Argentina Allows Civilians To Own Semi-Automatic Weapons. Communists Hardest Hit.
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ARGENTINA. Semi-automatic weapons for civilians
Last June, Javier Milei's government changed gun regulations by allowing civilians to buy and own semi-automatic weapons under a "special control" regime.
The decision was published in the Official Gazette through Decree 397/2025, which modifies the regulations in force since 1995 and which prohibited the acquisition of these weapons.
The new regulation allows these weapons to be used in sporting activities, provided that the legitimate users prove sporting uses or other conditions established by the National Agency of Controlled Materials (ANMAC).
The decree was signed by Milei, Chief of Staff Guillermo Francos and Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, and represents a substantial change from the previous legal framework, a legacy of the policies of then-President Carlos Menem.
At that time, there was an explicit prohibition on the acquisition and possession of semiautomatic weapons by civilians, which were previously reserved for the armed forces. Now, the ANMAC, under the Ministry of Security, will have the authority to authorize the possession and acquisition of these weapons by "legitimate users of Conditional Civilian Use weapons," with regulations that seek to balance access with the necessary safeguards for public safety.
"A special authorization regime is established for the acts of acquisition and possession of semi-automatic weapons fed with detachable magazines similar to rifles, carbines or assault submachine guns derived from military weapons of a caliber greater than .22 LR," the text of the decree states.
A 30-year review with a view to a new arms policy
The decree also notes that, after three decades, it is necessary to re-evaluate the control mechanisms for these weapons, seeking a balance between the right to acquire them and the measures to guarantee public safety.
The regulations stipulate that users who wish to access these weapons must demonstrate proven sporting uses and comply with the objective conditions established by the regulatory authority.
On the other hand, it was clarified what a semi-automatic pistol means: “It is one that uses the energy of the fired cartridge to extract the spent casing from the chamber and feed it again with another cartridge, producing a single shot per trigger pull. The firing action ejects the spent casing, and the weapon is automatically reloaded with a new cartridge from the magazine.”
In contrast, automatic weapons allow multiple shots to be fired simply by holding down the trigger, and are therefore subject to stricter regulations due to their danger.
Streamlining procedures and minimum age for firearms
The modification to the arms regulation is part of a series of measures to ease restrictions promoted by the Executive.
In May, procedures were unified through the so-called "express possession," which is now done digitally through the ANMAC platform, to facilitate obtaining permits for both civilians and members of the security forces and police who buy weapons in commercial gun shops.
Furthermore, in 2024 the minimum age for obtaining a Firearms License was lowered from 21 to 18, a necessary step before obtaining a firearm and purchasing one from authorized retailers. Minister Patricia Bullrich stated at the time, regarding the new regulations: “At 16, they have the right to vote. At 18, they can go to war, start a family, or join a security force. And, incredibly, at any age they can choose to change their sex, a change that will mark them for life. So why shouldn't 18-year-olds be able to legally own or carry a firearm?”
Context and repercussions in the public debate
This new regulation has generated a wide debate in Argentine society, where sectors of politics and civil organizations have expressed their concern about the implications that greater accessibility to semi-automatic weapons for civilians could have.
Meanwhile, the Government maintains that the measure seeks to promote regulation that respects sporting rights and self-defense, always under specific controls and special authorizations.
A change that generates tension in the political and social landscape
Milei's decree comes amid a broader trend toward more flexible gun control legislation that has been developing in recent months. The implementation of digital procedures and the reduction of the minimum age represent steps in that direction, but they also reignite the debate about public safety and individual rights in a nation that has historically faced challenges related to violence and drug trafficking.
