A Washington state museum said it is removing World War II-era rifles from exhibit to avoid running afoul of a new background check law.

The Lynden Pioneer Museum said the 11 rifles borrowed from collectors will be returned to their owners to avoid potential problems caused by Initiative 594, which requires background checks for all sales and transfers of weapons.

The law includes an exception for antiques, but museum director Troy Luginbill told the Bellingham Herald the guns aren't old enough to qualify.

Luginbill said the law wouldn't cause trouble for the "Over the Beach: The WWII Pacific Theater" exhibit, but rather would complicate the process of transferring the guns to their owners when the exhibit ends May 1. The law would require the owners to undergo background checks before taking possession of their own guns.

"I read through the law about 10 different times looking for a loophole, Luginbill said.

The museum said on its website visitors will be able to view the guns through Dec. 3, when they will be returned to their owners before the law goes into effect Dec. 4.

"The museum will be returning these guns to their owners because as of Dec 4th, we would be in violation of the law if we had loaned firearms that had not undergone the background check procedure," officials wrote in a post on the museum's official Facebook page. Nor would we be able to return those firearms unless the owners completed the back ground check procedure.

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