What Is 922(r) Compliance for Imported Rifles and Shotguns?

Meta description: Learn what 922(r) compliance means for imported semiautomatic rifles and shotguns, how the parts-count rule works, and where to check the law.

Section 922(r) is a U.S. federal law that can restrict how certain imported semiautomatic rifles and shotguns are assembled. It is often discussed as a “10-or-fewer imported parts” rule, but that shorthand leaves out important details: the rule applies to specific firearms, counts only parts named in federal regulations, and depends on whether the assembled firearm is one that cannot be imported for sporting purposes. Understanding those limits helps clarify what 922(r) compliance does—and does not—mean.

What Section 922(r) Means

Section 922(r) of the Gun Control Act makes it unlawful for a person to assemble a semiautomatic rifle or shotgun from imported parts if the resulting firearm would be prohibited from importation under the federal sporting-purpose standard. The related regulation, 27 CFR § 478.39, sets out a list of parts used to determine whether the assembly restriction applies.

In practice, the regulation generally permits no more than 10 imported parts from its list to be present in a covered firearm after assembly. That is why people commonly describe compliance as having “10 or fewer imported parts.” However, the law does not establish a universal rule that every imported rifle or shotgun must contain a particular number of U.S.-made parts. The relevant questions are whether the firearm is covered, which listed parts it has, and how many of those parts are imported.

Section 922(r) concerns assembly. It is distinct from the federal rules governing whether a firearm may be imported in the first place, and it is not a general rule that applies identically to every firearm with foreign-made components. A firearm’s model, configuration, and parts all matter.

Which Firearms Can Be Covered?

The restriction applies to semiautomatic rifles and shotguns assembled from imported parts when the resulting configuration is one that would be prohibited from importation under the sporting-purpose provision in 18 U.S.C. § 925(d)(3). That provision addresses the importation of firearms “generally recognized as particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes,” subject to statutory exceptions.

Because the sporting-purpose determination is configuration-specific, 922(r) is not simply a rule for all imported guns. It also does not apply to every semiautomatic firearm. Non-semiautomatic firearms, such as many manually operated rifles and shotguns, are outside the regulation’s stated category. Whether a particular model or configuration is covered can require a careful review of its features and import history.

Import approval and 922(r) assembly are related but separate matters. A firearm that was imported in an approved configuration may later be altered. Conversely, an imported firearm’s foreign origin alone does not prove that a particular assembly violates 922(r). For a specific firearm, manufacturer or importer documentation and guidance from a qualified firearms-law attorney can be more reliable than assumptions based on a model name or online parts list.

The 20 Parts Listed in the Regulation

Section 478.39 identifies 20 categories of parts for the count. A category is counted only if the firearm has that part. For example, a firearm without a separate part in one listed category does not gain an extra count for that absent component.

Important counting detail: the table contains 21 entries when “frame” and “receiver” are counted separately. The regulation’s list is conventionally referred to as the 20-part list because the frame-or-receiver category is treated as one category in common summaries. The exact wording in § 478.39 lists both frame and receiver as separate entries, so the firearm’s design and which listed component it has should be checked against the regulation rather than relying on a simplified chart.

Not every firearm contains every listed component as a distinct part. Some designs combine functions in a single component, while others lack categories such as a separate barrel extension or gas piston. The count is therefore based on the actual firearm and the regulatory categories, not on a generic checklist applied without regard to design.

How the Imported-Parts Count Works

For a covered assembly, the regulation’s central threshold is more than 10 imported parts from the listed categories. If the firearm contains 10 or fewer imported listed parts, it is generally described as meeting the parts-count limit. This shorthand does not independently establish legality: the firearm must still comply with all other applicable federal, state, and local laws.

A practical review usually starts by identifying each listed part present in the firearm, then determining whether each one is imported or domestic. The total number of imported listed parts is then compared with the threshold. Parts not named in the regulation generally are not included in this particular count, although they may matter under other laws or regulations.

For example, if a covered firearm has 14 listed parts and 11 are imported, it would exceed the commonly stated limit. If it has 14 listed parts and 10 are imported, it would meet that parts-count threshold, assuming the relevant classification and other legal requirements are satisfied. These examples illustrate the arithmetic only; they are not a legal determination for any specific firearm.

Why “U.S.-Made Parts” Is an Incomplete Summary

People often frame 922(r) as a requirement to install a certain number of U.S.-made parts. That is a useful way to think about reducing the imported-part count in some situations, but it is not the wording of the statute. The legal focus is on assembling a covered firearm from imported parts, and the regulation identifies the categories used for the count.

The number of domestic parts needed, if any, depends on how many listed parts are present and how many are imported. A firearm with fewer listed components may reach the threshold with a different parts mix than one with more. A replacement component also does not automatically count as domestic merely because it was purchased in the United States; its actual origin and regulatory category matter.

Records can be useful when part origin is uncertain. Product descriptions, manufacturer statements, packaging, and purchase records may help establish where a component was made. They are not a substitute for a formal legal opinion, and descriptions such as “U.S.-compliant” should be evaluated against the firearm’s actual configuration and current law.

922(r) Compliance Is Not the Same as Import Compliance

Importers must follow federal import requirements, including the sporting-purpose provisions that may determine whether a firearm can be imported in a particular configuration. Section 922(r), by contrast, addresses the later assembly of certain semiautomatic rifles and shotguns. The rules interact, but one does not replace the other.

A firearm’s presence in the U.S. market does not, by itself, answer every question about a later alteration. Likewise, compliance with a parts count does not make an otherwise prohibited configuration lawful. Federal rules covering machine guns, short-barreled rifles or shotguns, silencers, and other regulated items may apply independently, as can state restrictions on firearm features, magazines, and ownership.

Common Misunderstandings About 922(r)

• “It applies to every imported firearm.” The regulation addresses assembly of specified semiautomatic rifles and shotguns, not all imported firearms.
• “Every gun must have a set number of American parts.” The count depends on the listed parts present and their origin; the rule is not a single universal parts recipe.
• “Any U.S.-purchased part is domestic.” Place of purchase does not establish where a part was manufactured.
• “A parts-count check covers all firearm laws.” It does not. Other federal and state laws may apply separately.
• “The list can be counted without knowing the firearm’s design.” Some categories may be absent, combined, or difficult to classify, so the actual model and configuration matter.

How to Check a Specific Firearm

A careful review should use the current text of 27 CFR § 478.39 and the statute, rather than relying only on forum posts or a generic parts chart. The following questions can organize that review:

1. Is it a semiautomatic rifle or shotgun? Confirm the firearm’s operating type and design.
2. Is the assembled configuration within the scope of the sporting-purpose import restriction? This question may depend on model-specific facts and applicable ATF determinations.
3. Which listed categories are present? Compare the firearm’s actual components with the regulation.
4. Which listed parts are imported? Use reliable origin information where available.
5. Do other laws apply? Check federal, state, and local requirements separately.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) publishes federal firearms guidance and maintains regulations relevant to importation and assembly. The official eCFR provides the current regulatory text, while the U.S. Code provides the statute. For a configuration-specific decision, a qualified attorney can assess the firearm, documentation, and applicable law.

Key Takeaway

922(r) compliance refers to a federal restriction on assembling certain imported-parts semiautomatic rifles and shotguns that would be prohibited from importation under the sporting-purpose standard. The familiar “10-or-fewer imported parts” description is a useful summary of the regulatory threshold, but it is not a complete answer on its own. Coverage depends on the firearm and its configuration, only specified parts count, and compliance with this rule does not resolve other legal requirements.