Delaware Rifle & Shotgun Laws
Learn how Delaware law applies to rifles and shotguns, including bolt-action and lever-action rifles, pump and semiautomatic shotguns, AR-platform firearms, magazine restrictions, purchases, transfers, transportation and nonresident sales.
Long Gun Overview
Pump shotguns: Generally permitted
Semiautomatics: Configuration matters
Magazines: Separate Delaware restrictions
Last reviewed: Sept. 22, 2026
Most conventional long guns are not prohibited by type
The areas requiring the closest review are semiautomatic firearms, named assault weapons, copycat configurations, magazine capacity and specially regulated short-barreled firearms.
Bolt & Lever Rifles
Conventional manually operated rifles generally do not fall within Delaware’s principal semiautomatic copycat-weapon tests.
Pump Shotguns
Conventional pump-action shotguns generally do not trigger the semiautomatic shotgun feature test.
Semiautomatic Rifles
Named firearms, detachable magazines, overall length and prohibited feature combinations can affect legality.
Semiautomatic Shotguns
Delaware’s assault-weapon law includes restrictions affecting certain semiautomatic shotgun configurations.
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Are rifles legal in Delaware?
Many rifles are lawful in Delaware. Conventional bolt-action, lever-action and other manually operated rifles generally do not fall within the principal semiautomatic feature-based definition used for Delaware copycat weapons.
Semiautomatic rifles require more careful review because Delaware separately restricts named assault weapons and firearms meeting the state’s copycat-weapon definition.
Common sporting rifles
A conventional hunting or target rifle should not be assumed restricted merely because it has a detachable magazine, scope, synthetic stock or modern appearance. The firearm’s action and exact statutory characteristics matter.
Are shotguns legal in Delaware?
Most conventional sporting and defensive shotguns are lawful for persons who may legally possess them.
Pump-action, break-action, over-and-under and side-by-side shotguns are treated differently from semiautomatic shotguns when applying Delaware’s assault-weapon feature tests.
Semiautomatic shotguns need closer review
Delaware’s assault-weapon statute covers certain semiautomatic shotgun configurations and also specifically names some firearms. Review the exact model and configuration rather than relying on the general description “shotgun.”
Semiautomatic does not automatically mean prohibited
Delaware does not classify every semiautomatic rifle or shotgun as an assault weapon. Instead, the statute identifies particular firearms by name and establishes additional configuration-based tests.
Check whether the firearm appears within Delaware’s statutory list.
Copies and certain substantially similar firearms can also be covered.
Stocks, grips, muzzle devices and other features may affect classification.
Magazine system, operating type and firearm dimensions may matter.
A July 2026 en banc Third Circuit decision invalidated the challenged New Jersey semiautomatic-rifle restrictions in that case, but it did not itself repeal Delaware §§ 1465–1467. Delaware’s assault-weapon statutes remain published and should be treated as operative unless controlling Delaware law or a court order provides otherwise.
Are AR-style rifles legal in Delaware?
The answer depends on the exact firearm. Delaware’s statutory assault-weapon list specifically includes the Colt AR-15, CAR-15 and covered imitations, while excluding the Colt AR-15 Sporter H-BAR from that named-model entry. Separate copycat-weapon provisions can still capture additional semiautomatic configurations.
Magazine capacity alone does not determine whether an AR-platform rifle is legal
Installing a 10-round magazine does not, by itself, resolve Delaware’s named-firearm or copycat-weapon analysis. The actual model and configuration must be reviewed.
Rifle and shotgun magazine restrictions
Delaware regulates large-capacity magazines separately from the firearm itself. A detachable ammunition-feeding device capable of accepting, or readily convertible to accept, more than 17 rounds generally falls within Delaware’s large-capacity-magazine definition, subject to statutory exceptions.
Not an LCM solely by capacity
The firearm itself must still comply with all other Delaware restrictions.
Generally restricted
Possession and transfer are generally prohibited unless an applicable statutory exception applies.
A July 2026 Third Circuit decision addressed New Jersey’s challenged magazine restrictions, not Delaware §§ 1468–1469. Delaware’s large-capacity-magazine restrictions remain published and should be treated as operative unless controlling law provides otherwise.
Do I need a Delaware purchaser permit for a rifle or shotgun?
Delaware’s Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit is a handgun requirement
DSP describes the current permit program as governing handgun purchases. It is not a general permit-to-purchase requirement for ordinary rifles and shotguns.
A rifle or shotgun purchase through a Delaware dealer remains subject to the applicable background check through Delaware’s Firearm Transaction Approval Program (FTAP) and all other purchaser-eligibility requirements.
Can a nonresident buy a rifle or shotgun in Delaware?
Federal law allows an FFL to make an over-the-counter transfer of a complete rifle or shotgun to a nonresident when the transaction complies with federal law, Delaware law and the law of the buyer’s state of residence.
Frames and receivers are not treated the same way
The federal interstate exception applies to complete rifles and shotguns. A receiver or frame not configured as a complete rifle or shotgun does not qualify for that over-the-counter nonresident exception.
Private rifle and shotgun transfers
Delaware’s private-transfer law generally applies to rifles and shotguns as well as handguns. Covered transfers between unlicensed persons generally require a background check through a licensed dealer using FTAP unless an exemption or exclusion applies. Under § 1448B, the transfer may not occur until the dealer is informed that the transaction may proceed or 25 days have elapsed from the background-check request without a denial.
Transporting a rifle or shotgun
Transportation rules depend on how the firearm is carried, whether it is left unattended and whether the firearm itself is lawful in Delaware.
Unattended firearms in vehicles must be secured
Under § 1456(b), an unattended firearm must be stored in a locked box or container, locked firearms rack, or locked trunk. A glove compartment qualifies only when it can be manually locked so the firearm is inaccessible to anyone other than the owner or another authorized person.
Delaware law provides a defense to a concealed-deadly-weapon charge when the defendant complied with § 1456(b). That defense should not be treated as a general authorization to carry a concealed rifle or shotgun in any vehicle configuration.
Short-barreled rifles and shotguns require separate analysis
Do not apply the ordinary rifle or shotgun rules to a firearm with a barrel or overall configuration that places it within federal NFA classifications or Delaware’s separate destructive-weapon provisions.
Federal approval does not automatically establish Delaware legality
State and federal restrictions must be reviewed together before acquiring or possessing a short-barreled or otherwise NFA-regulated long gun.
Age, hunting, target practice and current court status
Delaware’s age-based firearm restrictions remain important to rifle and shotgun possession. On September 8, 2026, the Delaware Supreme Court reversed the Superior Court in Department of Safety and Homeland Security v. Birney; the challenged under-21 restrictions remain enforceable, subject to the statutory exceptions.
A qualifying 16- or 17-year-old may target practice with a BB gun, projectile weapon or firearm without direct supervision by a person age 21 or older when the youth has parental or guardian permission and has completed an approved hunter education course. A qualifying 16- or 17-year-old may also hunt without direct supervision when carrying a valid Delaware hunting license and satisfying the statute’s conditions.
Older material that says the Superior Court ruling controlled for 18- to 20-year-olds is no longer current after the Delaware Supreme Court’s September 8, 2026 decision.
Shopping for a rifle or shotgun in Delaware?
Coastal Firearms
DelawareGunLaws.com is supported by Coastal Firearms, a Delaware federally licensed firearms dealer focused on lawful firearm sales, transfers and responsible ownership.
Coastal Firearms offers hunting rifles, shotguns, sporting firearms and Delaware-appropriate semiautomatic configurations when available.
For semiautomatic rifles or shotguns, the exact manufacturer, model and configuration should be reviewed before assuming the firearm can be transferred in Delaware.
Frequently asked questions
Are bolt-action rifles legal in Delaware?
Conventional bolt-action rifles generally do not fall within Delaware’s principal semiautomatic copycat-weapon definition. The owner, transaction and any unusual firearm characteristics must still be lawful.
Are lever-action rifles legal in Delaware?
Conventional lever-action rifles are generally not prohibited merely because they are lever-action rifles. Other firearm, owner and transfer restrictions can still apply.
Are pump-action shotguns legal in Delaware?
Conventional pump-action shotguns generally do not meet Delaware’s semiautomatic shotgun feature test. Specially regulated short-barreled firearms and other unusual configurations require separate review.
Are semiautomatic rifles illegal in Delaware?
Not every semiautomatic rifle is prohibited. Delaware restricts particular named firearms and semiautomatic firearms meeting specified statutory definitions. The exact model and configuration matter.
Can I buy a rifle or shotgun without a Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit?
Delaware’s Handgun Qualified Purchaser Permit applies to handgun purchases and receipt. Ordinary rifle and shotgun dealer transactions remain subject to the applicable background check and purchaser-eligibility rules.
Can a Pennsylvania or Maryland resident buy a rifle or shotgun in Delaware?
Potentially. Federal law allows an FFL to make an over-the-counter transfer of a complete rifle or shotgun to a nonresident when the transaction complies with federal law and the laws of both Delaware and the buyer’s state of residence.
Can a nonresident buy an AR receiver in Delaware and take it home?
The federal interstate long-gun exception applies to complete rifles and shotguns. A frame or receiver that is not configured as a complete rifle or shotgun does not qualify for that over-the-counter exception.
Can I privately sell a rifle or shotgun to another Delaware resident?
Covered private transfers generally must be processed through a licensed dealer using FTAP unless an exemption or exclusion applies. Under § 1448B, the transfer may proceed after a ‘proceed’ response or after 25 days without a denial.
Can a 16- or 17-year-old target practice without an adult directly supervising?
In qualifying circumstances, yes. HS 1 for HB 427, effective August 17, 2026, allows certain 16- and 17-year-olds to target practice without direct supervision by a person age 21 or older when parental or guardian permission and approved hunter-education requirements are satisfied.
Does a 10-round magazine automatically make a semiautomatic rifle Delaware legal?
No. Magazine capacity is a separate issue from Delaware’s named assault-weapon and copycat-weapon classifications.
More Delaware long-gun information
Official sources
11 Del. C. § 1465
Assault-weapon and copycat-weapon definitions.
11 Del. C. § 1466
Assault-weapon restrictions and exceptions.
HS 1 for HB 427
2026 youth hunting and target-practice amendments.
11 Del. C. § 1448B
Private firearm-transfer background checks and the 25-day rule.
11 Del. C. § 1456
Unsafe storage, including unattended firearms in vehicles.
Delaware State Police — Firearms
State firearm services and purchaser-permit information.
Legal information, not legal advice.
DelawareGunLaws.com is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with the State of Delaware, Delaware State Police, ATF or any government agency. Rifle and shotgun legality can depend on the exact manufacturer, model, operating system, configuration, magazine, barrel length, owner, age, method of transfer and current court status. Verify current primary sources before relying on a general description.
Delaware Assault Weapon Laws
Review named firearms, AR-platform rifles, copycat weapons, semiautomatic configurations, grandfathered firearms and Delaware’s current assault-weapon restrictions.