Weapon Crimes Defense Lawyer, Archie, MO. MO is known as a pro-second amendment state – Missouri takes the right to bear arms seriously. But just because you have many freedoms to carry weapons, doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want with them.
Frequently, weapons criminal charges are felonies, which means you are facing potentially years in prison if convicted. If you don’t have a leading Archie weapon crimes defense lawyer, you could be labelled as a felon for life for just acting in self defense.
Protect your rights. Preserve your freedom. Hire Combs Waterkotte. Our team of Archie’s leading weapons crime defense lawyers, including a former prosecutor, knows how to protect you. We do not compromise on the quality of your defense and will fight to get you the best possible outcome against your criminal weapons charges.
Contact us immediately at (314) 900-HELP or tell us about your case online for a free, confidential consultation.
Cases Handled
Over 10,000
Jail Days Saved
Over 1 Million
Google Reviews
400+ Perfect
Legal Experience
Over 60 Years

What Do Weapon Laws Cover in Archie, MO?
MO law sets rules for the usage, ownership, and transfer of firearms and other deadly weapons. These are all in addition to federal laws, which also set rules for weapons. Here’s an interesting example: MO does not address background checks in the sale or transfer of firearms, but federal law requires licensed dealers to conduct one, meaning that if you want to buy a gun in MO, you should still be prepared for a background check.
In MO, most individuals are permitted to carry a firearm, so long as:
- They do not carry it into certain locations, including schools, government buildings, airports, churches, etc., and
- They have not lost their right to carry a firearm.
MO allows its citizens the use of guns to shoot targets and for self-defense, but some specific uses are not allowed. These activities mostly are ones that would put others’ wellbeing at risk, such as firing a gun near a school, bringing one to a polling place during an election, or using one while committing another crime.
One important point – while we’ve talked mostly about state restrictions above, MO allows for individual municipalities to enforce their own laws on weapon possession, so to ensure you’re compliant with regulations in Archie, be sure to read your local statutes and ask a gun crime lawyer if there’s any part you’re having trouble understanding.
Common Weapon Crimes Charges in MO
While there are a variety of weapons charges you can face in Archie, MO, here are some of our specialty areas that we’ve fought cases for in MO:
- Unlawful Use of a Weapon
- Unlawful Possession, Manufacture, Transport, and Repair of Certain Weapons
- Carrying a Concealed Weapon Without a Permit
- Possession of an Illegal Weapon
- Possession of a Firearm While Intoxicated
- Illegal Discharge of a Firearm
- Federal Felon in Possession of a Firearm
- Federal Weapons/Firearm Offenses
- Other Gun Charges
- Other Weapons Offenses
Other Weapon Laws in MO
It’s also important in MO to be aware of laws for non-firearm self-defense items. Typical self-defense devices, including pepper spray and stun guns, can be possessed in MO without special permits.
Other tools, such as knives, blackjacks, and batons, are special in that they are treated as dangerous weapons. With this classification, even though they are not firearms, they generally are subject to the same restrictions, and also have limitations on where they can be carried.
However, as mentioned above related to firearms, different localities can have different restrictions, so reach out to a Archie weapons law expert if the statute is unclear regarding a specific self-defense device.
MO Weapon Crimes Sentences:
If you’re up against allegations for weapons crimes in MO, you need to call an attorney right away. Here’s what you could be facing if you don’t hire a weapon crimes defense attorney before it’s too late:
| Alleged Crime | Violation | Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Defacing a Firearm | Class A Misdemeanor | Up to 1 year in jail and a $2,000 fine |
| Unlawful Transfer of Weapons | Up to a Class E Felony | Up to 4 years in prison |
| Fraudulent Firearm Purchase | Class E Felony | Up to 4 years in prison |
| Unlawful Discharge of a Firearm | Up to a Class D Felony | Up to 7 years in prison |
| Unlawful Possession of a Firearm | Up to a Class B Felony | 10-20 years in prison |
| Unlawful Use of a Weapon | Up to a Class A Felony | Up to 10-30 years or life imprisonment |
| Armed Criminal Action | Unclassified Felony | Adds at least 3 years onto a prison sentence, which cannot be avoided with probation or parole |
When you look at the potential fallout of a conviction, why would you not hire a Archie weapon crimes defense lawyer?
What to Look For in a Archie, MO, Weapon Crimes Defense Lawyer
Cases Handled
Over 10,000
Jail Days Saved
Over 1 Million
Google Reviews
400+ Perfect
Legal Experience
Over 60 Years
When you’re deciding on a Archie, MO, weapon crimes defense attorney, choosing the right one can make all the difference – you need someone who will treat you like a person, not a case number, and will keep going until you get the justice you deserve.
Below, we’ve listed the important qualifications you should watch out for when hiring a Archie defense attorney:
- Experience: Time in the courtroom gives defense attorneys real-world experience they can bring to your defense. Our attorneys has extensive experience defending cases just like yours, with a combined more than 60 years of legal experience and over 10,000 cases handled.
- Reputation: When people talk about your lawyer, you want to hear good things. Combs Waterkotte has a distinguished reputation amongst clients, fellow lawyers, and professional associations.
- Resources: When you’re up against serious weapon crimes charges, you want a strong team of experienced individuals on your side.
- Approach: It’s important to work with a lawyer who puts clients first. At Combs Waterkotte, we treat your case as if it were our own, and we don’t leave you in the dark with your case.
- Fearless Defense: If plea negotiations fall through, you don’t want an attorney without a plan. You want someone who’s ready to go to battle. Our lawyers always build our defenses as if we’re going to trial, which also helps us out in negotiations.
Weapon Crimes Defenses We Use in Archie, MO
Weapon crimes will generally progress through the legal system the same way as any other criminal charges. However, they are more likely to involve tactics like claiming self-defense, and cases are often less about if you “did it” and more on whether what the defendant did was “justified.”
Below, we’ve listed common defense tactics we might use in your case against Archie, MO, weapon crimes allegations:
- Self-Defense: If you fired a gun in self-defense, related criminal charges can be invalidated in many cases. In Missouri, you are allowed to take actions to defend yourself against imminent danger.
- Defense of Others: Just like with self-defense, you can take action to protect another person from harm. Some weapon charges are invalidated if you were protecting another, as they would be with self-defence.
- Castle Doctrine: MO castle doctrine says that you are allowed to use force, including weapons, to protect yourself and others in your home. Caslet doctrine does not require you to retreat prior to defending yourself. However, the force used must be proportionate to the force of the perceived threat.
- Stand Your Ground: Stand your ground is built off of castle doctrine. The state of Missouri states that you have no requirement to retreat before using force (including weapons) to defend yourself, as long as you were permitted to be in that location in the first place.
- Necessity: Necessity applies to situations where you were forced to do something illegal in order to stop something worse. Perhaps in an effort to scare off someone threatening you, you fired a warning shot. You could be accused of an unlawful discharge, but preventing a greater harm may legally justify your actions.
- Duress: When you unwillingly broke the law, because you were forced to do so, you can use duress as a legal justification. For example, if someone threatened your family and made you carry a weapon into a government building, you could claim duress as a defense.
- Lack of Intent: If you didn’t mean to break the law, depending on what exactly it was, a lack of intent can protect you from punishment. For example, giving a blackjack to an underaged person without permission is illegal. However, if you honestly thought the person was older, you would not have had intent.
Archie, MO, Weapon Crimes Defense FAQs
What self-defense weapons are legal in Missouri?
Typical self-defense weapons which you can legally use in Missouri include guns, stun guns, tasers, pepper spray, and batons. Some of these still face restrictions in their use, though.
Regardless of the weapon you use, though, keep in mind that when acting in self-defense, the response remain proportionate to the threat.
What is the penalty for armed criminal action in Missouri?
Armed criminal action involves the use of a deadly weapon while committing another felony. The prison sentence it adds is in addition to the penalties for the related felony, and the sentence depends on whether the person already has armed criminal action on their record or not:
First offense: Adds 3-15 years (or 5-15 years if the gun was illegally possessed)
Second offense: Adds 5-30 years (or 15+ years if the gun was illegally possessed)
Third+ offense: Addes 10+ years (or 15+ years if the gun was illegally possessed)
Additionally, punishments added because of armed criminal action are ineligible for parole or probation.
What is the Castle Doctrine in Missouri?
Missouri castle doctrine is a part of §563.031, RSMo 2016, which permits the use of force to defend one’s dwelling, residence, or vehicle from aggressors, with no requirement to retreat.
However, this does not give you permission to shoot someone that is not a threat to you. Deadly force is only allowed when facing “the use or imminent use of unlawful force.”
What counts as self-defense in Archie, MO?
Missouri’s self-defense law permits one to use force to defend oneself from a threat, provided that the defensive force is proportional to the threatening force.
Self-defense is legal in cases where it is used to defend oneself (or others) from harm, when one is unable or not required to retreat, or to defend one’s home/vehicle.
As a stand your ground state, Missouri law makes it so that citizens don’t have to to retreat from a threatening situation, so long as they were not trespassing themselves.
How do I defend against weapons charges in Archie?
Common defense strategies for criminal weapon charges include self-defense, the defense of others, castle doctrine, and stand your ground.
How can you lose your right to own a gun in Archie?
People in Archie, MO, can lose their Second Amendment rights for a few reasons:
- If they receive a felony conviction
- If they are a fugitive
- If they are regularly drunk or drugged
- If they are deemed mentally incompetent
- If, in accordance with federal laws, they have been convicted of domestic violence, regardless of whether it was a misdemeanor or a felony.
Can police search your car for weapons without a warrant?
While you are protected from unreasonable searches and seizures, police can still search your car for weapons if they have probable cause, if you consent, if they are checking for their safety after an arrest, or if your vehicle is impounded.

Need a Weapon Crimes Defense Lawyer in Archie, MO? Call Combs Waterkotte Now
Weapon crimes in Archie are not going to go away on their own. If a prosecutor is trying to put you in prison for them, you need a leading weapon crimes defense lawyer to fight for your freedom. You need Combs Waterkotte.
With Combs Waterkotte, you’re choosing a firm that doesn’t settle for the second-best outcome. Our team is all about getting you good results, and that means doing whatever we can to get the best possible outcome for you. We have the resources and expertice that are needed when you’re up against weapon crimes charges.
Protect your rights by calling us now at (314) 900-HELP or let us know your charges online for a no-obligation, confidential consultation.