Guns for sale in Minnesota

What Minnesota actually shoots

Close to half a million people hunt deer in Minnesota, and the firearms opener in early November empties offices from Rochester to Roseau. In the north woods the shots are short and the brush is thick, which is why the .30-30 lever gun and the .308 bolt rifle never went away. Farm country in the south and west was shotgun-and-slug ground for generations; from the 2026 season the state has dropped that rule, and counties may choose to keep it, so the rifle question down there now depends on the county you hunt. Our deer rifle guide explains what changed and what to check.

The rest of the calendar is birds. Ruffed grouse and woodcock in the aspen and alder from mid-September, pheasants on the western prairie from October, and ducks and geese on more water than any state can count. A light 20-gauge, a 12-gauge that cycles 3-inch steel, and a .22 for the woodlot cover most of it.

Buying takes one more step here than in some states. Minnesota asks for a permit to purchase, or a permit to carry, before a dealer can hand over a handgun or what the statute calls a semiautomatic military-style assault weapon (Minn. Stat. 624.7131). Ordinary hunting rifles and shotguns need only the federal form and background check. Either way the process is the same with us: order online, name your FFL dealer, and finish the paperwork at their counter. The details are on our Minnesota gun laws page.