Decree on Firearms May Allow any Citizen to Purchase T4 Rifles

By Arkady Petrov

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Buying the Brazilian made Taurus “Fuzil T4” rifle may now be possible under the new classification yet to be provided by those responsible for regulating Decree 9.785, published May 7th, 2019.

Under the Decree, the firepower of weapons which can be purchased by civilians has been increased by up to four times. This increase may permit inclusion of the T4 rifle, a weapon used by military and police tactical forces and produced in Brazil by Taurus.

Taurus confirmed to Globo’s “Jornal Nacional” on Friday May 17th that it is waiting for the official regulations in order to sell the T4 to civilians. The company said it already has 2,000 pre-orders for the semi-automatic version of the rifle and that it would be available within three days of purchase.

According to Taurus, the Decree, which introduced new rules for the possession and carrying of weapons in Brazil by changing the classification of  permissible firearms, allows any Brazilian to buy the gun.

“The T4 is an assault rifle for military police use. The version that will be available to civilians does not offer this burst option. As long as citizens comply with all legal requirements, they will be able to have one of these at home”, explained Benê Barbosa, an expert in weapons and member of the Free Brazil Movement.

The measurement of a weapon’s firepower is established by the amount of energy released at the time of shooting – “kinetic energy”. Brazilians were only allowed to buy weapons having up to 407 joules of kinetic energy before the signing of the Decree, permitting only 32 and 38 caliber revolvers and 380 caliber pistols.

The Jornal Nacional has requested clarification from the Ministry of Defense, because on Saturday May 18th, the presidential office denied that the rifle could be purchased by civilians.

In addition, federal prosecutors have sought in federal courts to prevent the Decree from being put into effect, arguing that it violates applicable statutory law.

The Decree has been highly controversial since its publication, with pro- and anti- gun ownership lobbies actively promoting their competing views.