50 CALIBER RIFLEs
Fifty caliber rifles are among the most destructive weapons that may be manufactured and made legally available to civilians in the United States. Only three states and Washington DC place any additional regulation on these weapons.
However, because 50 caliber rifles are generally regulated no differently from other rifles or shotguns, they are subject to fewer regulations than handguns.7 In fact, under federal law and the laws of nearly all states, any 18-year-old who passes a background check can buy a 50 caliber rifle.8 In addition, because federal law and the laws of most states do not require private sellers to conduct background checks, criminals can easily obtain 50 caliber rifles at gun shows and elsewhere.
SUMMARY OF FEDERAL LAW
Federal legislation to regulate or ban 50 caliber rifles has been introduced several times since 1999, but these efforts have been unsuccessful—no federal law regulates these guns.