Federal firearm law is centered in Title 18, Chapter 44 of the U.S. Code. For felony-related questions, the most commonly researched provisions include 18 U.S.C. §§ 921, 922(g), 924 and 925(c).
Core federal firearm statutes
| Statute | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| 18 U.S.C. § 921 ↗ | Definitions, including how certain convictions are treated for Chapter 44. |
| 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) | Major prohibited-person categories, including qualifying felony convictions. |
| 18 U.S.C. § 924 | Penalties for federal firearm offenses, including the 15-year maximum for knowing § 922(g) violations and ACCA. |
| 18 U.S.C. § 925(c) | Application for relief from federal firearm disabilities. |
Federal and state law can overlap
A person can be allowed to possess under state law yet remain federally prohibited, or vice versa. Restoration analysis therefore starts by identifying the source of the conviction and the source of each disability.
Knowledge requirement
In Rehaif v. United States, the Supreme Court held that in a § 922(g) prosecution the government must prove the defendant knew of the status that made firearm possession unlawful. This does not mean a person must know the law itself; the legal question is more specific and case-dependent.
Constitutional litigation
Second Amendment challenges to prohibited-person laws continue after Bruen and Rahimi. Lower courts have not adopted a single uniform approach to every as-applied § 922(g)(1) challenge, so current circuit precedent matters.