Move Here and Lose Your Gun Rights

The Federal Assault Weapon Ban (FAWB) was first enacted in 1994; this legislation banned the sale and manufacturing of certain military-style assault weapons across the United States such as AK-47s, TEC-9s, and AR-15s. Ten years later, the ban was lifted. But what would have happened had it stayed in effect? A study published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance found that, had the FAWB been in place, 38 out of 95 mass shootings (40%) from 2005 to 2022 could have been prevented. The study posits that the perpetrator of these shootings would not have had access to an assault weapon or expanded ammo magazine. While it’s hard to say concretely that these shooters would not have found or purchased weapons elsewhere, it does suggest that these guns can make mass shootings easier to achieve. (This is the gun law grade for every state in America.)

According to the latest estimates from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, an industry advocacy group, nearly 70% of the 28.1 million of these assault style weapons that have been in circulation since 1990 were sold within the last 10 years. Many of these weapons, especially assault rifles, are growing in popularity. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives writes that more than 32.9 million rifles were manufactured in the United States between 2013 and 2022 — a 77% increase over the preceding 10-year period. Rising rifle sales were driven, in large part, by growing demand for assault-style rifles, also known as modern sporting rifles or MSRs. Contentious debate now rips across the country as people debate how assault weapons should be regulated. Some gun owners want no regulations, while others are advocating for stricter gun control laws. Some states have taken this into their own hands by introducing legislation that prevents assault-style weapons from being sold. Using data compiled by the Giffords Law Center, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 10 states that have banned assault-style weapons. The level of restrictions vary from state to state, but each of the states on our list also requires additional firearm controls like universal background checks, mandatory waiting periods, and high-capacity magazine bans. States are listed alphabetically.

Why It Matters

Gun control has long been a hot-button issue in American politics, and it remains so today. According to a June 2024 report from public opinion research company Morning Consult, 59% of American voters cite gun policy as a very important issue for the upcoming presidential election. Lately, the gun policy debate has centered largely around assault weapons, which are proven to be far deadlier than other firearms in active shooter scenarios. While most of the country has adopted a hands-off approach to regulating assault weapons, several states enacted laws that effectively prohibit these military-style firearms.

Here are the states that prohibit assault-style weapons: 

California

• Year the ban first went into effect: 1989
• Assault weapon restrictions: Possession, manufacture, sale, gifting, transport, import
• Exceptions to ban: Lawful ownership of weapon prior to the ban and subsequent registration
• Assault weapon definitions: Specific models and firearms with one or more specific features
• Types of banned assault weapons: Rifles, shotguns, and pistols

Connecticut

• Year ban first went into effect: 1993, expanded in 2013
• Assault weapon restrictions: Possession, sale, gifting, transport, import
• Exceptions to ban: Lawful ownership of weapon prior to bans with certification
• Assault weapon definitions: Specific models and firearms with one or more specific features
• Types of banned assault weapons: Rifles, shotguns, and pistols

Delaware

• Year ban first went into effect: 2022
• Assault weapon restrictions: Possession, manufacture, sale, transfer, receipt
• Exceptions to ban: Lawful ownership prior to June 20, 2022, transfer to a family member
• Assault weapon definitions: Specific models and firearms with one or more specific features
• Types of banned assault weapons: Rifles, shotguns, and pistols

Hawaii

• Year ban first went into effect: 1992
• Assault weapon restrictions: Possession, manufacture, sale or other transfer, barter, trade, gift or acquisition
• Exceptions to ban: Lawful ownership prior to July 1, 1992, and subsequent registration
• Assault weapon definitions: Firearms with two or more specific features
• Types of banned assault weapons: Pistols only

Illinois

• Year ban goes into effect: 2023
• Assault weapon restrictions: Possession, manufacture, sale, import, deliver, purchase
• Exceptions to ban: Lawful ownership prior to ban and registration before Jan. 1, 2024
• Assault weapon definitions: Specific models and firearms with some specific features
• Types of banned assault weapons: Rifles, shotguns, and pistols

Maryland

• Year ban first went into effect: 1994, expanded in 2013
• Assault weapon restrictions: Possession, sale, transfer, purchase, receipt, transport
• Exceptions to ban: Lawful ownership and registration of assault pistol prior to Aug. 1, 1994, and lawful ownership of assault long gun before Oct. 1, 2013
• Assault weapon definitions: Firearms with two or more specific features
• Types of banned assault weapons: Rifles, shotguns, and pistols

Massachusetts

• Year ban first went into effect: 1994
• Assault weapon restrictions: Possession, sale, transfer
• Exceptions to ban: Lawful ownership prior to Sept. 13, 1994
• Assault weapon definitions: Specific models and firearms with one or more specific features
• Types of banned assault weapons: Rifles, shotguns, and pistols

New Jersey

• Year the ban first went into effect: 1990
• Assault weapon restrictions: Possession, manufacture, transport, shipping, selling, disposal of
• Exceptions to ban: Officially licensed owners, lawful ownership prior to May 1, 1990, with subsequent registration
• Assault weapon definitions: Specific models and firearms with some specific features
• Types of banned assault weapons: Rifles, shotguns, and pistols

New York

• Year ban first went into effect: 2013
• Assault weapon restrictions: Possession, manufacture, transport, disposal of
• Exceptions to ban: Lawful ownership prior to Jan. 15, 2013, registered before Jan. 15, 2014
• Assault weapon definitions: Firearms with one or more specific features
• Types of banned assault weapons: Rifles, shotguns, and pistols

Washington

• Year ban first went into effect: 2023
• Assault weapon restrictions: Sale, manufacture, import, distribution
• Exceptions to ban: Possession permitted for eligible residents, contingent on completion of safety training courses
• Assault weapon definitions: Specific models and firearms with some specific features
• Types of banned assault weapons: Rifles, shotguns, and pistols

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