Maryland: Attorney General Gansler Issues Opinion on .22 Caliber Rifles

Maryland’s Office of Attorney General issued a favorable opinion Monday, May 24, as what constitutes a “copy” of a so called “assault weapon.” These firearms are subject to Maryland’s “regulated firearm” law.

The issue at hand was whether .22 caliber rimfire rifles that may cosmetically resemble any firearms defined as “assault weapons” in the Annotated Code of Maryland, Public Safety Article § 5-101, should be regulated under that section as “copies” of the listed center-fire models.

According to the opinion, a copy must be similar “in its internal components and function to the designated weapon” and “cosmetic similarity to an enumerated assault weapon alone would not bring a weapon within the regulated firearms law”.

The opinion also states that the Maryland State Police will make the initial decision as to whether the gun’s internal parts make it a “copy” of an “assault weapon.”

This is a victory for Maryland’s law-abiding citizens who use these common rifles for competition, sport shooting and home defense.

You can read the opinion in full by clicking here.