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Gun shop St. Louis, Missouri

Order online, pick up at a licensed dealer in St. Louis City County. St. Louis has been its own county-free city since 1876, wrapped around the Gateway Arch, the Eads Bridge and 14 miles of Mississippi riverfront. Forest Park, the brick neighborhoods of Soulard and Tower Grove, and the Anheuser-Busch brewery stacks are the landmarks people navigate by.

St. Louis, St. Louis City County
CountySt. Louis City
LicensesSt. Louis City County Sheriff (the Sheriff of the City of St. Louis inside the city)
Hunting zoneFirearms deer Nov 14-24
Public rangeAbout 20 mi

How buying a gun in St. Louis works

Pick an FFL dealer near you that accepts shipped transfers and name it at checkout. We confirm their license and ship the firearm to them. Ammunition, optics and parts ship straight to your door where Missouri law allows.

Missouri has no permit to purchase, no firearm registration and no state waiting period. The old permit to acquire a concealable firearm, issued by the sheriff since 1921, was repealed with Section 571.090 RSMo by Senate Bills 62 and 41 in 2007. At a licensed dealer you show photo ID, complete ATF Form 4473 and the dealer runs a federal NICS background check; if it comes back as proceed you can take the firearm home the same day. Federal law sets the dealer minimum at 18 for rifles and shotguns and 21 for handguns. Private sales between residents need no state check.

Dealers in these communities all work for St. Louis-area buyers:

  • Clayton
  • Maplewood
  • Webster Groves
  • Kirkwood
  • University City
  • Brentwood
  • Richmond Heights
  • Affton
  • Jennings
  • Ferguson

Carrying a gun in St. Louis City County

Missouri has allowed carry without a permit since January 1, 2017. If you are 19 or older, or 18 and serving in or honorably discharged from the armed forces, and nothing bars you from having a firearm, you may carry concealed. The St. Louis City County sheriff still issues the concealed carry permit under Section 571.101 RSMo: eight hours of training with a live-fire qualification, fingerprints, a fee of up to $100 and five years of validity, with extended and lifetime permits under Section 571.205. Many people still hold one for reciprocity in other states. Section 571.107 lists the places that stay off-limits.

Hunting near St. Louis

Missouri runs one statewide firearms deer season rather than numbered units. For 2026-27 the November portion runs November 14-24, 2026, with early youth October 24-25, late youth November 27-29, early antlerless October 9-11 and late antlerless December 5-13 in open counties, and alternative methods December 26, 2026 to January 5, 2027. Centerfire rifles, handguns and shotgun slugs with expanding bullets are legal, along with muzzleloaders of .40 caliber or larger and archery gear; buckshot and self-loading firearms holding more than 11 cartridges are not. Mandatory chronic wasting disease sampling covers 28 counties on opening weekend.

The city itself is built up, but the Missouri and Mississippi confluence north of town, the Meramec bottoms to the south and the conservation areas in St. Charles and Jefferson counties put timber and river-bottom deer within 40 minutes of downtown. St. Louis County is one of the 28 counties with mandatory chronic wasting disease sampling on opening weekend.

Work on the river runs from barge fleeting below the Arch to the grain terminals north of the Chain of Rocks. Hunters here drive out to St. Charles, Jefferson and Franklin county timber, and the nearest public range, Jay Henges, sits off I-44 at Antire Road.

Public shooting ranges near St. Louis

Missouri's public shooting ranges are run by the Department of Conservation: five staffed shooting range and outdoor education centers with a small per-hour fee, plus roughly 69 unstaffed ranges on conservation areas that are free and open from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset. The Conservation Commission gave initial approval in May 2026 to requiring a small game permit at unstaffed ranges from February 28, 2027, so check the current rules before you drive out.

Source: Missouri Department of Conservation shooting range and conservation area pages, September 2026. Distances are approximate; call or check the agency site before you drive out.

Concealed carry pistols for St. Louis

Carry guide →

Home defense for St. Louis

Home defense guide →

Buying a gun in St. Louis: common questions

Can I buy a gun online and pick it up in St. Louis?

Yes. Order here, name a licensed FFL dealer in Clayton, Maplewood, Webster Groves, St. Louis or anywhere in St. Louis City County, and we ship the firearm to them. You fill out ATF Form 4473 at their counter and they run the background check.

Do I need a permit to buy a gun in St. Louis?

No. Missouri repealed its permit to acquire in 2007 and has no registration. You show ID, complete Form 4473 and pass a NICS check at the licensed dealer near St. Louis that receives your order.

Is there a waiting period in Missouri?

No. Missouri has no state waiting period. Once the dealer's NICS check returns a proceed, the transfer can be finished the same day.

Who issues concealed carry permits in St. Louis City County?

The St. Louis City County sheriff issues the permit under Section 571.101 RSMo after eight hours of training with a live-fire qualification, fingerprints and a fee of up to $100. Inside the City of St. Louis the city sheriff handles it.

How does a firearm I order reach St. Louis?

We ship every firearm to a licensed dealer near St. Louis that you choose at checkout. The dealer runs the background check and hands the gun over; ammunition, optics and most parts ship to your door.

Can I carry without a permit around St. Louis?

Yes, if you are 19 or older and not barred from having a firearm. Missouri has allowed permitless concealed carry since 2017, though some cities, including St. Louis, restrict open carry by people without a permit.

Where can I shoot near St. Louis?

The Department of Conservation runs five staffed ranges, including Jay Henges in St. Louis County, August A. Busch in St. Charles County, Lake City in Jackson County and Andy Dalton in Greene County, plus free unstaffed ranges on conservation areas. Target shooting is only allowed on the marked range.

What does an FFL transfer cost in St. Louis?

Each dealer sets its own fee, commonly $20 to $75. Call before you order to confirm the price and that they accept firearms shipped from an online store.

Nearby cities

All 22 cities →

More Missouri guides

General information, not legal advice. Rules current as of September 2026. See our Missouri gun law overview and check with St. Louis City County Sheriff (the Sheriff of the City of St. Louis inside the city) or a local attorney about your own situation.