How buying a gun in Savannah 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 Georgia law allows.
Georgia does not require a purchase permit, registration or waiting period. Buying from a dealer means an ATF Form 4473 and a federal NICS background check at the counter. Under federal law you must be 21 to buy a handgun from a dealer and 18 for a rifle or shotgun. An online order ships to the Georgia FFL you pick, who checks your ID, runs the check and transfers the gun. A Georgia weapons carry license does not replace the background check at a dealer.
Dealers in these communities all work for Savannah-area buyers:
- Pooler
- Richmond Hill
- Garden City
- Port Wentworth
- Tybee Island
- Rincon
- Bloomingdale
- Thunderbolt
Carrying a gun in Chatham County
Since April 2022, Georgia lets lawful weapons carriers carry a handgun openly or concealed without a license, generally from age 21 (18 for active military and honorably discharged veterans). The optional Georgia Weapons Carry License is issued by the probate judge of your county, here the Chatham County Probate Court. The license is still useful for carry in other states and in some places state law treats differently. Schools, courthouses and secured areas of airports remain restricted.
Hunting near Savannah
Georgia's 2026-27 deer seasons open with archery in mid-September, a primitive weapons week in October, and the firearms season from October 17, 2026 to January 10, 2027, with a few extra days in some southwest counties. Centerfire rifles and handguns, shotguns and muzzleloaders are legal during firearms season. Firearms deer hunting is not allowed in Clayton, Cobb and DeKalb counties or in Fulton County north of GA Highway 92. Either-sex days vary by county, so check the current regulations.
Coastal Georgia has good deer numbers and feral hogs on private land and some WMAs. The SCDNR Palachucola range across the river in South Carolina is one of the closest state-run ranges.
Hunters around Savannah work river swamps and pine plantations for deer and hogs, and the tidal creeks bring in duck hunters and inshore anglers.
Public shooting ranges near Savannah
These public shooting ranges near our featured cities are run or listed by state wildlife agencies, state forests or the national forests. Many require a hunting or fishing license, a range permit or a day pass, and hours change with the seasons, so call or check the agency site first.
Source: State wildlife agency, state forestry and U.S. Forest Service range lists, September 2026. Distances are approximate; call or check the agency site before you drive out.