How buying a gun in Great Falls 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 Montana law allows.
Montana adds no state permit, waiting period or registration to a dealer purchase, and dealers run the federal check. Federal ages apply, 21 for a handgun and 18 for a rifle or shotgun, and state law preempts most local firearm rules. Bring a current photo ID, complete ATF Form 4473 and the dealer transfers the firearm when the check clears. Online orders ship to the Montana FFL you name, and ammunition and gear ship to your door.
Dealers in these communities all work for Great Falls-area buyers:
- Black Eagle
- Belt
- Cascade
- Vaughn
- Fort Shaw
- Ulm
- Sun River
- Simms
- Fairfield
Carrying a gun in Cascade County
Montana has allowed carry without a permit, openly or concealed, since 2021 for people 18 and older who may lawfully possess a firearm. The concealed weapon permit is still issued by the sheriff of your county under state law, with a minimum age of 18, six months of residency and a familiarity requirement that hunter education or an approved firearms course satisfies. The permit runs five years and is worth holding for travel to other states, and an enhanced version exists for wider recognition.
Hunting near Great Falls
Montana's general rifle season for deer and elk runs October 24 to November 29, 2026, with archery from September 5 to October 18 and a youth deer weekend in mid-October. Antelope, sheep, moose and goat seasons run on their own calendars, and most special permits are applied for in the spring. Great Falls sits in hunting district 413 in the northwest Little Belt Mountains, whose boundary starts in town. District boundaries and elk rules are reviewed regularly, so check the current regulations before you hunt.
Great Falls sits at the edge of hunting district 413 in the northwest Little Belt Mountains, where the general rifle season for deer and elk runs October 24 to November 29. Freezeout Lake to the north is the best-known waterfowl stop in the area.
Elk and mule deer country runs west into the Little Belt and Highwood mountains, and the Freezeout Lake wildlife area north of town is one of the state's best-known stops for snow geese and ducks.
Public shooting ranges near Great Falls
The public ranges below are run or officially listed by state wildlife agencies, state forests or the national forests in the states we cover. Most ask for a hunting license, a range permit or a small day fee, and hours change with the season, so check the agency page before you drive out.
Source: State wildlife agency and U.S. Forest Service public range lists, September 2026. Distances are approximate; call or check the agency site before you drive out.