Gun laws in American Samoa regulate the sale, possession, and use of

firearm A firearm is any type of gun that uses an explosive charge and is designed to be readily carried and operated by an individual. The term is legally defined further in different countries (see legal definitions). The first firearms originate ...

s and

ammunition Ammunition, also known as ammo, is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. The term includes both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines), and the component parts of oth ...

in the

unincorporated territory Territories of the United States are sub-national administrative divisions and dependent territory, dependent territories overseen by the federal government of the United States. The American territories differ from the U.S. states and Indi ...

American Samoa American Samoa is an Territories of the United States, unincorporated and unorganized territory of the United States located in the Polynesia region of the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific Ocean. Centered on , it is southeast of the island count ...

Summary table

Licensing process

American Samoa has a very stringent and restrictive licensing process necessary in order to purchase a firearm in American Samoa. A person has to be 21 to get a weapons license along with several other requirements.

Open carry In the United States, open carry refers to the practice of visibly carrying a firearm in public places, as distinguished from Concealed carry in the United States, concealed carry, where firearms cannot be seen by the casual observer. To "carry ...

is allowed with a weapons license,

concealed carry Concealed carry, or carrying a concealed weapon (CCW), is the practice of carrying a weapon (usually a sidearm such as a handgun), either in proximity to or on one's person or in public places in a manner that hides or conceals the weapon's pre ...

is illegal. A person who wants to obtain a license to possess a firearm must provide genuine reason why the firearm may be required. The applicant must provide signed affidavits testifying to their good character and their stated need for each firearm from the village mayor, county chief and the police. The most commonly accepted reasons for ownership are plantation protection and hunting but ownership for self-defense is not a valid reason for a license to own a gun in American Samoa. The police must approve any transfer of a firearm between persons.

Prohibited firearms and ammunition

All firearms including automatic firearms, semi-automatic rifles, and handguns are prohibited from civilian possession. Civilians can only own 12-gauge, 16-gauge, 20-gauge and .410 shotguns and .22 caliber rifles with a license. They also can only own ammunition for those types of firearms with a license; possession of any other type of ammunition, whether the person has a license or not, is illegal."American Samoa Firearms Law"
American Samoa Territorial Law. Retrieved August 5, 2014.

References

{{Gun laws in the United States by state Law of American Samoa