The Maryland Ban ("FSA") defines an assault long gun as a rifle or shotgun
“listed under § 5-101(r)(2) of the Public Safety Article,”
including the “Colt AR-15,” “Bushmaster semi-auto rifle,” and
“AK-47 in all forms.” See Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 4-301(b);
Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-101(r)(2). The list of
prohibited rifles and shotguns consists of “specific assault weapons or their copies, regardless of which company produced
and manufactured that assault weapon.” See Md. Code Ann., Pub.
Safety § 5-101(r)(2).
The rifles and shotguns specifically identified as banned
in section 5-101(r)(2) — mostly semiautomatic rifles — are as
follows:
(i) American Arms Spectre da Semiautomatic carbine;
(ii) AK-47 in all forms; (iii) Algimec AGM-1 type
semi-auto; (iv) AR 100 type semi-auto; (v) AR 180 type
semi-auto; (vi) Argentine L.S.R. semi-auto;
(vii) Australian Automatic Arms SAR type semi-auto;
(viii) Auto-Ordnance Thompson M1 and 1927 semiautomatics;
(ix) Barrett light .50 cal. semi-auto;
(x) Beretta AR70 type semi-auto; (xi) Bushmaster semiauto
rifle; (xii) Calico models M-100 and M-900;
(xiii) CIS SR 88 type semi-auto; (xiv) Claridge HI TEC
C-9 carbines; (xv) Colt AR-15, CAR-15, and all
imitations except Colt AR-15 Sporter H-BAR rifle;
(xvi) Daewoo MAX 1 and MAX 2, aka AR 100, 110C, K-1,
and K-2; (xvii) Dragunov Chinese made semi-auto;
(xviii) Famas semi-auto (.223 caliber); (xix) Feather
AT-9 semi-auto; (xx) FN LAR and FN FAL assault rifle;
(xxi) FNC semi-auto type carbine;
(xxii) F.I.E./Franchi LAW 12 and SPAS 12 assault
shotgun; (xxiii) Steyr-AUG-SA semi-auto; (xxiv) Galil
models AR and ARM semi-auto; (xxv) Heckler and Koch
HK-91 A3, HK-93 A2, HK-94 A2 and A3; (xxvi) Holmes
model 88 shotgun; (xxvii) Avtomat Kalashnikov
semiautomatic rifle in any format; (xxviii) Manchester
Arms “Commando” MK-45, MK-9; (xxix) Mandell TAC-1
semi-auto carbine; (xxx) Mossberg model 500 Bullpup
assault shotgun; (xxxi) Sterling Mark 6;
(xxxii) P.A.W.S. carbine; (xxxiii) Ruger mini-14
folding stock model (.223 caliber); (xxxiv) SIG
550/551 assault rifle (.223 caliber); (xxxv) SKS with
detachable magazine; (xxxvi) AP-74 Commando type semiauto;
(xxxvii) Springfield Armory BM-59, SAR-48, G3,
SAR-3, M-21 sniper rifle, M1A, excluding the M1
Garand; (xxxviii) Street sweeper assault type shotgun;
(xxxix) Striker 12 assault shotgun in all formats;
(xl) Unique F11 semi-auto type; (xli) Daewoo USAS 12 semi-auto shotgun; (xlii) UZI 9mm carbine or rifle;
(xliii) Valmet M-76 and M-78 semi-auto; (xliv) Weaver
Arms “Nighthawk” semi-auto carbine; or (xlv) Wilkinson
Arms 9mm semi-auto “Terry.”
See Md. Code Ann., Pub. Safety § 5-101(r)(2).
The FSA provides a separate definition for a copycat weapon
that is premised on a weapon’s characteristics, rather than
being identified by a list of specific firearms. In relevant
part, a copycat weapon means:
(i) a semiautomatic centerfire rifle that can
accept a detachable magazine and has any two
of the following:
1. a folding stock;
2. a grenade launcher or flare launcher;
or
3. a flash suppressor;
(ii) a semiautomatic centerfire rifle that has a
fixed magazine with the capacity to accept
more than 10 rounds;
(iii) a semiautomatic centerfire rifle that has an
overall length of less than 29 inches;
* * *
(v) a semiautomatic shotgun that has a folding
stock; or
(vi) a shotgun with a revolving cylinder.
See Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 4-301(e)(1).
The FSA excludes
assault long guns — those enumerated in section 5-101(r)(2) of the Public Safety Article and their copies — from the definition
of a copycat weapon. See Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 4-
301(e)(2)
Although the FSA also identifies “assault pistol[s]” as
assault weapons, see Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 4-301(c),
(d)(2), the plaintiffs have not challenged the FSA’s prohibition
against assault pistols. Thus, our discussion of the banned
assault weapons is limited to assault long guns and those
copycat weapons that are rifles and shotguns.