Is it possible to purchase Chinese firearms in the US? Ive read that buying new ones since 1996 is illegal but haven't actually investigated the topic beyond a superficial level.
this post was submitted on 30 Jun 2026
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I've looked into this too. The answer is you can buy Chinese firearms that were imported before 1996, but anything newer is illegal. It's kind of unfortunate, but it's also not that big of a deal. Newer Chinese firearms seem great but if you're American then you can easily get any number of comparable guns that work just as well. You can certainly buy a pre-ban norinco AK style rifle , but I mean you'd probably be better off with a more current AK from an American or European manufacturer. I'd also be worried about where to find stuff like spare parts or furniture on a Chinese gun.
Even if you are able to somehow get a modern Chinese rifle, a lot of them are chambered in 5.8×42mm, and I wouldn't know where to buy those rounds outside of China. Same thing with modern Chinese handguns, a lot of them come standard in 5.8x21mm.
The only real reason to have a Chinese gun as an American is as a curiosity I guess.