Hawaii criminalizes the manufacture, possession, sale or other transfer, barter, trade, gift or acquisition of an assault pistol.¹ Under state law, “assault pistol” is defined as a semiautomatic handgun which accepts a detachable magazine and which has two or more of the following characteristics:

(1) An ammunition magazine which attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip;

(2) A threaded barrel capable of accepting a barrel extender, flash suppressor, forward hand grip, or silencer;

(3) A shroud which is attached to or partially or completely encircles the barrel and which permits the shooter to hold the firearm with the second hand without being burned;

(4) A manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when the pistol is unloaded;

(5) A centerfire pistol with an overall length of 12 inches or more; or

(6) A semiautomatic version of an automatic firearm.²

An assault pistol does not include a firearm with a barrel 16 or more inches in length, or an antique, curio or relic.³

As of July 1, 1992, no person shall bring or cause to be brought into Hawaii an assault pistol.⁴ Furthermore, as of July 1, 1992, no previously-owned assault pistol may be sold or transferred to anyone within Hawaii other than a state-licensed dealer or the chief of police of any county.⁵ A person that inherits an assault pistol registered within the state on or after July 1, 1992, has 90 days to render the weapon permanently inoperable, transfer the weapon to a licensed dealer or chief of police of any county, or remove the weapon from the state.⁶

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1. Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 134-8(a).[↩]
2. Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 134-1.[↩]
3. Id.[↩]
4. Haw. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 134-4(e).[↩]
5. Id.[↩]
6. Id.[↩]