FireArm Friday: West(ern) Virginians Want to 'Rock and Roll' - #2A
West Virginia Introduces Bill to Repeal the State’s Machine Gun Ban
West Virginia Introduces Bill to Repeal the State’s Machine Gun Ban
(AmmoLand) - The West Virginia Legislature is once again considering a bold and controversial measure to repeal the state’s longstanding ban on the possession of machine guns, with House Bill 4185 introduced in the 2026 regular session. The bill, which seeks to strike down §61-7-9 of the West Virginia Code, has reignited fierce debate over Second Amendment rights and the interplay between state and federal firearms regulations.
Introduced on January 14, 2026, HB 4185 is a straightforward repeal bill. Its single purpose, as stated in the legislation, is “to repeal the section of code making it unlawful to possess a fully automatic weapon.”
Under current West Virginia law, it is illegal for any person to carry, transport, or possess a machine gun, submachine gun, or any other fully automatic firearm defined as a weapon that fires multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger unless the owner has fully complied with federal statutes and Treasury Department regulations. Violations carry misdemeanor penalties, including fines of $1,000 to $5,000 and jail time of 90 days to one year.
The existing statute, §61-7-9, dates back decades and mirrors broader federal restrictions under the National Firearms Act (NFA) of 1934. The NFA heavily regulates…