Order online, pick up at a licensed dealer in Forrest County. Hattiesburg is the Hub City of the Pine Belt, home to the University of Southern Mississippi and Camp Shelby, the state's largest National Guard training site. Longleaf pine forest along the Leaf and Bouie rivers surrounds the city.
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 Mississippi law allows.
Mississippi has no state purchase permit, registration or waiting period. Dealer purchases require photo ID, ATF Form 4473 and the federal NICS background check. Federal rules set the dealer minimum age at 21 for handguns and 18 for rifles and shotguns. State law preempts most local firearm ordinances, so the rules in Hattiesburg and the rest of the Pine Belt match the rest of the state.
Dealers in these communities all work for Hattiesburg-area buyers:
Mississippi lets adults who may legally possess a firearm carry a handgun openly, or concealed in a holster, sheath, purse or bag, without a permit. The Department of Public Safety issues a standard firearm permit and an enhanced permit; the enhanced permit requires an eight-hour certified course and allows carry in more places. Permits come from DPS rather than the Forrest County Sheriff. Federal buildings, courthouses and posted property still restrict carry.
Mississippi manages deer in three zones: Delta, Hill and Southeast. Archery opens in October, and gun and primitive-weapon seasons generally run from November into January, with Southeast zone dates often extending later. Rifles, shotguns, handguns and primitive weapons are legal during their segments, and antler rules differ by zone. Feral hogs may be hunted on private land year-round. Check the 2026-27 MDWFP regulations for the zone and dates that apply to Forrest County.
The De Soto National Forest wraps around the south and east sides of Hattiesburg and offers public hunting; Leaf River and Chickasawhay WMAs are nearby, and feral hogs are common in the river bottoms.
The MDWFP's McHenry Shooting Facility near Perkinston, about 50 minutes south, has rifle and pistol ranges. Pine Belt hog hunters often want compact carbines and reliable 9mm pistols.
These public ranges are run or officially listed by state wildlife agencies and state forests near the cities we cover. Most require a hunting or fishing license, an access permit or a daily fee, and some close seasonally, so check the agency page before you go.
Source: State wildlife agency public range lists (NC WRC, Georgia DNR, Virginia DWR, Indiana DNR, Missouri MDC, Kentucky KDFWR, Louisiana LDWF, Mississippi MDWFP, Colorado CPW, Utah DWR, Idaho IDFG, Nebraska Game and Parks), September 2026. Distances are approximate; call or check the agency site before you drive out.
Yes. Order here, name a licensed FFL dealer in Petal, Oak Grove, Purvis, Hattiesburg or anywhere in Forrest County, and we ship the firearm to them. You fill out ATF Form 4473 at their counter and they run the background check.
No. Adults who can legally possess a firearm may carry without a permit. An enhanced permit from the Department of Public Safety allows carry in additional places.
The Pine Belt falls in the Southeast deer zone on MDWFP maps; confirm the zone line and dates in the current regulations each season.
MDWFP runs the McHenry Shooting Facility near Perkinston, the Turcotte Shooting Facility near Canton and the McIvor Shooting Facility near Sardis.
Each dealer sets its own fee, commonly $20 to $75. Call before you order to confirm the price and that they accept firearms shipped from an online store.
General information, not legal advice. Rules current as of September 2026. See our buying guide and check with Mississippi Department of Public Safety or a local attorney about your own situation.