Banned Guns In Australia: What Count As "Prohibited"
- 01. You'll Be Surprised: Guns Banned in Australia Explained
- 02. Core categories of banned guns
- 03. Timeline of key bans since 1996
- 04. Which specific firearm types are now heavily restricted?
- 05. Magazines, accessories, and "de-facto" bans
- 06. Ownership caps and state-level tightening
- 07. Illustrative table of banned versus permitted firearms
You'll Be Surprised: Guns Banned in Australia Explained
In Australia today, most semi-automatic rifles and many semi-automatic and pump-action shotguns are effectively banned from civilian use, alongside all fully automatic firearms and numerous accessories such as high-capacity magazines and firearm silencers. These prohibitions stem from the National Firearms Agreement of 1996 and have recently been tightened by new federal and state laws passed in early 2026 following the Bondi Beach terror attack, which now further restrict importation, ownership caps, and accessory configurations.
Core categories of banned guns
The backbone of Australia's ban list is the 1996 National Firearms Agreement (NFA), which was tightened again under the 2017 updated NFA and now further amended after the 2025 Bondi Beach shooting. Under these rules, the following broad categories of firearms are either fully prohibited or allowed only in extremely narrow, tightly licensed circumstances:
- Fully automatic firearms, such as machine guns and belt-fed light machine guns, which are prohibited for civilian ownership.
- Most semi-automatic rifles with rotating bolt or "military-style" action, except for a small number of bolt-action or manually operated rifles used for specific farming, pest-control, or competitive shooting purposes.
- Semi-automatic and pump-action shotguns with detachable magazines holding more than five rounds, or with certain high-capacity configurations (e.g., 10-round tubular magazines).
- High-powered hunting rifles with large magazines or rapid-fire characteristics, now further restricted under the 2026 national reforms.
- Personal-defense-style pistols and compact semi-automatic handguns, limited to specific sporting and occupational categories with strict storage and usage rules.
Since 2026, the federal government has also banned the import of rapid-fire firearms such as the Adler A110-style lever-action shotguns and similar "rapid-fire" platforms, classifying them as de-facto prohibited weapons under the updated Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 guidance.
Timeline of key bans since 1996
Australia's current gun-ban framework is built on three major legislative turning points. Each wave has pushed more semi-automatic weapons into the prohibited camp and tightened the "genuine reason" test for civilian ownership:
- 1996 National Firearms Agreement: After the Port Arthur massacre, the then 437 similar semi-automatic rifles and 1,000+ semi-automatic or pump-action shotguns were prohibited, with an estimated 643,000 civilian firearms later bought back or surrendered by 1997.
- 2002 National Handgun Agreement: Introduced tighter limits on semi-automatic handguns, reducing magazine capacity caps and narrowly defining "sporting" versus "self-defense" uses.
- 2017 Updated National Firearms Agreement: Consolidated the 1996 and 2002 frameworks into a single national reference, adding a common classification system for prohibited firearms and restricted categories.
- 2026 Federal Firearms Reform: Following the Bondi Beach attack, Parliament passed a new national gun-buyback scheme and tightened import rules, explicitly banning certain rapid-fire and high-capacity platforms.
Data from the Australian Institute of Criminology suggest that firearm-related homicides fell by roughly 59% in the decade after the 1996 agreement, reinforcing the political logic behind the continued expansion of the prohibited firearms list rather than relaxation.
Which specific firearm types are now heavily restricted?
While Australian law is written around categories and "action types" rather than brand-by-brand banned models, several concrete firearm profiles are now effectively unobtainable for ordinary civilians. These include:
- AK-style rifles and similar semi-automatic rifles with rotating bolt and detachable magazines, regardless of calibre (e.g., 5.56mm, 7.62x39).
- AR-style rifles with detachable magazines holding more than 10 rounds, unless grandfathered or grandfather-type exemptions apply in very limited circumstances.
- High-capacity shotguns fitted with extended magazines or high-capacity tubular magazines, such as some 10-round or belt-fed variants.
- Machine-pistol platforms and switch-enable devices that can convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic operation, which are explicitly prohibited items.
- Some lever-action shotguns with rapid-fire characteristics or high-capacity magazines, such as the Adler A110 and similar configurations, now flagged under the 2026 reforms.
In practice, the state-level firearms registries maintain detailed "type lists" that map model names and serial ranges to the federal category definitions, so a weapon that appears benign on paper may still sit in a prohibited category if it meets the technical criteria for a semi-automatic, magazine-fed, rapid-fire configuration.
Magazines, accessories, and "de-facto" bans
In addition to the firearm platforms themselves, Australia now bans or severely restricts several accessories that effectively convert otherwise legal guns into prohibited configurations. These accessories are often treated as prohibited items in their own right:
- Detachable magazines exceeding 10 rounds for rifles and 5 rounds for semi-automatic shotguns in most jurisdictions.
- Speed loaders, belt-fed feed systems, and drum-style magazines that enable rapid sustained fire, now blocked under the 2026 import-restriction rules.
- Firearm silencers and threaded barrels designed primarily to accept suppressors, which are generally prohibited for civilian use.
- 3D-printed firearm blueprints and digital files used to manufacture complete firearms or critical components, now criminalized in several states including the ACT under the 2026 Firearms (Public Safety) Amendment Bill.
A 2026 impact analysis by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) estimated that these accessory restrictions would remove roughly 120,000 "high-capacity" or "rapid-fire" configurations from the four-million registered firearm holdings in Australia if the national buy-back scheme achieves full uptake.
Ownership caps and state-level tightening
Since 2026, several states have moved beyond the national "category" bans to impose hard ownership caps that de-facto limit which guns remain affordable and practical for civilians. These caps are framed as part of a renewed focus on public safety and gun-violence reduction rather than outright new bans on individual models:
- In New South Wales, full licence holders are now limited to four firearms unless exempted for farming or elite sporting purposes, in which case up to 10 may be allowed.
- The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) has capped general licence holders at five firearms, with occupational and sporting shooters permitted up to 10.
- Western Australia introduced a similar four-gun limit earlier in 2025, ahead of the federal 2026 reforms.
These caps effectively push many owners to surrender or sell surplus firearms, especially rapid-fire or high-powered models, which the government then targets in the new national buyback managed by the Department of Home Affairs.
Illustrative table of banned versus permitted firearms
The table below shows how Australia's current framework treats common firearm types. Note that within each category, specific variants can move into the prohibited camp if they meet technical criteria (magazine capacity, action type, etc.).
| Firearm type | Status under 2017 NFA | Status under 2026 reforms |
|---|---|---|
| Fully automatic rifles (e.g., GPMG, open-bolt machine-pistols) | Prohibited for civilians | Remains fully prohibited; import of such weapons and parts banned |
| Semi-automatic rifles with detachable magazines >10 rounds | Most models prohibited; some exceptions for farmers/sport shooters | Further tightened; additional models classified as prohibited, especially AK/AR-style platforms |
| Pump-action shotguns with tubular magazines >5 rounds | Largely unrestricted in some states | Now restricted or banned in NSW, ACT, and WA; treated as "rapid-fire" risk |
| Bolt-action hunting rifles with 5-round internal magazines | Generally permitted with licence | Still permitted, but subject to stricter background checks and ownership caps |
| High-capacity shotgun magazines (10-round detachable) | Permitted in some states | Now banned or capped at 5 rounds nationally via import and state-level rules |
| Adler A110-style lever shotguns | Previously classified as "rapid-fire" and tightly controlled | Now explicitly cited in 2026 reforms as a prohibited platform for civilian use |
The precise status of any given firearm can still vary slightly by state, but the 2026 federal laws have created a strong national "floor" that pulls most jurisdictions toward stricter rather than looser treatment of semi-automatic weapons.
In practical terms, the answer to "which guns are now banned in Australia" is best understood as a layered set of rules: the federal National Firearms Agreement defines the core categories, the 2026 reforms tighten the edges (especially rapid-fire and high-capacity gear), and state-level caps and buybacks push more surplus and restricted firearms out of civilian hands. For any individual owner, the precise legality of a firearm depends on its category, configuration, and jurisdiction, making consultation with local police or a firearms-law specialist essential before acquisition or transfer.
Expert answers to Banned Guns In Australia What Count As Prohibited queries
Are all semi-automatic rifles illegal in Australia?
No, not all semi-automatic rifles are illegal, but most are. Under the 2017 National Firearms Agreement, only semi-automatic rifles specifically approved for certain farming, pest-control, or elite sporting purposes are allowed, and even these must meet strict configuration limits (e.g., magazine capacity, action type). The 2026 reforms have narrowed that list further, adding explicit bans on certain AK-style and AR-style platforms and treating them as prohibited firearms.
Can Australians still own shotguns or pistols?
Yes, Australians can still own some shotguns and pistols, but only under narrow conditions. Pump-action and semi-automatic shotguns are allowed if they meet magazine-capacity and "genuine reason" tests, while most bolt-action shotguns are broadly permitted. Pistols are restricted to specific sporting and occupational categories, with maximum magazine capacities typically limited, and now subject to lower overall ownership caps in states such as NSW and the ACT.
What guns are banned because of the 2026 Bondi reforms?
The 2026 Bondi-driven reforms do not ban a long list of brand-specific models by name, but they do explicitly target rapid-fire and high-capacity platforms such as the Adler A110-style lever shotguns, certain belt-fed or high-magazine configurations, and rapid-fire accessories like speed loaders and drum magazines. Import of these categories is now prohibited, and existing owners are encouraged to surrender them in the national buyback scheme, which is being framed as the largest such initiative since the 1996 Port Arthur buyback.
How do state and territory laws interact with the federal bans?
Under the National Firearms Agreement, Commonwealth law sets the overarching categories of prohibited and restricted firearms, while state and territory police agencies administer actual licensing and storage. State laws can be stricter than the federal floor but not more lenient; for example, NSW and the ACT have added four- and five-gun ownership caps, while the Commonwealth has tightened import rules and accessory bans. This layered structure means that a firearm might be nationally restricted but still subject to extra caps or local bans in specific jurisdictions.
What happens if someone owns a now-banned gun?
Under the 2026 framework, owners of newly prohibited or restricted firearms are expected to comply with the national gun-buyback scheme run by the Department of Home Affairs in partnership with state authorities. Failure to surrender or reclassify an affected firearm can result in revocation of a licence, criminal charges, and confiscation of the weapon. The government has allocated roughly A$150 million to the buyback, aiming to remove tens of thousands of prohibited or surplus firearm holdings from circulation over the next three years.
Are there any exemptions for farmers or hunters?
Yes, there are limited exemptions for farmers and hunters, but these have become narrower under the 2026 reforms. Farmers and pest-control operators may still hold certain bolt-action or manually operated rifles and shotguns, provided they demonstrate a genuine occupational need and secure storage. However, rapid-fire or high-capacity configurations are increasingly excluded, and even eligible owners now face lower overall firearm-ownership caps in states like NSW and Western Australia, prompting some rural groups to argue that the rules threaten viable pest-control operations.
How does Australia's ban list compare to other countries?
Compared with countries such as the United States, Canada, or Switzerland, Australia's ban list is far more restrictive on semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity configurations. While many Western nations allow civilians to own semi-automatic rifles and high-capacity magazines with relatively light oversight, Australia's 1996 and 2026 reforms have moved most of those platforms into the prohibited camp. Policymakers point to Australia's lower firearm-related homicide and mass-shooting rates since 1996 as evidence that such broad bans are compatible with public safety, even if they require strong compliance and buyback mechanisms.