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Last updated: June 23, 2026. This article is general information for our customers, not legal advice. Firearms laws change quickly and remain subject to court challenges, so the details below may change. Always confirm current requirements with the official state resources cited at the bottom of this page or a qualified attorney before purchasing.
What's changing
Two states — Virginia and Rhode Island — have new firearms laws that take effect on July 1, 2026.[2][6] Both restrict the future sale, transfer, manufacture, and purchase of certain semi-automatic firearms and ammunition magazines. As a result, Centerfire Systems will no longer be able to sell or ship affected items to addresses in these states once the laws take effect.
Both laws are written to let residents keep firearms they already lawfully own — the restrictions target new sales and transfers, not simple possession of items you already have.[3][6]
Virginia — effective July 1, 2026
Virginia's new law was enacted as HB217 and the identical SB749 (Chapter 1106), signed by Governor Abigail Spanberger in May 2026.[1][2][4] It makes it a Class 1 misdemeanor (punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine) to import, sell, manufacture, purchase, or transfer a defined “assault firearm” or a large-capacity magazine.[2][3] Key points:
- What's restricted: Future import, sale, manufacture, purchase, and transfer of covered semi-automatic “assault firearms” — defined largely by military-style features such as the ability to accept a detachable magazine combined with a second handgrip, a folding or telescoping stock, and similar characteristics — and of large-capacity magazines that hold more than 15 rounds.[1][4]
- What's excluded: Antiques, permanently inoperable firearms, and manually operated firearms (bolt, pump, lever, or slide action) are not covered.[1]
- Existing owners: Residents may keep firearms they already lawfully possess, and for most people there is no penalty for simply continuing to possess such a firearm. In some cases items may be transferred to immediate family members, and magazines owned before July 1, 2026 may be sold to a licensed dealer or to someone outside Virginia.[1][3]
- Related measures: A companion law (HB1524) prohibits the public carry of assault-style weapons, and Virginia's broader 2026 gun-law package also raised the purchase age to 21 for certain firearms and added safe-storage requirements.[5]
- Ongoing litigation: The law is being challenged in court. The NRA and other groups filed a federal lawsuit (McDonald v. Katz), some local prosecutors have called parts of it unconstitutional, and on June 19, 2026 a Spotsylvania judge declined to block it. It is still slated to take effect July 1, 2026, but enforcement could be affected by these cases.[4][5]
Rhode Island — effective July 1, 2026
Rhode Island's law — widely known as the state's “assault weapons ban” and enacted as 2025-S 0359A / companion 2025-H 5436A (codified as Chapter 11-47.2, “Unlawful Sale of Prohibited Firearms”) — was signed by Governor Dan McKee on June 26, 2025 and takes effect July 1, 2026.[6][7] Importantly, the version that became law restricts the manufacture, sale, transfer, and purchase of covered firearms — it does not ban possession and does not require registration.[6][8] Key points:
- What's restricted (“prohibited firearms”): Semi-automatic rifles with a fixed magazine over 10 rounds; semi-automatic rifles able to accept a detachable magazine that also have at least one military-style feature; semi-automatic pistols with a fixed magazine over 10 rounds (or that accept a detachable magazine plus certain features); semi-automatic shotguns with a fixed magazine over 6 rounds; and any shotgun with a revolving cylinder.[7][8]
- Existing owners: Lawful owners may keep their firearms. They may also sell or transfer them to a federally licensed dealer or to an individual outside Rhode Island who can lawfully possess them.[6][7]
- Magazines: Rhode Island's separate large-capacity magazine ban (more than 10 rounds), enacted earlier and upheld in court, remains in effect.
- Penalties: Violations can carry up to 10 years in prison, a fine up to $10,000, and forfeiture of the firearm.[6][7]
What this means for your order
- If you live in Virginia or Rhode Island: to make sure affected firearms and magazines could be delivered before the July 1, 2026 effective date, our ordering cutoff for these items shipping to VA and RI addresses was June 19, 2026. That cutoff has now passed, so we are no longer able to accept orders for affected items to Virginia or Rhode Island addresses.
- Once the laws take effect on July 1, 2026, covered items cannot be sold or shipped to addresses in these states, and affected products may be removed from checkout for these destinations.
- Manually operated firearms, compliant configurations, and most accessories are generally unaffected — but coverage depends on the specific item and its features.
- If you're unsure whether a specific product is affected, contact our team before ordering and we'll help you confirm.
All sales remain subject to your state and local laws, applicable background checks, and transfer through a licensed dealer (FFL) where required. Centerfire Systems is committed to full compliance with state and federal firearms law.
Sources & official resources
- Virginia Legislative Information System — HB217 / SB749 bill text and status: lis.virginia.gov
- Richmond Sunlight — HB217 summary (Chapter 1106; effective July 1, 2026): richmondsunlight.com
- NBC4 Washington — penalties and possession details: nbcwashington.com
- Patch (Fairfax City) — magazine threshold, bill sponsors, NRA lawsuit: patch.com
- Insurance Journal (AP) — litigation, local prosecutors, July 1 effective date: insurancejournal.com
- Rhode Island Governor's Office — press release on the signed law: governor.ri.gov
- Rhode Island General Assembly — enacted bill text 2025-S 0359A: rilegislature.gov
- Giffords Law Center — Rhode Island prohibited-firearm definitions and effective date: giffords.org
Questions about your order or whether an item ships to your state? Reach out to our customer service team — we're happy to help.
