Can a minor possess an AR-15 rifle in Wisconsin?
<p>This stems from the <a href="https://law.stackexchange.com/questions/55781/can-killing-be-self-defense-if-you-are-committing-a-crime-yourself">Kyle Rittenhouse discussion</a>:</p>
<p><a href="https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/948/60" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Wisconsin prohibits possession of rifles by minors</a>, but the same section seems to say that it only applies <a href="https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/941/iii/28" rel="nofollow noreferrer">when the rifle is &quot;short-barrel&quot;</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/a8Bsd.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/a8Bsd.jpg" alt="enter image description here" /></a></p>
<p>Can a minor possess an AR-15 rifle in Wisconsin?</p>

<p>I used photoshop to do rough calculations. Using Kyle's height as a reference point (162cm / 5ft 4&quot;), as this is what was listed on his arrest warrant. I roughly measured his rifle to be 80cm (31.4&quot;) long from the very end of the stock to the very tip of the barrel. So it is definitely longer than 26&quot; overall as per the second clause in user6726's citation of Wisconsin law. The barrel measures in at 16.8&quot; from breech face to the tip of the barrel.</p>
<p>Despite the possible margin of error that can be made in measuring objects in this manner, I think that the length of the rifle is not an issue in the law debate surrounding Kyle as far as I'm concerned as it seems to be a legal &quot;long barrel rifle&quot;</p>
<p><strong>Edit</strong>: To those who know more about rifles/guns and where exactly the breechface starts on the rifle in the photo pictured below, please let me know if the measurement is too short or too long.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/Zodgy.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/Zodgy.jpg" alt="Kyle Rittenhouse Rifle and barrel relative measurements" /></a></p>

<p>A &quot;short-barreled rifle&quot; <a href="https://law.justia.com/codes/wisconsin/2012/chapter-941/section-941.28/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">is defined</a> under Wisconsin law as</p>
<blockquote>
<p>a rifle having one or more barrels having a length of less than 16
inches measured from closed breech or bolt face to muzzle or a rifle
having an overall length of less than 26 inches.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It is reported that AR-15 rifles can have barrel lengths between 7&quot; to 24&quot;: there is no clear evidence regarding the barrel length of his rifle.</p>

united-states firearms weapons wisconsin second-amendment