Missouri Weapon Restrictions

Who Cannot Possess a Firearm

Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.070 lists persons prohibited under Missouri law from possessing a firearm. The federal-law prohibitions under 18 U.S.C. Section 922(g) are largely parallel and independently applicable. The Missouri prohibition reaches:

• Persons convicted of a felony in any jurisdiction.
• Persons who are fugitives from justice.
• Persons who are unlawful users of any controlled substance.
• Persons who have been adjudicated mentally incompetent or involuntarily committed to a mental institution within the past five years.
• Persons who are unlawful aliens.
• Persons who have been dishonorably discharged from the Armed Forces.
• Persons who are subject to a qualifying order of protection that prohibits firearm possession.
• Persons under 18 (with limited exceptions for hunting, supervised firing, and military service).

Federal law adds:

• Persons convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence (18 U.S.C. Section 922(g)(9)).
• Persons subject to a qualifying domestic-violence restraining order (18 U.S.C. Section 922(g)(8)).
• Persons under indictment for a felony.
• Persons who have renounced U.S. citizenship.

A person in any of these categories may not legally possess or carry a firearm in Missouri, regardless of constitutional-carry or CCP status.

What the Constitutional Carry Statute Does Not Authorize

Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.030 retains specific prohibitions on carrying that are not lifted by constitutional carry. These include:

• Carrying while intoxicated under Section 571.030.1(5). See the Carrying Under Influence section.
• Exhibiting a firearm in an angry or threatening manner under Section 571.030.1(4). Brandishing or threatening with a firearm is a class E felony regardless of carry authority.
• Discharging a firearm in or into a dwelling, building, vehicle, or another structure under Section 571.030.1(3). A felony with various enhancements.
• Discharge of a firearm in city limits without permission is regulated by local ordinance under Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 21.750. Most cities have ordinances; willful violation can be a misdemeanor.

A constitutional carrier or CCP holder is fully subject to these other Section 571.030 offenses even when authorized to carry under Section 571.030.3.

Types of Firearms Restricted Under State Law

Missouri does not have a state-level "assault weapons" ban, a magazine capacity limit, or a state restriction on the rate of fire of a firearm. Missouri does not register handguns or long guns.

Missouri law does restrict the following:

• Sawed-off shotguns and short-barreled rifles under Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.020. The state restriction generally tracks the federal National Firearms Act (NFA) framework under 26 U.S.C. Section 5845. A weapon registered with the ATF under the NFA is lawful in Missouri.
• Machine guns under Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.020. State law similarly tracks the NFA.
• Silencers (suppressors) are lawful in Missouri provided they are registered with the ATF under the NFA.
• Explosive weapons are restricted under Section 571.020.
• Bullet-proof vests (body armor) are restricted from possession by certain felons under Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.072.

The 2017 expansion of constitutional carry did not alter the Section 571.020 restrictions on NFA-equivalent items.

Prohibited Weapon Categories Under Section 571.020

Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.020 prohibits the manufacture, importation, possession, repair, sale, or transport of:

• A machine gun.
• A short-barreled shotgun.
• A short-barreled rifle.
• A firearm silencer.
• An explosive weapon.
• A defaced firearm (one with serial number removed or obliterated).
• A switchblade knife (in certain circumstances).
• A blackjack, billy, brass knuckles, or other club-like weapon designed for striking.

Section 571.020.2 provides exceptions for items registered under the National Firearms Act, items possessed in accordance with state law for law enforcement, military, or contractor purposes, and items in transit or temporary lawful possession.

Violation of Section 571.020 is a class C felony.

Federal NFA Items

The federal National Firearms Act, 26 U.S.C. Chapter 53, regulates:

• Machine guns.
• Short-barreled rifles (barrel length under 16 inches).
• Short-barreled shotguns (barrel length under 18 inches).
• Silencers (suppressors).
• Destructive devices (grenades, certain large-caliber weapons, etc.).
• "Any other weapons" (a residual category).

Possession of an NFA item requires:

• A federal tax stamp (currently $200 for most items, $5 for some).
• Registration in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
• Compliance with state law (Missouri allows NFA items provided they are federally registered).

A federally registered NFA item is lawful in Missouri. A non-registered short-barreled rifle, machine gun, or suppressor is both a federal felony and a Missouri felony.

Bump Stocks and Forced-Reset Triggers

The ATF in 2018 ruled that bump-stock devices that allow a semiautomatic rifle to fire at a high rate of speed are machine guns within the meaning of the NFA. The U.S. Supreme Court in Garland v. Cargill (2024) invalidated that ATF rule. As of May 2026, bump stocks are not federally classified as machine guns, but the ATF has signaled it may seek a legislative redefinition. The status is fluid; consult current ATF guidance before purchase.

Forced-reset triggers (FRTs) are similarly contested. The ATF has classified some FRTs as machine guns; courts have split. As of May 2026, the status varies by manufacturer and design. Missouri has no separate state position.

Body Armor

Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.072 makes it a class A misdemeanor for a person convicted of a "violent felony" (as defined in Section 558.018) to possess body armor. The statute is narrow; it does not prohibit body armor possession by non-felons.

Federal law (18 U.S.C. Section 931) similarly prohibits convicted violent felons from possessing body armor.

Knives and Other Weapons

Missouri does not have a comprehensive knife regulation framework. The constitutional-carry statute does not apply to knives; knife carry is governed by:

• Mo. Rev. Stat. Section 571.020 (switchblade restrictions in some contexts).
• Local ordinances on knife size and concealment (varies by city; some have repealed all knife ordinances under preemption).
• Specific location restrictions on knives in schools, courthouses, and other secure facilities.

A pocket knife with a blade under 4 inches is generally lawful for everyday carry in Missouri. A larger fixed-blade knife is generally lawful for concealed carry by adults, subject to specific location restrictions.

Statutory Authorities

Where to Look Next

• The text of Chapter 571 is published at revisor.mo.gov.
• The federal NFA framework is published at atf.gov.
• The U.S. Supreme Court's Garland v. Cargill (2024) opinion on bump stocks: supremecourt.gov.

This section reflects Missouri law as of May 2026. Federal NFA classifications and ATF rulings change; verify with the ATF before purchase of NFA-regulated items.