What Alabama Law Says — 2026
Alabama has no assault weapons ban in state law. The state's strong firearm preemption statute reserves all firearm regulation to the state level — local cities and counties cannot create their own gun restrictions beyond state law. This means the same rules apply whether you're in Huntsville, Birmingham, Mobile, or anywhere else in Alabama.
The Failed 2025 Ban Attempt — HB206
In February 2025, Alabama Representative Moore introduced HB206 — a bill that would have banned the sale, transfer, and possession of "assault weapons" including AR-15s. It would have required existing owners to register, sell, render inoperable, or remove their firearms from the state by June 1, 2026.
The bill never came close to passing. HB206 was a partisan bill sponsored by a single Democrat with zero Republican co-sponsors. It was referred to the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee and died there without a vote when the Alabama legislature adjourned sine die in May 2025. Alabama's Republican supermajority in both chambers has shown no appetite for gun control legislation.
The 2025 Alabama legislative session closed with a gun owner financial privacy bill passing and no gun restrictions enacted. The 2026 session similarly adjourned without any assault weapons legislation advancing. HB206 has no realistic path to passage in Alabama's current political environment.
SBRs and AR Pistols — Where the NFA Applies
While standard AR-15 rifles are unrestricted in Alabama, the federal National Firearms Act governs two AR-platform configurations that require additional paperwork and a $200 tax stamp.
A rifle with a barrel under 16 inches or an overall length under 26 inches is a Short Barreled Rifle under federal law. SBRs require NFA registration — Form 4, fingerprints, a $200 tax stamp, and CLEO notification. Processing time is currently 8-12 months through most Class III dealers. The AR-15 platform is popular as an SBR, but the NFA process must be completed before taking possession of an SBR configuration. The suppressor process is identical — see our Alabama suppressor guide for the full Form 4 walkthrough.
AR Pistols — Legal Without NFA
An AR-15 pistol — an AR-platform firearm with a barrel under 16 inches configured as a pistol with no stock — is legal in Alabama and does not require NFA registration. The critical distinction is the stock: an AR pistol may have a pistol brace but cannot have a rifle stock. Adding a stock converts it to an SBR requiring Form 4.
AR pistols are also subject to Alabama's handgun laws rather than long gun laws, which means the minimum age to purchase through a dealer is 21 rather than 18, and different carry rules may apply. If you're considering an AR pistol build, confirm the current ATF rules on pistol braces before proceeding — that area of federal law has seen regulatory changes in recent years.
Hunting with an AR-15 in Alabama
Alabama places no restrictions on semi-automatic rifles for hunting. An AR-15 is a legal hunting firearm for all game species in Alabama where a rifle is permitted, including deer, feral hogs, and varmints. There are no magazine capacity restrictions for hunting in Alabama.
Best AR Calibers for Alabama Deer Hunting
The standard .223/5.56 NATO is legal but marginal for deer — it works with proper bullet selection (55-75 grain expanding bullets at reasonable distances) but most experienced Alabama deer hunters running an AR platform choose a more capable cartridge. These three are the most popular:
Feral hog hunting with an AR-15 is where the platform truly shines in Alabama. Hogs can be hunted year-round with no bag limit on private land, and the AR-15's magazine capacity, rapid follow-up shots, and availability of suppressor mounts make it the dominant hog gun across North Alabama. See our feral hog hunting guide for more.
Carrying an AR-15 in Alabama
Open carry of an AR-15 is legal in Alabama. Long guns may be carried openly without a permit under Alabama's constitutional carry law — the same permitless carry that applies to handguns extends to all legal firearms. There is no requirement to notify law enforcement that you are carrying an AR-15 openly.
Prohibited locations apply equally to AR-15s as to any other firearm — schools, courthouses, federal facilities, and private property where firearms are prohibited by the property owner are all off-limits. See our Alabama gun laws guide for the full prohibited locations list.
Practical note: open carry of a long gun in public draws significant attention in North Alabama even where legal. Many AR-15 owners in the Tennessee Valley transport their firearms unloaded in a case in a vehicle rather than carrying them openly outside of hunting and shooting contexts.
Suppressor on an AR-15
Adding a suppressor to an AR-15 is legal in Alabama and increasingly common — North Alabama has a strong suppressor ownership culture given the proximity to Redstone Arsenal and the defense contractor community. A suppressed .300 Blackout AR-15 running subsonic ammunition is one of the most effective and hearing-safe hog hunting setups available.
The suppressor itself requires NFA Form 4 registration — the same process as an SBR. The suppressor mounts to the AR-15 via a threaded barrel adapter or direct thread. Most AR-15 barrels in .223/5.56 and .300 BLK are available threaded or can be threaded by a gunsmith. See our complete Alabama suppressor buying guide for the Form 4 walkthrough, wait times, and Silencer Shop kiosk locations in North Alabama.