Gun Laws by State
A state-by-state overview of key firearms laws. Read the guide and explore related products at Apollo Wholesale Club.
Understanding the basics
Firearm laws in the United States exist at both the federal and state level. Federal law sets the floor — minimum requirements all states must follow. States can add additional restrictions but cannot reduce federal requirements. This guide covers key state-level variables: carry permits, assault-weapons bans, and magazine limits.
Permitless (Constitutional) carry states
As of 2026, more than half of U.S. states allow permitless carry — meaning law-abiding adults can carry a concealed handgun without a government-issued permit. These states include Texas, Florida, Arizona, Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, and many others. Apollo's state guide covers all permitless carry states in detail.
Shall-issue vs may-issue states
In shall-issue states, authorities must issue a carry permit to any qualified applicant who meets the criteria. In may-issue states, authorities have discretion to deny permits even to qualified applicants. As of 2022, the Supreme Court's Bruen decision effectively ended may-issue permitting schemes, moving most states toward shall-issue.
Assault-weapons bans
Seven states have state-level assault-weapons bans: California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Connecticut, and Maryland. These states restrict or ban certain semi-automatic rifles (typically AR-15 pattern), pistols, and sometimes shotguns based on cosmetic features. Apollo does not ship to these states.
Magazine capacity limits
Several states limit magazine capacity, typically to 10 rounds: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont. Apollo ships standard-capacity magazines only to states without capacity limits.
Ages 18 and older. Applicable product, shipping, and transfer restrictions apply.