Prohibit Assault Weapons
What does it solve?
Assault weapons are exceptionally deadly firearms commonplace in mass shootings. They are generally capable of firing far more bullets, far faster than manual-action hunting rifles. Prohibiting assault weapons can prevent mass shooting injuries and deaths.
Assault weapons and high-capacity magazines are frequently used in the violence that plagues our nation. Between 2015 and 2022, mass shootings with four or more people killed where an assault weapon was used accounted for a third of all mass shooting deaths and more than 80 percent of all injuries.
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Which states prohibit assault weapons?
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Alabama has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Alaska has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Arizona has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Arkansas has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
California has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Colorado has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Connecticut has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Delaware has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Florida has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Georgia has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Hawaii has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Idaho has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Illinois has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Indiana has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Iowa has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Kansas has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Kentucky has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Louisiana has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Maine has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Maryland has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Massachusetts has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Michigan has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Minnesota has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Mississippi has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Missouri has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Montana has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Nebraska has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Nevada has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
New Hampshire has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
New Jersey has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
New Mexico has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
New York has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
North Carolina has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
North Dakota has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Ohio has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Oklahoma has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Oregon has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Pennsylvania has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Rhode Island has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
South Carolina has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
South Dakota has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Tennessee has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Texas has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Utah has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Vermont has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Virginia has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Washington has adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
West Virginia has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Wisconsin has not adopted this policy
Assault Weapons Prohibited
Wyoming has not adopted this policy
Myth & Fact
Myth
Fact
How it works
Assault weapons make shootings more lethal.
Each round fired from an assault weapon has a muzzle energy much higher than a bullet fired from a handgun—up to four times greater. This means that each round of an assault weapon inflicts greater damage to the human body than a round from a typical handgun—and these guns can fire many of these high-powered rounds extremely fast. Assault weapons are generally manufactured to fire rounds at a greater speed than other guns and when combined with high-capacity magazines, they enable a shooter to fire more rounds over a short period.
These guns are often used in mass shootings and recovered at crime scenes, but research shows a prohibition on assault weapons can prevent mass shooting fatalities and active shooter events. A study comparing the period during the federal assault weapons prohibition (1994-2004) to the 13 years before and after the prohibition estimated that a prohibition would have prevented 314 of 448 mass shooting deaths that occurred during the studied periods when the prohibition was not in effect. Another study found state assault weapons prohibitions are associated with a lower likelihood of an active shooter event. Lawmakers should act urgently to prohibit these excessively dangerous firearms.
By the numbers
70%
Researchers estimate that if we still had a federal law prohibiting assault weapons, we’d see 70 percent fewer mass shootings deaths.
25%
Mass shootings that involved an assault weapon account for 25 percent of all mass shootings deaths and more than three-quarters of all injuries in mass shootings with four or more people killed.
76%
Mass shootings that involved an assault weapon account for 76 percent of nonfatal injuries in mass shootings with four or more people killed.
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