Question by : How old do you have to be to buy a AK47 or M16 is it different then buying a hunting rifle?
I know 21 is the age for a pistol and 18 for shotguns and hunting rifles but do they mean assault rifle when they say you have to be 18 to buy a rifle?
Answers and Views:
Answer by METROPOLIS1
You have to be 18 years old to purchase an AR15 or an AK47 type semi-automatic sporting rifle….
Take “assault rifle” out of your vocabulary… You walk into a gun shop and ask for an assault rifle you will immediately convey your a goof ball or an idiot…. The only people that call legal semi-automatic sporting rifles “assault rifles” are the misguided anti-gun media and kids that play a little to much video games…..
Read all the answers in the comments.
What do you think?
ishootbirds2 says
semiautomatic civilian legal AR15 and AK rifles you only need to be 18 unless you're in Illinois or one of those really anti-gun states.
fully automatic or select fire assault rifles you need to be 21 to buy. You will not find these in a gun store, they require special paperwork and licensing. There is a form you need to fill out from the BATFE, they need to approve it first before you can buy the gun.
not all states allow NFA automatic weapons or other NFA weapons, so even if you're over 21 some places you just can't buy one period.
In California for handguns 21 years and HSC card, long guns 18 years, AW weapons you can either use a work-around or move to another states, all NFA items except AOWs are banned, 21 for any NFA item.
Jesse says
18 for rifles and shotguns 21 for handguns
don't say assault rifle you obviously don't know what your talking about go back to video games kid.
BOONDOCK SAINT says
18 to buy one of them.
Think and Grow says
Hi
To buy an M16 or AK47 you must be 21. The process will end up with the gun being transferred to you on what is known as a form 4. There is a $ 200 tax for the transfer. The guns tend to be in the $ 15,000 and up range. This is the case with the transfer of any Assault Rifle.
Assault Rifle is correctly defined as a selective fire gun, using a medium power cartridge. If the gun does not have a full auto mode, it is not an Assault Rifle and should not be referred to as such.
Please note, all M16s are assault rifles, they have selective fire. There are semi auto lookalikes out there, they are called AR15s. All true AK47s are also selective fire, there are semi auto clones that get all sorts of markings, but they are not true AK47s.
As to buying a semi auto ugly rifle that looks like a M16 or AK47, you need to be 18. This is the same as buying a Ruger 10/22.
Hangfire says
It all depends on whether or not you mean Semi-auto rifles or Full-auto rifles?
Full automatic rifles like an M16 is a very regulated firearm. You have to go through a Class III dealer and do a much more intense back ground check with get a tax stamp from the BATF. This process can take a few months to a year to complete before you can physically buy the firerarm. These also cost a lot more than a Semi-auto rifle. A basic complete M16 can run you 10,000.00.
Now most people like my self tend to buy whats called a "Civilian model" or Semi-auto rifle. An AR15 is a Civilian version of the M4/M16. These are basically a semi-auto copy of their full auto originals. A semi auto rifle or civilian model generally has a 16" barrel as well. You can buy one of these just like a typical hunting rifle. When your dealer makes the back ground phone call, he states Long Gun when they ask about type of firearm. The cost of one of these has shot up a pretty high here lately. I'm guessing around 6000.00 for a entry AK47 to around 1000.00 for a decent AR15.
And before I forget, check with your state and local laws. A lot of states like California, New York, and Illinois has very strict laws concerning either of the above mentioned firearm groups. Just because the BATF may allow you to buy a machine gun doesn't mean the state has to allow it.
Best of luck and be safe!
Roadhazzards says
18 years of age and like a previous posted asked, please stop calling them Assault Rifles since they are not any such thing.
.700 nitro says
I hate the gun grabbers term "assault rifle". You can't buy military machine guns. Its a semi auto rifle. It may look similar but,its not.
A real m16 or ak47 you can't buy without lots of jumping through hoops with the ATF and paying a 200.00 tax and waiting on approval to own and register a legal machine gun that cost 15-20k
You can buy a Ar-15 and semi-auto AK version at 18 just like a long gun.
Cougars & Texans says
18 to buy any semi-auto version of any rifle in the US.