Argentine President Javier Milei has formalized, by decree, a new system regulating the purchase and possession of semiautomatic rifles by civilians, revoking a longstanding prohibition and establishing new requirements through the National Firearms Registry. File Photo by Peter Foley/UPI | License Photo
The government of President Javier Milei has formalized, by decree, a new system regulating the purchase and possession of semiautomatic rifles by civilians, revoking a longstanding prohibition and establishing new requirements through the National Firearms Registry.
The measure creates a new authorization framework for civilian firearms users and shooting clubs, allowing them to purchase or possess semiautomatic weapons such as rifles, carbines and assault-style submachine guns derived from military models.
To buy or possess these weapons, individuals and legal entities must be authorized by the National Firearms Registry and meet specific requirements, including proof of ownership, approved secure storage, a sworn declaration and documentation supporting the sporting use of the firearms.
Until 1995, these weapons could be purchased in Argentina with few restrictions, attorney Laura Tripodi, vice president of the Association of Legitimate Firearms Users of Buenos Aires Province, told UPI.
After that year, such purchases were prohibited, and acquiring or transferring these firearms required special authorization signed by the executive branch.
“For years, there was a legal gap on this issue. The heirs of legitimate users could not transfer these firearms because no other user met the requirements,” Tripodi said.
The decree signed by Milei grants the National Firearms Registry, under the Ministry of National Security, full authority to authorize the purchase, possession and transfer of these weapons.
Tripodi said the change does not mean just anyone will be able to obtain them.
“The rules are now more transparent, predictable and clear for everyone. Legitimate users are citizens who meet specific requirements, such as having approved storage, no criminal record, demonstrated shooting proficiency and passing a psychophysical exam,” she said.
Tripodi said legitimate users must submit a formal request to the National Firearms Registry detailing the type, brand, model, caliber and serial number of the weapon they intend to acquire. She said a central element of the new regulation is the requirement to demonstrate sporting purposes in order to obtain special permits.
“While this condition may seem restrictive for some legitimate users, it promotes consistent and responsible firearms handling aligned with the technical nature and high level of responsibility that this type of equipment requires,” she said.
The requirement to demonstrate participation in formal sporting activities is intended to ensure that users maintain adequate training and control, in line with the safety and regulatory objectives set by the National Firearms Registry.
Gun control organizations in Argentina, including the Argentine Disarmament Network and INECIP, warned that allowing civilians access to rifles and other semiautomatic weapons increases the risk of gun violence and facilitates diversion from the legal market to the illegal one, a main source of weapons for organized crime.
“The plan is to loosen carry restrictions, and they are doing it gradually. They are adding conditions now so that sporting use can be verified. But these are weapons that can fire in bursts. They fire bursts. They are not for target shooting,” said Martín Angerosa, co-founder of the Argentine Disarmament Network, in comments to the Argentine newspaper Página12.
The head of the National Firearms Registry, Juan Pablo Allan, told Canal A24 that the measure aims to “ensure that the state knows where the weapons are” and to restore traceability of firearms that had fallen outside the legal system.
Allan said Argentina’s firearms legislation “is among the most advanced in the region,” but for years it was “distorted by barriers that pushed legitimate users out of the system,” leading to widespread irregularities.
