Posted: 10/24/2025 11:05:50 AM EDT
| I'm finding mixed info on this (go figure). Are AR-15s, rifles and/or pistols, legal to hunt with in MD? Specifically coyote hunting. I understand this is not legal advice. Thanks for the info. |
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Basic answer: Yes. Caveats: ARs (rifles, at least) must be an HBAR to legally bring into the state. There is an 8 round limit on the amount of ammo in the rifle for deer hunting (page 30 in the guide linked below). I know this is true for deer and this may extend to other centerfire rifle hunting. My suggestion is to call MD DNR (410-260-8540) and ask this question if it's important to you. No FMJs, tracers or incendiaries (sorry) for hunting, must be expanding bullets. You can poke around over here and find more info: https://www.eregulations.com/assets/docs/resources/MD/25MDHD_LR2.pdf Good luck, I hope you get a few! |
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Originally Posted By eshell: Basic answer: Yes. Caveats: ARs (rifles, at least) must be an HBAR to legally bring into the state. There is an 8 round limit on the amount of ammo in the rifle for deer hunting (page 30 in the guide linked below). I know this is true for deer and this may extend to other centerfire rifle hunting. My suggestion is to call MD DNR (410-260-8540) and ask this question if it's important to you. No FMJs, tracers or incendiaries (sorry) for hunting, must be expanding bullets. You can poke around over here and find more info: https://www.eregulations.com/assets/docs/resources/MD/25MDHD_LR2.pdf Good luck, I hope you get a few! Thanks for the info. Regarding the HBAR law for rifles, I understand there are exceptions, such as for shooting competition events. I guess there’s no exception for hunting? |
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Originally Posted By GimmeLibertee: Thanks for the info. Regarding the HBAR law for rifles, I understand there are exceptions, such as for shooting competition events. I guess there’s no exception for hunting? I am not aware of any competition or hunting exceptions. The current law bans lightweight barrelled AR-15s in 5.56/.223 and the only exception I know of allowing legal possession of one in MD is if you possessed/owned a lower receiver inside state lines before the 2013 ban. Maybe someone else with broader knowledge will add to this... |
As far as I can tell, there are no restrictions on transporting so called “assault weapons” while traveling to and from target practice, a sport shooting event, hunting, trapping, or dog obedience training . I’ve shot tons of matches with resident and non-residents, including law enforcement officers, using all sorts of common AR-15s, rifles and pistols. I know that’s legal. There is nothing in the DNR regulations that I can find either that prohibits it, other than magazine capacity for deer hunting. The main restrictions relate to residents purchasing new “assault weapons.” If anyone can privide a reference that says otherwise I’d be very interested in seeing it. |
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Please keep in mind that I am trying to help you understand the pitfalls of the law and not be a killjoy. I encourage you to hunt with an AR-15 and I use one myself for certain kinds of hunting, but I hate to see you or anyone needlessly prosecuted under our many idiotic statutes. It sounds like this HBAR thing (FSA 2013) is going to be a sore point with you and I sincerely hope you don't get into trouble with it. As they say "The chances are low but never zero.". Originally Posted By GimmeLibertee: As far as I can tell, there are no restrictions on transporting so called “assault weapons” while traveling to and from target practice, a sport shooting event, hunting, trapping, or dog obedience training .Originally Posted By GimmeLibertee: As far as I can tell, there are no restrictions on transporting so called “assault weapons” while traveling to and from target practice, a sport shooting event, hunting, trapping, or dog obedience training .In 2013, the FSA2013 was passed. Prior to that law, there were two classes of AR-15; HBARs that could be sold face to face and lightweight barrelled ARs that were "restricted" and required MSP approval to buy (same process as a handgun). After 2013, the lightweight barrel ARs were banned completely and there were no more "restricted" ARs, they are either legal and traded like a long gun (HBARs) or not legal to sell or to import into the state. If you owned one prior to the ban, it was grandfathered and you could keep it in it's lightweight configuration. Since 2013, one cannot bring a lightweight barreled AR into the state (either ordering one or physically importing it), nor install a lightweight barrel on a rifle purchased after October of 2013. Even a rifle grandfathered in looses it's grandfathered status when sold to a new owner. I’ve shot tons of matches with resident and non-residents, including law enforcement officers, using all sorts of common AR-15s, rifles and pistols. I know that’s legal. There is nothing in the DNR regulations that I can find either that prohibits it, other than magazine capacity for deer hunting. The main restrictions relate to residents purchasing new “assault weapons.” If anyone can privide a reference that says otherwise I’d be very interested in seeing it. Here is the gist of it, from Maryland State Police. The text of the statutes is buried in the quite-lengthy FSA 2013 text, which you can easily find yourself via Google, but this should seem credible. "Banned Firearms" are lightweight barrelled AR-15s, among others. https://mdsp.maryland.gov/Organization/Pages/CriminalInvestigationBureau/LicensingDivision/FAQs.aspx Can we travel to other states for competitions and return with our already owned banned firearms? Can someone come from another state, for competition in Maryland, with a banned rifle? A Maryland resident who lawfully owned the firearm prior to October 1, 2013 may travel with the firearm to other states and return so long as it is not a violation in the state you are traveling to and the firearm is being transported in accordance with the law. A person may not transport an assault weapon into Maryland for target competition unless the person lawfully possesses, has a purchase order for, or applied to purchase the weapon before October 1, 2013. Federal law allows a person to transport a firearm through Maryland but not to Maryland if the firearm is not in compliance with state law. Non-HBAR AR-15s are not compliant with state law. This FAQ summary is a little ambiguous in the sense that it doesn't clearly specify that the rifle must be owned within the state prior to 2013, but that is the law. |
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Originally Posted By eshell: Please keep in mind that I am trying to help you understand the pitfalls of the law and not be a killjoy. I encourage you to hunt with an AR-15 and I use one myself for certain kinds of hunting, but I hate to see you or anyone needlessly prosecuted under our many idiotic statutes. It sounds like this HBAR thing (FSA 2013) is going to be a sore point with you and I sincerely hope you don't get into trouble with it. As they say "The chances are low but never zero.". That's because the restrictions or lack thereof address firearms that are still legal to buy, sell and possess. If it is legal to possess, it is legal to transport. In 2013, the FSA2013 was passed. Prior to that law, there were two classes of AR-15; HBARs that could be sold face to face and lightweight barrelled ARs that were "restricted" and required MSP approval to buy (same process as a handgun). After 2013, the lightweight barrel ARs were banned completely and there were no more "restricted" ARs, they are either legal and traded like a long gun (HBARs) or not legal to sell or to import into the state. If you owned one prior to the ban, it was grandfathered and you could keep it in it's lightweight configuration. Since 2013, one cannot bring a lightweight barreled AR into the state (either ordering one or physically importing it), nor install a lightweight barrel on a rifle purchased after October of 2013. Even a rifle grandfathered in looses it's grandfathered status when sold to a new owner. First off, and I shouldn't really have to say this in this forum, disregard what LE does. Law enforcement is NOT subject to the same laws the average citizenry is, either by statute or default. There are LE carve-outs on almost everything here - what guns you can possess, what magazines you can buy, where you can carry your handgun... Then, we really don't know when those lightweight rifles you saw were purchased by their owners. Finally, it is quite uncommon, perhaps unheard of, for someone to be checked on their rifle's purchase date vs LW barrel status. I've been running suppressors since 2003 and have NEVER been checked for paperwork, but that doesn't mean undocumented suppressors are legal to own and take to the range. Like Federal 922r, dealing with imported parts counts in SKSs and AKs, etc., the HBAR thing would most likely be an add-on charge if one were in trouble for something else. You are correct about this, and this is because the HBAR law isn't about hunting and that's all DNR administers. Here is the gist of it, from Maryland State Police. The text of the statutes is buried in the quite-lengthy FSA 2013 text, which you can easily find yourself via Google, but this should seem credible. "Banned Firearms" are lightweight barrelled AR-15s, among others. https://mdsp.maryland.gov/Organization/Pages/CriminalInvestigationBureau/LicensingDivision/FAQs.aspx Non-HBAR AR-15s are not compliant with state law. This FAQ summary is a little ambiguous in the sense that it doesn't clearly specify that the rifle must be owned within the state prior to 2013, but that is the law. Originally Posted By eshell: Please keep in mind that I am trying to help you understand the pitfalls of the law and not be a killjoy. I encourage you to hunt with an AR-15 and I use one myself for certain kinds of hunting, but I hate to see you or anyone needlessly prosecuted under our many idiotic statutes. It sounds like this HBAR thing (FSA 2013) is going to be a sore point with you and I sincerely hope you don't get into trouble with it. As they say "The chances are low but never zero.". Originally Posted By GimmeLibertee: As far as I can tell, there are no restrictions on transporting so called “assault weapons” while traveling to and from target practice, a sport shooting event, hunting, trapping, or dog obedience training .In 2013, the FSA2013 was passed. Prior to that law, there were two classes of AR-15; HBARs that could be sold face to face and lightweight barrelled ARs that were "restricted" and required MSP approval to buy (same process as a handgun). After 2013, the lightweight barrel ARs were banned completely and there were no more "restricted" ARs, they are either legal and traded like a long gun (HBARs) or not legal to sell or to import into the state. If you owned one prior to the ban, it was grandfathered and you could keep it in it's lightweight configuration. Since 2013, one cannot bring a lightweight barreled AR into the state (either ordering one or physically importing it), nor install a lightweight barrel on a rifle purchased after October of 2013. Even a rifle grandfathered in looses it's grandfathered status when sold to a new owner. I’ve shot tons of matches with resident and non-residents, including law enforcement officers, using all sorts of common AR-15s, rifles and pistols. I know that’s legal. There is nothing in the DNR regulations that I can find either that prohibits it, other than magazine capacity for deer hunting. The main restrictions relate to residents purchasing new “assault weapons.” If anyone can privide a reference that says otherwise I’d be very interested in seeing it. Here is the gist of it, from Maryland State Police. The text of the statutes is buried in the quite-lengthy FSA 2013 text, which you can easily find yourself via Google, but this should seem credible. "Banned Firearms" are lightweight barrelled AR-15s, among others. https://mdsp.maryland.gov/Organization/Pages/CriminalInvestigationBureau/LicensingDivision/FAQs.aspx Can we travel to other states for competitions and return with our already owned banned firearms? Can someone come from another state, for competition in Maryland, with a banned rifle? A Maryland resident who lawfully owned the firearm prior to October 1, 2013 may travel with the firearm to other states and return so long as it is not a violation in the state you are traveling to and the firearm is being transported in accordance with the law. A person may not transport an assault weapon into Maryland for target competition unless the person lawfully possesses, has a purchase order for, or applied to purchase the weapon before October 1, 2013. Federal law allows a person to transport a firearm through Maryland but not to Maryland if the firearm is not in compliance with state law. Non-HBAR AR-15s are not compliant with state law. This FAQ summary is a little ambiguous in the sense that it doesn't clearly specify that the rifle must be owned within the state prior to 2013, but that is the law. That is not accurate. The “HBAR” provision only applies to 5.56 AR’s. An AR in .300BLK, 6.5 Grendel, or any other caliber you can think of is perfectly fine to have a lightweight barrel. |
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Originally Posted By cms81586:That is not accurate. The “HBAR” provision only applies to 5.56 AR’s. An AR in .300BLK, 6.5 Grendel, or any other caliber you can think of is perfectly fine to have a lightweight barrel. You're right, thank you for the correction. I seem to keep forgetting it's 5.56/.223 specific thing and when I hear "AR" and "varmint", my brain goes to "5.56/.223" anyway. |
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Originally Posted By eshell: You're right, thank you for the correction. I seem to keep forgetting it's 5.56/.223 specific thing and when I hear "AR" and "varmint", my brain goes to "5.56/.223" anyway. No worries! Wasn’t paying “I gotcha”…just don’t want folks to think there are additional regulations to the statist BS we already deal with. |
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Another exception to the light weight barrel is not being 100% parts interchangeability, aka piston guns are legal with skinny barrels. I have been kind of surprised no one has made a different lower with something changed to get around this "loop hole" that applies in a few states. Something as simple as the safety hole .065 lower and reduced diameter safety where it interacts with the trigger would ( should ) be legal with a skinny barrels. Same as a different size trigger and hammer pin should also make it legal. Heck even a smaller opening for the mag button and a smaller button should do. Basically anything that would not allow any standard ar part to work. |
"I am gonna laugh my ass off looking out the air vent of the box car watching some of you shot in the head in a ditch when you finally realize it's time to resist." stolen from RR_broccoli
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Originally Posted By StaccatoC2: Another exception to the light weight barrel is not being 100% parts interchangeability, aka piston guns are legal with skinny barrels. I have been kind of surprised no one has made a different lower with something changed to get around this "loop hole" that applies in a few states. Something as simple as the safety hole .065 lower and reduced diameter safety where it interacts with the trigger would ( should ) be legal with a skinny barrels. Same as a different size trigger and hammer pin should also make it legal. Heck even a smaller opening for the mag button and a smaller button should do. Basically anything that would not allow any standard ar part to work. Another option is the KAC SR-15. It’s not an AR or Copycat in MD State Police’s eyes. Lightweight barrel is fine. |
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