Mississippi

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Mississippi

This jurisdictional hub aggregates FRC holdings related to Mississippi. It supports research on the state’s firearms history, technology, law, policy, and culture from the territorial period through statehood to the present.

Legal sources: statutes and session laws, administrative code, attorney general opinions, appellate decisions, and select municipal ordinances.
Historical materials: newspapers, photographs, maps, catalogs, river trade and port records, agricultural and manufacturing archives, Civil War and Reconstruction collections, and oral histories tied to Mississippi people and places.
Research outputs: technical reports, academic studies, training manuals, and curated datasets relevant to the state.

Cite the Firearms Research Center and the item’s handle/DOI when using materials. Rights and licensing vary by item.

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Miss. Const. art. I, § 23
(1817)
Declared every citizen has a right to bear arms in defence of himself and the State.
1799 Miss. Terr. Laws 113
(1799)
A Law for The Regulation of Slaves: Prohibited any "Negro or mulatto" from carrying gun, powder, shot, club, or other weapon. Also prohibits a "negro or mulatto" from possessing a gun, weapon, or ammunition.
1807 Miss. Terr. Laws 593
(1807)
Prohibition for people to purchase and trade guns and hunting articles with "any Indian."
The Charter and Code of the Ordinances of Yazoo City 172-75 (1908)
(1906)
Section 291 penalized the use of live pigeons for target shooting. Sections 293-300 regulate concealed weapons and their sale or use. Carrying a concealed deadly weapon is a misdemeanor punishable by a $25–$100 fine, up to 90 days in jail, or both, and the weapon is forfeited and destroyed. Exceptions include self-defense, travelers, peace officers, mail carriers, and certain workers. Dealers must record weapon and ammunition sales. Selling or lending weapons to minors or intoxicated people is prohibited. Additional penalties apply to parents allowing young sons to carry weapons, weapons in public schools, and displaying or using deadly weapons in a threatening manner.
1804 Miss. Terr. Laws 90-91
(1804)
An Act Respecting Slaves, § 4: Prohibited any "Slave" from keeping or carrying any gun, powder, shot, club, weapon, or ammunition.
1814 Miss. Terr. Laws 16
(1814)
An Act To Authorize The Governor Of Mississippi Territory, To Accept Of The Services Of Citizens Exempted From Militia Duty, § 2: Immediately on the governor's acceptance of any number of volunteers, by virtue of this act, each private shall proceed to provide himself with a good rifle, musket or shot gun with four flints, twenty rounds of powder, ball, or buckshot, best suited to his gun, together with the most convenient accoutrements. The commissioned officers shall be armed with swords; and the arms and accoutrements of all such volunteers shall be exempted from executions in payment of debts and their persons, when on service, free from arrest in civil cases.
1824 Miss. Rev. Code 608
(1824)
Said president and selectmen may pass ordinances to regulate the keeping, carting and transporting gunpowder, or other combustible or dangerous materials, and, the use of lights in stables, to remove or prevent the construction of any fireplace, hearth or chimney, stoves, ovens, boilers, kettles or apparatus used in any house, building, manufactory or business which may be dangerous in causing or promoting fires; to appoint one or more officers, at reasonable times, to enter into and examine all dwelling houses, lots, yards and buildings, in order to discover whether any of them are in a dangerous state
1926 Miss. Laws 272
(1926)
Ch. 176, §§ 1-2: [A]ny person, who, with intent to commit crime, breaks and enters, either by day or by night, any building, whether inhabited or not, and opens or attempts to open any vault, safe or other secure place by the use of nitroglycerine, dynamite, gunpowder or any other explosive, shall be deemed guilty of burglary with explosives. § 2. Any person duly convicted of burglary with explosives shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of not less than twenty-five nor more than forty years.
Ordinance No. III: Crimes and Misdemeanors, in Greenville Times, Dec. 31, 1881, at 2, § 6-8
(1881)
§ 6: That it shall be unlawful to fly kites, play ball, throw missiles, or discharge any fire-arms, or other explosives, (except fireworks on national holidays) or cause dogs to fight in the streets of the town, or do any act to injure property, public or private, or make any noise on t h streets likely to frighten horses or mules, or alarm or injure persons, or impede the free passage of vehicles or persons, or to discharge any fire-arms within the town, unless in self-defense or defense of his property, or while in the legal execution of some law or ordinance;
Ordinance no. 12, § 2, in Oxford Eagle, Jul. 7, 1898, at 2
(1898)
Prohibited brandishing deadly weapons in a rude, angry, or threatening manner.
1916 Miss. Laws 388-89
(1916)
Ch. 245 § 14(d): It shall be unlawful for any body of men whatsoever, other than the regularly organized land and naval militia of this state, the land and naval forces of the United States, and the students of public or of regularly chartered educational institutions where military science is a prescribed part of the course of instruction, to associate themselves together as a military organization for drill or parade in public with firearms in this state, without special license from the governor for each occasion
1898 Miss. Laws 22
(1898)
Ch. 5, § 63: Imposed 5 dollar tax on pistol dealers
1898 Miss. Laws 86
(1898)
Ch. 68: Amended 1896 Miss. Laws 109-10, ch. 104 to prohibit the conceal carry bowie knives, dirks, butcher knives, pistols, metal knuckles, slingshots, sword, or other deadly weapons of like kind. Violations deemed a misdemeanor and fined not less than twenty-five dollars but no more than one hundred dollars.
1839 Miss. Laws 385-86
(1839)
Ch. 168, § 5: Authorized the town of Emery to enact restrictions on the carrying of dirks, Bowie knives, or pistols.
1840 Miss. Laws 181
(1840)
Ch. 111, § 5: Authorized the town of Hernando to enact restrictions on the carrying of dirks, Bowie knives, or pistols.
1924 Miss. Laws 554
(1924)
Ch. 323, § 2: It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt with gun or dog on any sanctuary or preserve for birds and game, or to rob or destroy the nests of any birds, or to catch, snare, trap, or net any birds within any such prescribed limits, and any person found with gun or dog on or within such prescribed limits, shall be prima facie presumed to be hunting in violation of this act.
Ordinance no. 25, in Oxford Eagle, Jul. 7, 1898, at 2
(1898)
Any marshal or night-watchmen who fails or refuses to report, arrest, or bring to trial anyone who has violated any ordinance of the town shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and fined twenty-five dollars.
1900 Miss. Laws 51-52
(1900)
Ch. 49: The auditor of the public accounts shall, by the first day of February in each year, furnish the clerk of the board of supervisors of each county with three copies of blank assessment rolls, and counties having two judicial districts shall be furnished with four copies; said roll shall be made of good paper, neatly and substantially bound and properly ruled and headed for the assessment of personal property and polls, in which to enter the following items: . . . sixteenth column, number of guns over one; seventeenth column, number of pistols, bowie knives, dirks or sword canes[.]
1906 Miss. Laws 367
(1906)
Ch. 114, § 3887: On each person or firm dealing in pistols, dirk knives, sword canes, brass or metallic knuckles, or other deadly weapons (shotguns and rifles excepted) - 100.00. And which shall be in addition to all and any other taxes or privileges paid. On each firm or dealer selling air guns, target or flobert rifles (and this shall apply even if the same has a license to sell merchandise, pistols or cartridges) - $25.00.
1922 Miss. Laws 235
(1922)
Ch. 181, § 10(b): It shall be unlawful for any person to shoot wild water fowl with any shotgun of larger bore than number ten, or with any rifle or any gun which can be shot from the shoulder.
1892 Miss. Laws 193-4, 198
(1892)
Ch. 74: Mandated tax assessors to have prepared rolls of taxable items, including guns(more than one), pistols, Bowie knives, dirks, and sword canes.
1880 Miss. Rev. Code 776-77, §§ 2985-88
(1880)
Ch. 77, §§ 2986-88: It shall not be lawful for any person to sell to any minor or person intoxicated knowing him to a a minor or in a state of intoxication, any weapons of the kind or description in the foregoing section described, or any pistol cartridge and on conviction he shall be punished by a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars, and if the fine and costs are not paid, be condemned to hard labor under the direction of the board of supervisors or of the court not exceeding six months. § 2987. Any father who shall knowingly suffer or permit any minor son under the age of sixteen years to carry concealed, in whole or in part, any person of the kind or description in the forgoing section described, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction, shall be fined not less than twenty dollars, nor more than two hundred dollars, and if the fine and costs are not paid, shall be condemned to hard labor as provided in the proceeding section. § 2988. Any student of any university, college, or school, who shall carry concealed, in whole or in part, any weapon of the kind or description in the foregoing section described, or any teacher, instructor or professor who shall knowingly, suffer or permit any such weapon to be carried by any student or pupil, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction be fined not exceeding three hundred dollars, and if the fine and costs are not paid, be condemned to hard labor as above provided.
Miss. Code Ann. ch. 29, § 1030 (1892)
(1892)
§ 1030: Prohibited students in any university, college, or school from carrying, bringing, receiving, owning, having on campus, college, or school grounds, or within two miles thereof, any weapon of which concealed carry is prohibited. Also includes teachers, instructors, or professors from knowingly suffer or permit those weapons to be carried. Violators guilty of a misdemeanor, fined not more than three hundred dollars or imprisoned not exceeding three months, or both.
1878 Miss. Laws 27, 29
(1878)
Ch. 3, §§ 8, 12: Mandated tax assessors to have prepared lists of taxable items, including pistols, Bowie knives, dirks, and sword canes.
Miss. Code Ann. ch. 29, § 1247 (1892)
(1892)
Ch. 29, § 1247: If any person shall sell, or offer or expose for sale, any toy pistol, or cartridges or caps, or other contrivance by which such pistols are fired or made to cause an explosion, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and on conviction, shall be punished by fine not less than five dollars nor more than twenty five dollars or imprisonment in the county jail not less than three days nor more than thirty days, or both.
1886 Miss. Laws 12, 19
(1886)
ch. 2, § 1: Placed $25 tax on shooting ranges/galleries
1878 Miss. Laws 175-6
(1878)
Ch.46 § 1: Prohibited the carrying of a concealed Bowie knife, pistol, brass knuckles, slungshot or other deadly weapon. Excepted travels other than "a tramp." Punishable by fine of $5-100.
1884 Miss. Laws 412
(1884)
ch. 390, § 24, pt. 16: To regulate and prevent the storage of cotton, hay, gun powder, oil or any other combustible, explosive or inflammable [sic] material or substance; or of any material or substance offensive to public comfort or injurious to health.
Miss. Const. of 1890 art. III, § 12
(1890)
The right of every citizen to keep and bear arms in defense of his home, person or property, or in aid of the civil power when thereto legally summoned, shall not be called in question, but the legislature may regulate or forbid carrying concealed weapons.
Miss. Code Ann. ch. 29, § 1026 (1892)
(1892)
§ 1026: "Any person who carries concealed, in whole or in part any bowie-knife, dirk-knife, butcher-knife, pistol, brass or metallic knuckles, slung-shot, sword, or other deadly weapon of like kind or description?"
1878 Miss. Laws 175-76
(1878)
An Act To Prevent The Carrying Of Concealed Weapons And For Other Purposes, ch. 46, § 2: Prohibited the sale of any Bowie knife, pistol, brass knuckles, slung shot, or other deadly weapon of like kind to any minor or intoxicated person.
1896 Miss. Laws 109-10
(1896)
Ch. 104: Prohibited the carrying of a concealed Bowie knife, dirk, butcher knife, pistol, brass or metallic knuckles, slingshot, sword, or other deadly weapon "of like kind or description."
1878 Miss. Laws 176
(1878)
Ch. 46, § 4: [A]ny student of any university, college or school, who shall carry concealed, in whole or in part, any weapon of the kind or description in the first section of this Act described, or any teacher, instructor, or professor who shall, knowingly, suffer or permit any such weapon to be carried by any student or pupil, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction, be fined not exceeding three hundred dollars, and if the fine and costs are not paid, condemned to hard labor under the direction of the board of supervisors or of the court.
1880 Miss. Laws 21
(1880)
Ch. 6, § 7: Mandated tax assessors to have prepared rolls of taxable items, including pistols, Bowie knives, dirks, and sword canes.
1880 Miss. Rev. Code 775
(1880)
Ch. 77, § 2983: If any person assaults and beats another with a cowhide, whip or stick, having at the time in his possession a pistol or other deadly weapon, with intent to intimidate the person assaulted, and prevent him from defending himself, he shall on conviction be imprisoned in the penitentiary not longer than ten years.]
1876 Miss. Laws 131, 134
(1876)
Ch. 304: Allowed the Auditor of Public Accounts to create assessment rolls for property subject to taxation, including pistols, dirks, bowie knives, and sword canes.
Volney Erskine Howard, The Statutes of the State of Mississippi 676 (1840)
(1840)
§ 55 : If any person having or carrying any dirk, dirk knife, Bowie knife, sword, sword cane, or other deadly weapon, shall, in the presence of three or more persons, exhibit the same in a rude, angry and threatening manner, not in necessary self-defense, or shall in any manner unlawfully use the same in any fight or quarrel, the person or persons so offending, upon conviction thereof in the circuit or criminal court of the proper county, shall be fined in a sum not exceeding five hundred dollars, and be imprisoned not exceeding three months.
1862 Miss. Laws 134
(1861)
Ch. 125: Prohibited any Sheriff or Tax-Collector to collect from any tax payer the tax previously assessed upon any Bowie-knife, sword-cane, or dirk-knife. None of the above items shall be given to tax assessors as taxable property.
1837 Miss. Laws 736-37
(1837)
An Act To Prevent The Evil Practice Of Dueling In This State And For Other Purposes, § 5: Prohibited the use of any rifle, shotgun, sword cane, pistol, dirk, dirk knife, Bowie knife, or any other deadly weapon in a fight in which one of the combatants was killed, and the exhibition of any dirk, dirk knife, Bowie knife, sword, sword cane, or other deadly weapon in a rude or threatening manner that was not in necessary self-defense. Punishable by liability to decedent and a fine of up to $500 and imprisonment for up to 3 months.
1867 Miss. Laws 412
(1867)
Ch. 317: Imposed property tax on several arms. Every pistol has more than one barrel or revolver, two dollars. On every single barrel pistol, one dollar. On each rifle, shotgun, army gun, fifty cents. On each and every Bowie-knife, sword-cane, or dirk, two dollars.

Mississippi

Mississippi

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