U.S. airgun law & hunting.

All 50 states plus DC. Switch the highlighting to read the data through different lenses — legal classification, hunting permissions by species, caliber requirements, and preemption. Click any state for the full breakdown.

51 jurisdictions mapped
9 highlighting modes
Sourced from primary statutes & state hunting digests

Regulatory

Hunting

Equipment

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Highlighting: Legal Tier

51 jurisdictions

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Species at a glance

Where each species can be hunted with airguns

Five species categories across the 50 states. Hover any block for the verbatim source language. When a state is selected above, that state is outlined here.

The federal floor

What every state has in common

Airgun law in the U.S. layers in three: federal statute sets the floor, states layer their own classifications and permitting on top, and cities and counties carve out further restrictions where state preemption doesn't block them. The cards below are that floor — the rules that hold no matter which state line you cross or where you ship.

Methodology

How the rules were assembled

Federal baseline

Mapped from 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(3) and 15 U.S.C. § 5001, with USPS Pub. 52, ATF guidance on firearm-frame airguns, and CPSC ASTM F589-23.

State classification

Each state's primary statute reviewed for definition, age rules, and transfer process. Tier assigned by aggregating those signals into a marketplace-operator framework.

Hunting rules

Pulled from each state's most recent hunting digest and wildlife agency code. Caliber, FPE, projectile, and power-source rules captured per species.

Local carve-outs

Material city and county ordinances surfaced under their parent state. Search a city directly to jump to the parent state's panel.

Important

This is not legal advice.

Information here is compiled from primary statutes, regulatory guidance, and state hunting digests as of the date noted, and is provided as a general reference for the airgun community. Laws change. Local ordinances change more often. Before any transaction, hunt, or out-of-state trip, verify the current rule with the relevant state agency or qualified legal counsel.