Wisconsin generally prohibits selling, possessing, using, or transporting any machine gun or other fully automatic firearm.¹ The state also prohibits modifying a firearm so that it discharges more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.²

These prohibitions do not apply to, among other things, the restoration of such weapons by a person having a license issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to collect firearms as curios or relics.³

Manufacturers of machine guns must keep a register of all such guns that shows the model and serial number; date of manufacture, sale, loan, gift, delivery, or receipt; name, address and occupation of the person to whom the machine gun was sold, loaned, given, or delivered or from whom it was received; and the purpose for which it was acquired.⁴ Manufacturers must also allow any marshal, sheriff or police officer to inspect the stock of machine guns, parts, and supplies, and must produce the register for inspection.⁵

“Machine gun” means:

• Any weapon that shoots, is designed to shoot or can be readily restored to shoot automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger;

• The frame, receiver or any part designed and intended solely and exclusively, or combination of parts designed and intended, for use in converting any weapon into a of any machine gun or “full automatic firearm;” or

• Any combination of parts from which a machine gun or “full automatic firearm” can be assembled, if those parts are in the possession or under the control of a person.”⁶

The aforementioned machine gun restrictions do not prohibit possession of a machine gun for any scientific purpose, possession as a curiosity, ornament, or keepsake (if the gun is not usable as a weapon), or possession (other than a machine gun adapted to use pistol cartridges) for a purpose manifestly not aggressive or offensive.⁷

Federal law requires machine guns to be registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), and generally prohibits the transfer or possession of machine guns manufactured after May 19, 1986.⁸

 See our Machine Gun policy summary for comprehensive discussion of this issue. 

1. Wis. Stat. § 941.26(1)(a).[↩]
2. Wis. Stat. § 941.26(1m).[↩]
3. Wis. Stat. § 941.26(3).[↩]
4. Wis. Stat. § 941.25.[↩]
5. Id.[↩]
6. Wis. Stat. § 941.25.[↩]
7. Wis. Stat. § 941.26(5).[↩]
8. 18 U.S.C. § 922(o); 26 U.S.C. § 5861(d).[↩]