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Why are semi-automatic rifles legal?įrom 1994 to 2004, federal law prohibited the manufacture, transfer or possession of 19 semi-automatic weapons as well as other firearms that were either copies of the prohibited weapons or had detachable magazines and other specific features similar to those weapons. Owners can ban firearms from their private establishments, regardless of open carry rights and concealed carry laws. Other banned places include churches (except with permission of church leaders), courts, theaters, sports arenas that seat 2,500 or more people, day care centers, hospitals, casinos, and places where the licensed sale of alcohol, consumed on the premises, is the primary source of income. They include schools, though parents and guardians with concealed pistol licenses may carry a firearm in a vehicle on school property while picking up or dropping off a child.
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Prospective handgun purchasers can appear at any local law enforcement agency and, after successfully passing the background check, can obtain a purchase license after signing a sworn statement that they meet Michigan qualifications. Under Michigan law, handgun buyers are subject to a background check by the Michigan State Police in order to obtain the required purchase license. Some private sales, including sales by unlicensed dealers that happen online or at gun shows, are not subject to federal background checks and recording requirements. Federally licensed dealers - but not private sellers - are generally required to conduct background checks on gun purchasers.Ī Michigan resident can purchase an AR-15 - a semi-automatic rifle frequently used by mass shooters - in anywhere from less than an hour to a few days, through a federally licensed dealer, by answering a questionnaire and waiting for a federal background check to clear with the FBI through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
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