Shopify just amended their definitions of restricted items to include many firearms and parts. This means that these gun parts and firearms are not allowed to be sold online using Shopify's services.

Banned Firearms for Sale Online on Shopify

Shopify's new policy against online firearm sales prohibits the online sale of the following firearms using their system:

• Full-Auto Firearms,
• Certain Semi-Automatic Firearms,
• "80% guns" or 3D printed guns/plans, and
• Silencers

Full-Auto Firearms:

Contrary to popular belief, it is perfectly legal to own a full-auto firearm (or, machine gun) under Federal law.

It is also legal to sell these firearms online; however, Shopify's policy prohibits the sale of machine guns through its platform.

Certain Semi-Auto Firearms:

Shopify has taken a strange approach in which semi-auto firearms are banned online using their system. It seems to be a mix of certain state's "assault weapon" bans and the expired Federal "assault weapon" ban.

Any semi-automatic firearm with the capability to accept a detachable magazine AND at least one of the following features may NOT be sold online using Shopify's system:

• Magazine capable of accepting more than 10 rounds
• bump stock
• rapid fire trigger activator or trigger crank
• barrel shroud
• thumbhole stock
• threaded barrel capable of accepting a flash suppressor, sound suppressor or silencer
• grenade or rocket launcher
• flash suppressor, sound suppressor or silencer
• pistol grip (or in the case of a pistol, a second pistol grip)
• forward pistol grip

Additionally, even if a semi-auto gun doesn't have a detachable magazine, it is still banned if it can hold more than ten rounds of ammunition in the magazine.

"80% guns" or 3D printed guns/plans

Along with the recent craze/scare of "80% guns" and 3D printed firearms, they (and plans for them) are now banned online using Shopify.

The online sale ban includes firearms without serial numbers (which are perfectly legal under federal law to make for yourself) and 3D printed guns and their plans.

Silencers/Suppressors

Listed under "parts" (who can expect anti-gun people to understand what they are talking about?), silencers/suppressors are also banned for sale online using Shopify's system.

If you'd like to learn about firearm definitions, we've got you covered: firearms defined.

Firearm Parts Prohibited from Online Sale using Shopify

In addition to banning online sales, Shopify has also banned many firearm parts from being sold online using their system.

First, they've banned the online sale of any parts for a firearm listed above. This includes "80% receivers."

Second, they've also banned a list of gun parts for online sale:

• Magazine capable of accepting more than 10 rounds
• bump stock
• grenade or rocket launcher
• pistol grip (or in the case of a pistol, a second pistol grip)
• forward pistol grip
• barrel shroud*
• thumbhole stock*
• threaded barrel capable of accepting a flash suppressor, sound suppressor or silencer*
• flash suppressor, sound suppressor or silencer*
• rapid fire trigger activator or trigger crank
• any part, component or kit for a firearm part or including a firearm part listed above

*only if for use with a semi-automatic firearm

It is important to note that the asterisk appearing next to some items on this list means that those firearm parts are banned online only if they are for a semi-automatic firearm. Notice that the restriction for selling magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds online doesn't have an asterisk - that means all of them are banned online, regardless of what type of firearm they are for.

Firearm Sales Online

It is perfectly legal to sell firearms and their parts online. Of course, there are some rules to follow. First, if you're selling firearms online as part of a business, you'll need to get an FFL.

Second, you'll need to choose an e-commerce platform that supports your business and allows the sale of firearms and firearm parts online.

From Shopify's website: