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Gun shop Cape Girardeau, Missouri

Order online, pick up at a licensed dealer in Cape Girardeau County. Cape Girardeau sits on the last high bluff before the Mississippi spills into the Bootheel lowlands, with Southeast Missouri State University on the hill and a painted floodwall along the river. The Bill Emerson Memorial Bridge carries US 60 across to Illinois.

Cape Girardeau, Cape Girardeau County
CountyCape Girardeau
LicensesCape Girardeau County Sheriff (the Sheriff of the City of St. Louis inside the city)
Hunting zoneSouth duck zone
Public rangeIn the county

How buying a gun in Cape Girardeau works

Pick an FFL dealer near you that accepts shipped transfers and name it at checkout. We confirm their license and ship the firearm to them. Ammunition, optics and parts ship straight to your door where Missouri law allows.

Missouri has no permit to purchase, no firearm registration and no state waiting period. The old permit to acquire a concealable firearm, issued by the sheriff since 1921, was repealed with Section 571.090 RSMo by Senate Bills 62 and 41 in 2007. At a licensed dealer you show photo ID, complete ATF Form 4473 and the dealer runs a federal NICS background check; if it comes back as proceed you can take the firearm home the same day. Federal law sets the dealer minimum at 18 for rifles and shotguns and 21 for handguns. Private sales between residents need no state check.

Dealers in these communities all work for Cape Girardeau-area buyers:

  • Jackson
  • Scott City
  • Chaffee
  • Oak Ridge
  • Gordonville
  • Fruitland
  • Dutchtown
  • Delta
  • Perryville
  • Benton

Carrying a gun in Cape Girardeau County

Missouri has allowed carry without a permit since January 1, 2017. If you are 19 or older, or 18 and serving in or honorably discharged from the armed forces, and nothing bars you from having a firearm, you may carry concealed. The Cape Girardeau County sheriff still issues the concealed carry permit under Section 571.101 RSMo: eight hours of training with a live-fire qualification, fingerprints, a fee of up to $100 and five years of validity, with extended and lifetime permits under Section 571.205. Many people still hold one for reciprocity in other states. Section 571.107 lists the places that stay off-limits.

Hunting near Cape Girardeau

Missouri runs one statewide firearms deer season rather than numbered units. For 2026-27 the November portion runs November 14-24, 2026, with early youth October 24-25, late youth November 27-29, early antlerless October 9-11 and late antlerless December 5-13 in open counties, and alternative methods December 26, 2026 to January 5, 2027. Centerfire rifles, handguns and shotgun slugs with expanding bullets are legal, along with muzzleloaders of .40 caliber or larger and archery gear; buckshot and self-loading firearms holding more than 11 cartridges are not. Mandatory chronic wasting disease sampling covers 28 counties on opening weekend.

Cape Girardeau County falls in the South Zone, where the duck season runs November 26-29 and December 7 through January 31, 2027. The Apple Creek Conservation Area north of town has an unstaffed rifle and pistol range, and the bluff timber above the river holds deer and turkey.

Trail of Tears State Park north of town preserves bluff forest and the crossing site of the 1838 removal, and the flooded fields west toward Delta draw ducks and geese all winter.

Public shooting ranges near Cape Girardeau

Missouri's public shooting ranges are run by the Department of Conservation: five staffed shooting range and outdoor education centers with a small per-hour fee, plus roughly 69 unstaffed ranges on conservation areas that are free and open from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset. The Conservation Commission gave initial approval in May 2026 to requiring a small game permit at unstaffed ranges from February 28, 2027, so check the current rules before you drive out.

Source: Missouri Department of Conservation shooting range and conservation area pages, September 2026. Distances are approximate; call or check the agency site before you drive out.

Duck & turkey shotguns for Cape Girardeau

Shotgun guide →

Deer rifles for Cape Girardeau

Hunting guide →

Buying a gun in Cape Girardeau: common questions

Can I buy a gun online and pick it up in Cape Girardeau?

Yes. Order here, name a licensed FFL dealer in Jackson, Scott City, Chaffee, Cape Girardeau or anywhere in Cape Girardeau County, and we ship the firearm to them. You fill out ATF Form 4473 at their counter and they run the background check.

Do I need a permit to buy a gun in Cape Girardeau?

No. Missouri repealed its permit to acquire in 2007 and has no registration. You show ID, complete Form 4473 and pass a NICS check at the licensed dealer near Cape Girardeau that receives your order.

Is there a waiting period in Missouri?

No. Missouri has no state waiting period. Once the dealer's NICS check returns a proceed, the transfer can be finished the same day.

Who issues concealed carry permits in Cape Girardeau County?

The Cape Girardeau County sheriff issues the permit under Section 571.101 RSMo after eight hours of training with a live-fire qualification, fingerprints and a fee of up to $100. Inside the City of St. Louis the city sheriff handles it.

How does a firearm I order reach Cape Girardeau?

We ship every firearm to a licensed dealer near Cape Girardeau that you choose at checkout. The dealer runs the background check and hands the gun over; ammunition, optics and most parts ship to your door.

Can I carry without a permit around Cape Girardeau?

Yes, if you are 19 or older and not barred from having a firearm. Missouri has allowed permitless concealed carry since 2017, though some cities, including St. Louis, restrict open carry by people without a permit.

What shotgun works for ducks near Cape Girardeau?

A 12- or 20-gauge pump or semi-auto plugged to three shells, loaded with non-toxic shot. You need a small game hunting permit, the Missouri migratory bird hunting permit and a federal duck stamp, and the duck zone sets your dates.

What does an FFL transfer cost in Cape Girardeau?

Each dealer sets its own fee, commonly $20 to $75. Call before you order to confirm the price and that they accept firearms shipped from an online store.

Nearby cities

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More Missouri guides

General information, not legal advice. Rules current as of September 2026. See our Missouri gun law overview and check with Cape Girardeau County Sheriff (the Sheriff of the City of St. Louis inside the city) or a local attorney about your own situation.