It has been almost 90 years since President Franklin Roosevelt signed the National Firearms Act into law. The National Firearms Act specifies that certain types of firearms need to be registered with the Secretary of the Treasury and that their owners are subject to a $200 tax. The types of weapons covered by the law fall into one of six categories: machine guns, silencers or suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, destructive devices such as bombs or grenades, and “any other weapon,” which is a catch-all classification that includes certain firearms that can be concealed in items such as pens or walking canes. (This is where criminals in each state are most likely to obtain a gun.)
Since the law’s passage its’ terms have been amended. A provision was added in 1986 that effectively banned civilian ownership of new fully automatic weapons by blocking the transfer of possession of machine guns not already grandfathered in. Today, Americans seeking to own weapons regulated by the NFA must first receive official approval after completing a registration application and submitting a fingerprint card and the $200 tax payment — which is not as restrictive as it was when the law originated.
There are over 7.5 million registered NFA weapons nationwide, or 2,300 for every 100,000 Americans. The number of federally-registered weapons ranges from 462 to over 24,000 for every 100,000 people, depending on the state. (These are the states where the most people have bought guns so far in 2023.)Â
24/7 Wall St. identified the states with the most weapons registered under the NFA by using data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. States are ranked by the number of registered weapons adjusted for population. The states with the fewest registered weapons tend to be along the coast, particularly in the Northeast. These states typically have relatively strict gun control laws that go far beyond the terms of the NFA.
Why This Matters
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The firearm industry in the United States is continuing to grow. According to a report by the Firearm Industry Trade Association, the industry generated as much as $90.06 billion in total economic activity in 2023. Notable companies that manufacture, distribute, and sell firearms include Smith & Wesson, Ruger, Sig Sauer, and Springfield Armory. These companies stimulate the economy by creating an array of jobs as well as generating tax revenues at the state and federal level.
Here are the most common gun types owned in your state:
Read below for our detailed methodology.
50. Rhode Island
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Total registered weapons: 462 per 100,000 people (4,887 total)
Machine guns: 60 per 100,000 people – 3rd fewest (630 total)
Silencers: 9 per 100,000 people – the fewest (96 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 32 per 100,000 people – 2nd fewest (338 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 11 per 100,000 people – 2nd fewest (114 total)
49. New York
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Total registered weapons: 472 per 100,000 people (92,191 total)
Machine guns: 69 per 100,000 people – 5th fewest (13,554 total)
Silencers: 38 per 100,000 people – 4th fewest (7,406 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 39 per 100,000 people – 4th fewest (7,622 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 39 per 100,000 people – 20th fewest (7,613 total)
48. Delaware
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Total registered weapons: 630 per 100,000 people (6,092 total)
Machine guns: 55 per 100,000 people – 2nd fewest (537 total)
Silencers: 42 per 100,000 people – 5th fewest (411 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 58 per 100,000 people – 7th fewest (565 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 67 per 100,000 people – 10th most (651 total)
47. Hawaii
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Total registered weapons: 653 per 100,000 people (9,280 total)
Machine guns: 31 per 100,000 people – the fewest (441 total)
Silencers: 28 per 100,000 people – 3rd fewest (403 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 7 per 100,000 people – the fewest (93 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 5 per 100,000 people – the fewest (75 total)
46. Massachusetts
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Total registered weapons: 657 per 100,000 people (45,138 total)
Machine guns: 103 per 100,000 people – 7th fewest (7,070 total)
Silencers: 151 per 100,000 people – 8th fewest (10,409 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 88 per 100,000 people – 8th fewest (6,079 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 15 per 100,000 people – 5th fewest (1,040 total)
45. California
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Total registered weapons: 1,033 per 100,000 people (406,360 total)
Machine guns: 74 per 100,000 people – 6th fewest (29,112 total)
Silencers: 44 per 100,000 people – 7th fewest (17,271 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 39 per 100,000 people – 5th fewest (15,520 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 38 per 100,000 people – 17th fewest (14,757 total)
44. Michigan
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Total registered weapons: 1,101 per 100,000 people (109,835 total)
Machine guns: 175 per 100,000 people – 19th fewest (17,464 total)
Silencers: 495 per 100,000 people – 9th fewest (49,324 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 91 per 100,000 people – 9th fewest (9,120 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 17 per 100,000 people – 6th fewest (1,715 total)
43. Illinois
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Total registered weapons: 1,138 per 100,000 people (144,749 total)
Machine guns: 240 per 100,000 people – 20th most (30,576 total)
Silencers: 26 per 100,000 people – 2nd fewest (3,297 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 36 per 100,000 people – 3rd fewest (4,622 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 14 per 100,000 people – 3rd fewest (1,739 total)
42. New Jersey
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Total registered weapons: 1,151 per 100,000 people (102,228 total)
Machine guns: 500 per 100,000 people – 5th most (44,422 total)
Silencers: 44 per 100,000 people – 6th fewest (3,889 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 42 per 100,000 people – 6th fewest (3,775 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 28 per 100,000 people – 9th fewest (2,528 total)
41. Vermont
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Total registered weapons: 1,514 per 100,000 people (9,451 total)
Machine guns: 235 per 100,000 people – 22nd most (1,465 total)
Silencers: 565 per 100,000 people – 12th fewest (3,528 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 145 per 100,000 people – 16th fewest (904 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 34 per 100,000 people – 12th fewest (210 total)
40. Maine
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Total registered weapons: 1,596 per 100,000 people (21,396 total)
Machine guns: 381 per 100,000 people – 11th most (5,109 total)
Silencers: 618 per 100,000 people – 14th fewest (8,285 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 228 per 100,000 people – 14th most (3,057 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 41 per 100,000 people – 23rd fewest (556 total)
39. Wisconsin
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Total registered weapons: 1,643 per 100,000 people (95,430 total)
Machine guns: 144 per 100,000 people – 11th fewest (8,391 total)
Silencers: 699 per 100,000 people – 16th fewest (40,596 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 139 per 100,000 people – 15th fewest (8,070 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 25 per 100,000 people – 8th fewest (1,467 total)
38. Iowa
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Total registered weapons: 1,720 per 100,000 people (54,178 total)
Machine guns: 229 per 100,000 people – 23rd most (7,228 total)
Silencers: 715 per 100,000 people – 17th fewest (22,529 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 93 per 100,000 people – 10th fewest (2,937 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 38 per 100,000 people – 19th fewest (1,212 total)
37. Ohio
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Total registered weapons: 1,787 per 100,000 people (208,661 total)
Machine guns: 197 per 100,000 people – 22nd fewest (22,979 total)
Silencers: 589 per 100,000 people – 13th fewest (68,736 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 130 per 100,000 people – 13th fewest (15,158 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 56 per 100,000 people – 14th most (6,567 total)
36. Missouri
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Total registered weapons: 1,851 per 100,000 people (113,351 total)
Machine guns: 182 per 100,000 people – 20th fewest (11,167 total)
Silencers: 812 per 100,000 people – 20th fewest (49,754 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 167 per 100,000 people – 21st fewest (10,230 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 49 per 100,000 people – 20th most (2,995 total)
35. Connecticut
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Total registered weapons: 2,097 per 100,000 people (74,874 total)
Machine guns: 987 per 100,000 people – 2nd most (35,235 total)
Silencers: 522 per 100,000 people – 10th fewest (18,648 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 118 per 100,000 people – 11th fewest (4,212 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 32 per 100,000 people – 11th fewest (1,135 total)
34. North Carolina
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Total registered weapons: 2,139 per 100,000 people (222,166 total)
Machine guns: 153 per 100,000 people – 12th fewest (15,875 total)
Silencers: 739 per 100,000 people – 18th fewest (76,759 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 168 per 100,000 people – 22nd fewest (17,478 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 34 per 100,000 people – 13th fewest (3,563 total)
33. Washington
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Total registered weapons: 2,203 per 100,000 people (165,534 total)
Machine guns: 62 per 100,000 people – 4th fewest (4,673 total)
Silencers: 1,042 per 100,000 people – 23rd most (78,279 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 225 per 100,000 people – 16th most (16,919 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 14 per 100,000 people – 4th fewest (1,049 total)
32. Tennessee
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Total registered weapons: 2,238 per 100,000 people (151,536 total)
Machine guns: 217 per 100,000 people – 25th fewest (14,683 total)
Silencers: 894 per 100,000 people – 23rd fewest (60,573 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 197 per 100,000 people – 22nd most (13,350 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 97 per 100,000 people – 6th most (6,573 total)
31. Nebraska
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Total registered weapons: 2,249 per 100,000 people (43,261 total)
Machine guns: 125 per 100,000 people – 8th fewest (2,403 total)
Silencers: 1,345 per 100,000 people – 12th most (25,879 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 180 per 100,000 people – 24th most (3,472 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 47 per 100,000 people – 22nd most (911 total)
30. Maryland
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Total registered weapons: 2,257 per 100,000 people (136,257 total)
Machine guns: 494 per 100,000 people – 6th most (29,854 total)
Silencers: 535 per 100,000 people – 11th fewest (32,275 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 126 per 100,000 people – 12th fewest (7,633 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 65 per 100,000 people – 12th most (3,898 total)
29. Minnesota
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Total registered weapons: 2,318 per 100,000 people (129,825 total)
Machine guns: 157 per 100,000 people – 14th fewest (8,779 total)
Silencers: 860 per 100,000 people – 22nd fewest (48,154 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 137 per 100,000 people – 14th fewest (7,681 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 21 per 100,000 people – 7th fewest (1,154 total)
28. Oregon
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Total registered weapons: 2,334 per 100,000 people (97,474 total)
Machine guns: 161 per 100,000 people – 15th fewest (6,740 total)
Silencers: 1,178 per 100,000 people – 20th most (49,197 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 227 per 100,000 people – 15th most (9,483 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 41 per 100,000 people – 22nd fewest (1,717 total)
27. South Carolina
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Total registered weapons: 2,341 per 100,000 people (119,205 total)
Machine guns: 216 per 100,000 people – 24th fewest (10,997 total)
Silencers: 990 per 100,000 people – 24th most (50,422 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 178 per 100,000 people – 24th fewest (9,088 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 78 per 100,000 people – 8th most (3,948 total)
26. Indiana
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Total registered weapons: 2,353 per 100,000 people (157,546 total)
Machine guns: 316 per 100,000 people – 13th most (21,137 total)
Silencers: 944 per 100,000 people – 24th fewest (63,249 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 162 per 100,000 people – 19th fewest (10,872 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 142 per 100,000 people – 2nd most (9,541 total)
25. Kansas
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Total registered weapons: 2,398 per 100,000 people (69,850 total)
Machine guns: 137 per 100,000 people – 10th fewest (3,986 total)
Silencers: 1,092 per 100,000 people – 21st most (31,811 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 203 per 100,000 people – 19th most (5,924 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 44 per 100,000 people – 24th most (1,271 total)
Total registered weapons: 24,468 per 100,000 people (142,247 total)
Machine guns: 347 per 100,000 people – 12th most (2,019 total)
Silencers: 2,869 per 100,000 people – 3rd most (16,681 total)
Short-barreled rifles: 359 per 100,000 people – 4th most (2,089 total)
Short-barreled shotguns: 74 per 100,000 people – 9th most (433 total)
Methodology
To identify the states with the most registered weapons, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the Firearms Commerce in the United States report from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. States are ranked by the number of weapons registered with the ATF in the state for every 100,000 people as of May 2021.
Weapons registered with the ATF fall into one of six categories: 1) machine guns, defined as a firearm capable of automatically firing more than one shot with a single trigger-pull; 2) silencers, defined as a device that can muffle or suppress the sound of a gunshot; 3) short-barreled rifles, defined as a rifle with a barrel shorter than 16 inches or an overall length less than 26 inches; 4) short-barreled or sawed-off shotguns, defined as a shotgun with one or more barrels less than 18 inches long or an overall length of less than 26 inches; 5) destructive devices, a broad catagory that includes explosives such as bombs or grenades; and 6) any other weapon, a catch-all classification that includes certain firearms that can be concealed in items such as pens or walking canes.
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