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Airgun law · World

Are Airguns Legal in Turkey?

Yes. Airguns are legal here for adults.

Free sale to adults with minimal or no national licensing, though local rules can still apply.

Tier 4: Permissive

Free sale to adults with minimal or no national licensing requirement.

TR

The picture at a glance

Each measure below scores how restrictive Turkey is on that part of owning or transferring an airgun, from permissive (green) to firearm-level (red).

ClassificationOutside firearms scope
Age ruleAdult / unspecified
PossessionFree for adults
Transfer / saleFree sale
TransportCased
AuthorityNational statute

The rules in detail

Classification
Outside firearms scope
Air guns are NOT firearms under Law 6136. Law No. 2521 (hunting and sporting guns) covers 'sport and target rifles and pistols' (non-firing guns worked by air or gas pressure, rifled or smoothbore) as a separate category (Arts. 2–3). Turkey is home to Hatsan, one of the world's largest airgun manufacturers.
Age rule
Adult / unspecified
Adult.
Possession
Free for adults
Free for adults at the national level.
Transfer / sale
Free sale
Free sale. No purchase certificate is required for air- or gas-powered rifles and pistols (Law 2521 Art. 8), unlike smoothbore shotguns; dealers file monthly sales lists with the local governor.
Transport
Cased
Cased.
Authority
National statute
National statute.

Hunting with an airgun

Not allowed: the Central Hunting Commission (MAK) decision for 2026–2027 (Official Gazette 7 June 2026, No. 33273), Art. 10(1)(a), bans air rifles and air pistols as hunting tools. The 2025–2026 decision had the same ban.

Deer
Unresolved / not addressed
Not listed
Turkey
Unresolved / not addressed
Not listed
Small game
Unresolved / not addressed
Not listed
Predators
Unresolved / not addressed
Not listed
Other big game
Unresolved / not addressed
Not listed

Import & travel

Energy threshold
No statutory airgun-as-firearm classification
Caliber rule
Reported silencer restrictions; for hunting, night-vision and image-intensifying sights are banned (MAK 2026–2027 decision, Art. 10(1)(a)).
Travel note
Recommended transit hub for Africa-bound hunters.

Local & import notes

Visitor procedure
Hunting with air rifles or air pistols is banned by the annual Central Hunting Commission decision (2026–27: Art. 10(1)(a)), which also bans night-vision and image-intensifying sights for hunting; silencers may be banned. Istanbul is a recommended airgun-friendly transit hub.

Keep exploring

Open the interactive mapSee how this compares across the map and switch between legal and hunting views.→Ballistics toolkitCheck energy, velocity, and range for any airgun and load.→Ammo databaseBrowse 600+ pellets and slugs by caliber and weight.→

This is a plain-language summary compiled from primary statutes and official guidance. It isn't legal advice. Laws change and local rules vary, so verify the current rules with the relevant authority before buying, selling, or hunting.