Thanks, it looks like nothing changed.

The way I read this from the front page - suppressors are a no-go for average citizens?  I've seen several state by state charts from other internet sources that say suppressors are legal in IA, but from the looks of it, only for "peace officers" etc.  I'm a NE resident, but own land in Iowa, and consequently do most of my shooting there.  Anyone able to shed some light?

deleted.

I am both a federal LEO and Army Natl Guardsman.  Does one need to be on an official status to possess a NFA item in Iowa?  I have a vacation planned that will take me to South Dakota and Iowa, and would like to bring a SBR and suppressor on the trip with an approved 5320.20.

i'm an 07ffl/sot II and i still haven't gotten a clear understanding of what you're asking for.  if it were me, i'd contact the iowa departmen of public safety for some clarity.  they can usually do a pretty good job of helping out in situations like this.  to my knowledge, you should be ok, but it won't hurt to ask real quick.

how old do you have to be to buy a stripped lower one of my coworkers at sportsman said 18 and the owner of rhine group firearms said you have to be 21 so what is it?

I believe if it is registered as a stripped lower you would have to be 21 as it could be built as a pistol. If it is registered as a rifle you could purchase at 18 since it cannot legally be built into a pistol being registered this way. I am no expert on this though.

ok ill ask at the gun show at adventureland tomorrow only 20......

i just caught this...  i think larry is right.

I live in des moines and there are no open carry laws in iowa. So i open carry all the time. Butt recently, i was jailed for 10 days for carrying a concealed weapon. And I DO have a valid perrmit to carry. The charges were dropped due to the fact that i have my cwp. They also hiked my bail up SUPER high. What should i do?

Something tells me there is more to this story...

Sorry, but none of that adds up.

Can I purchase a rifle out of state? I know with a handgun, it would have to go through a ffl. Is this the case with a ar-15 rifle? I am asking about buying in Nebraska and I live in Iowa.

Any progress on Iowans getting class III NFA items?  It's something that interests me and i'd like to acquire a suppressor or a sbr in the near future.  I could always move to just across the river to Nebraska but i'd just rather stay here.

Couple of questions.....
1) I have read that Iowa doesn't have a Castle Doctrine, but from the looks of the statute, you don't have a duty to retreat if it means leaving your house, so which is it?  

2) The part about not having a weapon in a gun free zone.  Sorry, but there are lots of schools in residential areas.  Does that mean you would be in violation of the law if you even carried the gun out of the house to your car?  If you have your CCW and are carrying a gun on you and even DRIVE past a school or park, wouldn't you be in violation?

I do not mean in any way to be insulting when I say this so please do not take offense. I wish only to help. These are some pretty basic questions that should/would be covered in any respectable carry course and I strongly suggest you take one just to cover you bases. That being said, I'll answer them as directly and thoroughly as I can.

1. You are correct in stating that Iowa law does not have castle doctrine. It also does not require to retreat from one's home. See Iowa Chapter 704 for the exact wording. Keep in mind, retreat from one's home is not retreat in one's home. As with the recent case in Minnesota, simply being in one's home when someone breaks in is not enough, in itself, to use deadly force. One, or one's loved ones or those immediately nearby, must be in danger of great bodily harm or death in order to justify the use of deadly force. The law values life, limb and well being over property nearly every time. The use of force is not a simple "if this, then that" type decision. There are a lot of things to consider. AOJP is a good standard, but nothing is perfect and there is always the danger of and idiotic/egotistical judge/jury doing what they "feel" is best rather than what makes reasonable/logical sense.

So, do you ever have to leave your house? No, but you will likely have to prove you tried taking the option not to use force before you chose to use force(assuming it was an option at the time, if someone breaks in with a weapon the option not to use force may not be available).

2.By gun free zone I assume you mean the weapons free zone mentioned in Iowa Code Chapter 724 . It is a misnomer to begin with. The law prohibits carrying firearms if one doesn't have a permit. If one does have a permit then one may not carry on the grounds of a school. The weapons free zone is the area within 1000ft of a school where, if one commits a crime involving a firearm or offensive weapon in that area, is subject to the maximum fine twice the normal amount. Those living in or driving through a weapons free zone have nothing to worry about so long as they don't commit a crime because, as permit holders(or someone transporting firearms legally), traveling with a firearm in a weapons free zone is not a crime.

I hope that answers your question.

Has anyone ever gotten a clear answer on a pistol grip only shotgun with under 18" barrel but OAL over 26"? ATF ruling says legal on the federal level because it doesn't fit their definition of shotgun(if it has never had a stock installed), but I have contacted Dept of Public Safety a couple times and they were all but useless. The answer I got was "That falls outside our area of expertise". Wouldn't mind getting one just to have it, but don't feel like being a test case either.

Felony charges aren't something I'd volunteer to be used for a test case either, but as far as I can tell, simply by reading 724.1 it's a simple "No, they are not legal in Iowa."

That's where the question comes in, it mentions "short barreled shotguns". ATF says a shotgun is designed to be fired from the shoulder, so with only a pistol grip and never having had a stock installed it is not a shotgun under federal law-or is that where the "Or other object  " BS comes in?

IANAL, but it is going to come down to whether it had a stock in its design upon manufacturing(what the original 4473 said it was) as to whether it will be considered a shotgun, an SBS, or an AOW for ATF purposes, but Iowa law is strict and doesn't make any exceptions to the rule that all shotguns' barrels must be =18" and must have an overall length of =26" for less equal animals, regardless of manufacture design.

I assume this should be updated?
Was looking at a job in Des Moines and wanted to know what the state laws were. Seems like a pretty gun happy state.
But... is Des Moines a shithole?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_laws_in_Iowa#Summary_table

I wouldn't say Des Moines is a shithole. I feel it's a pretty clean city that is rapidly expanding. Obviously with it being a big city, it does lean liberal but that's to be expected. Lots of entertainment options, good restaurants, outdoor activities, etc...

How up to date is this post?