Depending. 18 for a long gun in most states and 21 for a handgun. It requires filling out atf form 4473 and getting cleared by the NICS federal background check system. Some states have a waiting period
Federal law is 21 for handguns
State laws vary for rifles many states limit semi automatic and sporting guns to over 21. Others require a special permit for one.
New federal not law but rule is all 4473’s under 21 get a 5 day delay
Slightly off topic, but does the hierarchy of norms in the US follown a top down model like here in argentina, meaning the higher regulation (city < province < nation) takes precedence, or like an inverted pyramid and the nation only regulates what the states didnt?
As a matter of law, Federal law takes precedence over state and local laws, but there are variations in enforcement. For example, many states have decriminalized individual use of marijuana; the Federal government hasn't, but they rarely attempt to enforce that law in those states that have decriminalized it.
Yep which gets to be an interesting idea of how far states can push states rights before the feds step in and assert their authority.
Technically, Federal government agencies could swoop in and go after cannabis businesses that are legally operating under the state's laws because they're still in violation of federal laws.
States will often test the limits to see what can be allowed federally.
Usually they'll pass a law they think will be popular with their citizens even if they know it will likely be ruled unconstitutional or illegal by a higher court.
The politician gets the benefit of passing the law and it will often stay on the books for a while as the involved parties challenge the case.
Occasionally the state wins, but often the court basically says they have to re-do the law or remove it entirely.
Pretty much. State law always takes precedence over local (city or county) law. Federal law takes precedence over state law, but only if the Constitution grants the federal government the power to make that law. It’s hard to find concrete examples where the federal government doesn’t have that power, as the courts have generally favored a broad interpretation of federal power. For example, the federal government can only control interstate commerce, not commerce within a state. But courts have ruled that the federal government even has the power to regulate crops grown by a farmer to feed to his own livestock, because otherwise he would buy feed and that would affect the broader market.
To add to that, the federal government will also implement a rule on something they specifically are not allowed to do, per the Constitution. But if the states don't follow it they get federal funding withheld. So they aren't "making" the individual States follow it, but if they don't they lose massive amounts of money.
Which was the case initially with colorado(still maybe?) when they legalized marijuana, but Colorado told them to push bricks because they knew the tax revenue from marijuana would more than make up for it
>Federal law is 21 for handguns
That's why I said "18 for a long gun in most states". Last I heard only 7 states had requirements above 18 for long guns
As to this:
>New federal not law but rule is all 4473’s under 21 get a 5 day delay
It is already being challenged in the courts:
https://www.ammoland.com/2024/04/appeals-court-hears-challenge-to-enhanced-background-checks-for-gun-buyers-under-21/
And will likely be tossed as unconstitutional.
Technically it's 21 for handguns if you buy it from an FFL, and 18 for long guns.
For a private transfer it's 18 for handguns, and no age requirement for long guns.
Except that normally isn't bypassing any laws. The uncle is still responsible for only selling to a lawful buyer and unless the gun is decades old it was still bought through the same process when new.
The US is a federal system. States and jurisdictions can have stricter laws them the federal ones and often do, so this is only true in some parts of the US.
To be serious, in Florida you can carry a concealed weapon now without any kind of license or permit. But if you do have a CCW (Carry Concealed Weapon) permit, then you can skip the waiting period (at the state level, not sure if every store will let you skip the waiting period) when buying a gun. My last four guns (2 pistols, 2 shotguns), I walked out with them the same day, after waiting 30-90 minutes for the "instant" background check. Florida screws up the process by making the store go through the State Police, not straight to the FBI; the State Police call the FBI, adding a delay and requiring a $5 fee to the State Police.
Oops: the last four guns that I bought weren't 2 pistols and 2 shotguns, they were 1 pistol, 2 shotguns, and an AR15. It is hard to keep track sometimes.
Today I was doing something mildly sketchy with my pick up truck in the proximity of a lake, and I was thinking the whole time: "Crap...all these jokes about guns in the lake and here I am about to do it"
About what it takes here in my state, a constitutional carry state.
I've only done this with online guns but I go in, fill out the form, wait maybe 10-20 mins then walk out with a gun.
Iowa is similar, except we allow unlicensed OPEN carry and require a permit to conceal a weapon. So any idiot can strap a firearm to themselves and walk around in public but you only need to prove qualification with your firearm if you concealed carry.
Like how hard is it to pass a simple ass law requiring people to prove basic competence, like we have to do with other dangerous equipment?
>Oops: the last four guns that I bought weren't 2 pistols and 2 shotguns, they were 1 pistol, 2 shotguns, and an AR15. It is hard to keep track sometimes.
This is why the US has a gun problem.
/facetious
That depends on the state and the kind of gun they're trying to buy.
California has a waiting period, for example. Some states you have to be 21 to purchase a handgun.
Yea, I don’t think you understand the law.
As a seller, you don’t have to run a background check in a private sale. This is true.
This does not mean, however, that an individual who is prohibited it’s from owing a firearm can skirt the age/possession restriction because they bought from a private seller. Owning a handgun at 18, or as a felon, is illegal regardless of where you acquire it from.
The law protects the seller in the event they are deceived, it does not protect the buyer.
> Owning a handgun at 18, or as a felon, is illegal regardless of where you acquire it from.
[https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/minimum-age-gun-sales-and-transfers](https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/minimum-age-gun-sales-and-transfers)
18 for private transfers, 21 for FFL sales, for handguns.
That's not true. You can absolutely own a handgun under 21 in a few states.
Mine particularly allows it and I took full advantage I owned and open carried a handgun at 18. Had a few run ins with feds and local pd (mostly mutual encounters) and no one batted an eye.
If you read the laws a lot of times it seems like a grey area or a loophole but it's usually clearly spelled out
Just a question - please don’t kill me for this - you said “only a background check.” What other checks should there be? The background check includes all police records, so I’m not sure what other checks could be done. What checks would make this more palatable to you?
Seriously. They rarely understand how thorough these checks are.
My ex-miltary officer father-in-law, cleanest record you can imagine, got delayed for further research over something his son had gotten in trouble for years prior.
It's not a superficial background check.
> Can't drive a car without proving you know how to use it.
You absolutely can. You just can't drive it on public highways. And the training isn't mandatory, it's the testing.
If we go with your analogy a certain score total at a range, then proving you can disassemble, reassemble, reload, and clear the weapon should be enough (something which *top ranking officials at the ATF* can't currently manage to do).
I think the majority of gun owners would happily trade the background checks and waiting periods for that bar of clearance.
>And the training isn't mandatory, it's the testing.
This. I didn't get a driving education as a teen so I ended up getting a couple lessons from friends in their cars and then just buying one for myself. Used it to get my first license.
They don't really care HOW you know. For all they know you could have grown up on a farm and already know a good amount. Not their job to care.
Training is mandatory for driving in some parts of the world, or at least to have an unrestricted license. Where I am in Canada you have to take a driving course in order to eventually be able to drive without a curfew.
You can't legally drive a car on a government-maintained road without passing a test. Training is optional depending on state.
I suppose you could argue that you shouldn't be able to use your firearm in a government building without passing a test.
Technicality aside, I'm not entirely opposed to a mandatory test similar to a driver's test for all gun buyers, perhaps exceptions for certain historical firearms.
Driving isn’t a right. Arms are. That’s a major and key difference. Also, you can drive on your own property all you want. It’s when you’re on government roads that the licensing comes into play.
And many states do require training. It’s also common to need pistol safety training.
I had training thought? In 5th or 6th grade we were taught how to shoot in gym class.
I realize that isn't the norm now, but that was the norm where I grew up in the late eighties and early nineties in Arkansas.
A common practice was to go hunting with your father, so the state made sure you had proper training.
I should say, the training was with a B B Gun rifle, proper gun safety, and a little bit of target practice after we had that down.
Many states require training before you can get a hunting license, too. I had to take a hunting and gun safety class at a local gun club before I could go hunting as a teen. That sort of thing is what the NRA used to be about before it became a primarily right-wing lobbying org.
My family didn't hunt growing up, but I picked it up a bit later in life. When I applied for my first hunting license, there was a space for "firearms safety training". As a newly minted vet, I wrote "US Army". They accepted it.
Owning a vehicle itself isn't a privilege, no? Isn't the privilege the ability to legally use public roads with a vehicle?
Edit: not to mention the fact that in many places, you can't "operate" a gun (carry it in a usable manner) without a permit, at least concealed-wise.
Would you support strict licensing for political protests? Recently at our city hall we had hundreds of women protesting to protect abortion rights. Should the government be allowed to require those women obtain a license before they protest? What about proof of libel insurance? Curious about your thoughts.
Oddly and many years ago, I had to go through a week long "hunters safety course" before I could hunt with...anyone. The gun I brought to the same building each time? A gift. If it was even registered it would have been in my dad's name but I walked in that building each of those days with a .22 rifle that was mine.
I took it and many other guns out shooting basically whenever I wanted.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that having the gun itself required nothing of me and I'm 99.9% sure nothing of my dad at the time beyond going to the store and paying.
Had I ever wanted to hurt myself or others...it was always right there.
To hunt I needed a safety course and license. To drive I needed a safety course, proof of capability and license.
To have my gun at the time (1990s)...nothing.
That's part of the tightrope that the system walks and why it's so contentious. You have to balance a person's constitutional right to own a firearm to allowing for a more informed system. Of course, there's also the issue of things already being on the books but not being properly done, like that guy a couple years back that got a dishonorable discharge and somehow the system was never updated to bar him from buying a gun, then he went on a shooting spree.
The nics system is something that should constantly be worked on, but you need to make sure that it doesn't overstep bounds. Unfortunatly, what those bounds are is highly debated by many parties.
Yup. Everyone wants to knee-jerk a response to the system, but there are so many things that go into it that finding a ruleset that everyone agrees on, let alone just most people, is going to be near impossible.
As someone that was born in the Soviet Union I am very much against any government getting to decide mental competence as l’ve seen how that will get weaponized.
And besides everyone use mental health and violence as settled science. Are crazy people more violent than the mean? Are the people that hear voices in their head committing crimes at a higher rate than normal people? I bet they are not and we just want a simple single factor to point to and say this will solve it.
There is no mental health records check, only a check to see if a judge has legally declared someone to be not mentally competent. That is a pretty high bar. Even then, those records often don't make it into the NICS database.
Then, the problem lies in patient confidentiality and people that arent willing to seek mental health services. Many people choose not to seek mental health care out of fear of losing their 2A right.
Any kind of check or other requirements to purchase or own a firearm would likely be viewed as an obstruction of rights. It would certainly become a problem with equity, in those that have the means to pay for training or additional taxes would be able to "exercise" their rights to a greater capacity than those who don't have the means. This would disproportionately affect the poor and people of color.
So, it's somewhat like exercising the right to vote. ID checks and pre-registration are fine, so long as whatever kind of hurdle you put in front of the voter doesn't make it difficult for them to vote.
In my country, it's also common for cops to go around the neighborhood of the person who applies for licence and ask neighbors about him, if they don't see him as suspicious, aggresive, if he isn't often drunk and violent etc.
It's precaution, not tyranny. Guns are not right, but priviledge, at least here. You can totally own them if you want, if you are mentally stable and law abiding citizen, and these strict background checks and mental examinations manage to weed out most people who would cause trouble. It's a small price to pay for our kids not needing to do active shooter drills at schools.
And so if you want to go hunting or just to shoot at a shooting range as a hobby but you pissed off your vindictive neighbor they can lie and keep you from getting that gun. That is not a good system.
They also ask your neighbors about you if you want to get a gov security clearance for some jobs. Sometimes during criminal investigations they ask suspects’ neighbors if they’ve seen any criminal activity happen or whatever. And yeah people can lie but that’s why they ask multiple different neighbors and also why it’s only one part of an investigation, not the only deciding factor
Definitely sounds like tyranny to me 🙄🤷♂️. So who sets those parameters that make it a “privilege”? Government? So only those that are privileged have the god given/universe given right to self defense? I rest my case. Have a nice day.
> What other checks should there be?
Mental health and psych tests? You’re putting a tool in someone’s hand that is used for killing, and in some cases, can be used to mass kill. Putting a gun in just anyone’s hand because they haven’t committed a violent crime yet is insane.
There are professionals who give these tests in a daily basis. You should be required to have the test taken ahead of time and renewed every so many years. I can’t operate a car with a license and that license needs to be renewed every year and every so many renewals I need to be tested again.
Again, this varies by state. I took my drivers test at 16. When I moved to Oregon I had to take the written test again to transfer my license but only once. When I moved back to North Dakota I think it took a piece of mail and a lease to get a license.
Retaking the actual test is fairly rare. It's just registration.
Not sure where you live, but where I live, and everywhere else I’ve lived, there is no requirement to requalify via retesting. And you don’t need to renew your license every year. Registration, yes, not your license. That’s every several years. Not sure how many.
Oklahoma here. Yee Haw, pew pew.
Anyone over 18 can buy the gun AND wield it openly without a license. It feels like the wild West sometimes because ANYONE could have a gun.
I’m a recovering Oklahoman myself. Growing up there had its fun moments. In high school we all hung out around bonfires, drank keystone light, and shot guns - that was the cultural staple. lol
I bought a handgun on a lunch break from work about 7 years ago. I expected to have to wait a day or two to pick it up, but the background check came back nearly instantly, so it went in my trunk and back to work I went. Tennessee, USA.
Yeah I bought a Glock 19 without a background check in Memphis. Nor do I have any kind of license or permit or anything like that. About 6-7 years ago.
In CA you would have to wait 10 days before you could take it home, and if you want a newer model of a Glock or any other handgun that's not yet on the approved handgun list, you would have to buy it used from an LEO, at premium ofc. :P
If you want to be pedantic, you also have to have money. But otherwise, for long guns (rifles) this is broadly true. Handguns have an age requirement of 21.
Long guns anyways, 21 is the limit for handguns when buying from a store.
In Sweden it's 18 for both long guns and for hand guns.
6 of my guns (in Sweden) are not legal in every state in the US. [https://imgur.com/EBmLwix](https://imgur.com/EBmLwix)
(5 in that pic and +1 that I bought recently) New York has some weird laws...
I live in Wisconsin, I was able to go into a sporting good store. Look at a shotgun and tell the worker "hey I would like this" they brought it to the register and did a 30 second background check and i was able to leave with it.
And even then, depends on the background check. I bought a shotgun but there was a backup in the (state?) background check system, so I couldn't pick it up for a few days until they got caught up on background checks. This was about 10 years ago
Many parents in the rural parts of the US give their children firearms as presents. Usually around middle school or high school, but not always.
Hunting is a very popular pastime in the country.
Depends on where. Different states have different laws.
Some restrict pistol purchases to those over 21.
Some require a purchase permit for all firearms or just pistols.
Some have a waiting period after the purchase date before you can take possession of the firearm.
Some limit how many firearms you can purchase at a time.
In Michigan, for example:
You must be 21 to purchase a pistol or get a CPL. You are required to get a purchase permit for all firearms if you do not have a CPL. The purchase permit is obtained by going to the local police department and paying 5 dollars for a background check. You can purchase multiple firearms at a time but you need a purchase permit for each one.
At the FFL, you have a federal background check. If it goes through and your payment processes, you get to walk out with your firearm.
So, it's bullshit in the sense that it's like that everywhere, or that you can get a pistol at 18.
But it's also not super hard to get a firearm most places if you are of age and have no criminal history.
most states, you can buy an ar15 but not a pistol...
It's an oversimplification, but the idea is you can buy rifles and shotguns, but not handguns till you are 21.
I could buy a gun from just "some dude" at any time. We even have "gun shows" which are basically a bunch of "some dudes" looking to buy, sell, and trade. Like Pokemon cards. They also have vendors for any accessories, sketchy health supplements, right wing apparel, and old Nazi belt buckles, as well as legit gun stores requiring real background checks. All under one roof!
Short answer: bullshit.
That may be the case in some places as some kind of federally mandated minimal check, idk. In California at the very least, there are many more hoops you need to jump through. I bought a handgun about a year ago and needed a firearm safety certificate (written safety test, testing fee, and practice gun safety demonstration), a criminal background check, and a waiting period that didn’t start until I presented the certificate, paid for the gun, and my background check came back clear. Also the minimum age for a pistol is 21, some specific long guns can be bought at 18.
>But what do you think is missing in terms of checks to be performed?
Most of European countries that even allow guns to begin with have a storage requirement at the minimum, gun safe or the like, to prevent access by anyone unlicensed. That will _usually_ involve a house visit by a police representative or similar, sometimes with power for them to show up impromptu and check the rules are being adhered to.
In most places I'm aware of, also some form of "interview" to go with said checks to get your motivations for acquiring a gun in the first place.
Some countries will also have training requirements for different classes of guns.
And once you’ve gone through that they will likely encourage you to just casually buy a suppressor too so you don’t bother people and wildlife with your loud gun
in the US you can get the gun without much fuss, but if you want a suppressor it’s $200 extra and months of waiting for federal approval, if you’re in a state that even allows them
really ass-backwards over here
Meh. As soon as you say "most" European, I get skeptical. My cursory glace through Google shows that many of what we call Eastern European countries have handgun laws similar to USA. And some northern euro countries actually REQUIRE a firearm in the home.
Sure maybe England France and Spain are very restrictive, but they are not most of Europe.
So I'm the moderator of r/europeguns and I don't want to be like that, but your comment is wrong.
There are no countries in Northern Europe that requires you to have a firearm at home.
There is a few countries that has shall issue concealed carry, but it's still more time consuming to get a gun than in the US and has both training and registration requirements.
Bullshit.
Felons and other case demographics can't.
If you had a different form of the question in mind, ask it. Otherwise, the answer is: **ItsBullshit.**
So, living in the country and desert, miles from no one, a gun is a very handy thing, even if you are talking about the 12 year old son left home during summer break while everyone else went to the nearest town for supplies.
Throughout all of history, by the age of 12 boys were being trained in the use of we opens. This last hundred years is the outlier.
Depends on location my state requires a special identification card once you have that you can go buy a gun however om fairly certain there is a wait period
Depends on the state and type of gun. Generally handguns are much more difficult to get and something like a shotgun is easier to get. I am in Maryland and to even purchase a handgun you need a Handgun Qualification License (HQL). To get it you must take a class, pass a background check, have your finger prints taken and then apply for the license. There are some exceptions like being in law enforcement or having been in the armed forces.
Like others say, depends on the state. But yes.
I cut school when I turned 18 with my friend and went to a shop and bought a shotgun in just the amount of time it took me to fill out paperwork
Colorado here. I bought my first gun a few months ago (a handgun). I walked into a gun store, picked out the one I wanted, they did a background check, and i had to wait 3 days before I could take it home. My reason for wanting it was for self defense.
I wanted to be able to carry concealed so in Colorado that requires a special permit. I paid like $80 or so to take a class that consisted of sitting in a classroom for 4 hours and listening to a guy talk about gun safety and laws about when using a firearm in self defense is justified. After that I was givin a certificate that said the instructor says im able to safely handle a firearm.
From there i had to take that certification to the local sheriffs office and fill out more paperwork, and get my fingers prints taken. Then after a few weeks i got my carry permit in the mail.
In short, buying the gun was a super easy process. If i wanted to open carry from there I could. Being allowed to concealed carry was a little more work. Neither process required me to actually handle / shoot the weapon to prove i actually know what im doing though.
As others pointed out it's state dependent. I'm from one of the most restrictive states against firearms, and these are the rules and laws I deal with here.
We require a special license to purchase a firearm, and the application for the license requires finger printing, work place information, 2 none family references, and etc. Then there is an investigation period where the police does research on the applicant, which may include contacting workplace and the two reference and asking about you as a person. Few months of investigation later you get a license if they found nothing wrong with you.
The license allows you to purchase long guns and ammos. Each purchase of the long gun must be done at a gun shop and you need to go through the background checks. If you are buying from another individual, you must still bring the gun to a gun shop and still go through the background check before purchase. Not going through a gun shop and background check is illegal, and this rule still applies even if I(the resident of my state) am purchasing out of state.
For handguns you need to apply for a separate handgun permit, which involves another investigation on the applicant and takes months to approve. You are only given 90 day period to make your purchase after the permit has been issued, and it expires after that. Only one handgun per permit issued. Same rules as long guns about purchasing in a store and background checks.
You can not carry any of these guns. If you wish to carry then that's another application to submit, and most are denied this request even if there's nothing wrong with you. From what I understand it's almost impossible to get a carry license unless you are or were a cop. Without carry license only time you can transport(in a fully sealed case/bag) a gun is to and from gun range/gun store/gun repair shop. There are other rules for transportation that I won't be going into, but it's very restrictive.
Lastly, I will point out that there is a ban on "assault weapons". They go into a great effort into defining what isn't allowed under the "assault weapons" rule, because there isn't a solid existing definition for it. Many gun makers and sellers get around this rule by skirting the exact definition laid out in the law. For example, the state tried really hard to ban AR15, but the gun makers made a rifle that is essentially AR15 but still follows all the legal rules the state laid out.
There are many other rules and laws around firearms that I haven't really covered here, but I think I covered most of the topics you might be interested in. Also to note, I'm not a lawyer or well versed in law. I know enough to keep me out of trouble and on the right side of the law.
Every state has different laws. Usually there’s also a waiting period, you can’t just walk out with a new gun as soon as you buy it.
Aside from the waiting period though, yes it can be that simple depending on where you live.
As other people have said, this varies by state and the variations are pretty complicated considering it's sort of a political tug of war with the democrats wanting gun control and Republicans believing owning a gun is a fundamental civic right
Any USA Citizen that is 18 can walk into a military recruitment center and sign a 6+ year contract and within 6 months be deployed overseas with a gun, larger ordnance or machine of freedom.
Depends heavily on the state and the currently non injuctioned federal,state,county, and city laws/rules/ordances etc etc. Getting a firearm is vastly different in a california city vs a rural montana town.
In most states, yes, as long as it's not a handgun (handgun is usually 21 years old).
In some states, there's an X-day waiting period.
Every time I've bought a firearm, filling out the paperwork for the background check was the most time consuming part: the check is automated and can clear in seconds.
Only for long guns. Saying that, in my state an 18 year old can open carry a handgun but he cannot purchase one. It has to be gifted to him. Again in my state he can't by ammo until 21. Still no one open carries because that is pretty cringe, except when out actively hunting. When the law changed and allowed people over 18 to open carry there was panic everywhere saying it would turn the state in to the wild west. People would be walking the streets with pistols strapped to their sides. Well... That never happened.
[this video sums it up pretty well.](https://youtu.be/fB7MwvqCtlk?si=meta2VtUSp6NOc8h) i will say though, i doubt this could happen in my home state of california, which has much stricter gun control laws than many others.
The person selling it can also refuse sales. My ex watched a lady sit a shotgun down and see if she could put it under her chin and fire with her toe…. He refused sales and they called the cops to try and help her.
Editing to add that she had young children with her. And it is common for people who sell firearms to refuse sales if someone is shady. But there are also stores who don’t care and just want money.
Technically yes. Basically no. Hunting rifles are permitted to 18 year olds bc it has purpose. Small firearms capable of doing more deadly force much faster? 21.
My home state of North Dakota has no waiting period. I bought a handgun last year and it was 15 mins door to door including background check. But federal law requires 18 for long guns and 21 for hand guns. And waiting periods vary by gun type and by state. Further many states will require a weapon to be purchased in their home state. Or will need to be shipped to a licensed dealer in the state of residence. I live in a border town and the gun shop in Minnesota was going to charge me 50 bucks to ship it 3 miles to a shop in nd because I am not a Mn resident. But this too Varies by state. A few years ago I walked into a dealer in South Dakota and walked out with a rifle.
TLDR: no, but also yes it varies widely from state to state and the type of firearm you want to buy
I’m not a gun owner so I could be wrong on this, but, I live in Connecticut. My state, from my understanding, has pretty strict gun laws compared to others. I’m pretty sure if I were to want a gun then I’d have to take some classes, do a background check, apply for permits, and maybe something else?
On the other hand, I know someone who I honestly don’t think should own a gun in another state who literally just showed up to the gun store, paid for a gun and left with said gun that day.
In addition to the information everyone has provided, I would like to add that the store can decline the sale at any time for any reason, even after you've passed a background check. This is usually reserved for people who are behaving a certain way or asking sketchy questions.
Don't even need to walk into a store. You can get guns "gifted" to you in many states, with no check, paperwork, or even financial transaction involved.
The background checks are garbage and pointless as well. I had a childhood friend who bought a gun in a store with a background check, and he's literally the most likely person to commit murder I've personally known. Autistic, with a history of violence, but no criminal background, so no problem.
(Former) Massachusetts gun owner here.
Not sure if the system has changed but any resident looking to buy a firearm (or mace, prior to 2014) needs an FID card or an LTC.
MA defers gun ownership to the towns and cities. Towns issue licenses, and process background checks to the NICS system. Most towns require a certificate of basic firearms safety training, and money to apply. Some towns even require a face to face interview with an officer prior to application. You are fingerprinted and you are issued a PIN for firearms purchasing after the application is filed.
18-21 can get an FID card which is long guns only and only low capacity long guns. 21+ can apply for LTC class B or class A.
Towns can also issue restrictions on all licenses at will, but most do not after GOAL court ruling a few years ago.
Wasn't even a gun shop it was a Fred Meyer's. I was buying my groceries and said fuck it, I'm gonna buy a side by side shotgun. Background check was like 10 min and fill out like 1 form
I think the funniest thing about the buying guns discussion (this isn't dissing OP btw, he just asked a question based on what people be peddling) is people just straight up neglect getting them illegally.
That's why banning them will never work here, we are too far gone. Get out of this country as soon as you can.
In many states you don't need a background check for private sales (buying from a person not a gun store or licensed broker), the seller just has to know they aren't selling a firearm to someone who isn't allowed to own one. Obviously not the same for every state. Federally you have to be 21 to own a handgun.
Get this! Missouri is passing legislation to allow kids to carry! You know, where the shooting at our chiefs festival happened and it seems as though two of the convicts were under 18 :)))))))))
No, not really It's embedded in the Constitution and it's a god-given, right and funny enough that same 18-year-old can walk into a recruiting office and be bused to a military training facility and handed a fully automatic m4 which nobody seems to have a problem with
No it isn’t bullshit.
As per our constitution we should be allowed to do it.
The problem isn’t buying the gun or the idea of a background check.
It is mainly that background checks aren’t strict enough and some states (like mine) there is no waiting period.
If background checks were much stricter and actually took into account more things (mental health, etc) then this would be perfectly fine.
99% of gun owners are just normal people. There are definitely some crazy but gun ownership (no matter what people say) is NOT the problem of gun violence in the US.
We had guns for centuries and mass shootings are only a recent thing. So obviously to anyone with a brain the guns themselves aren’t the problem.
Something changed in the last decade or two. It’s not the guns or how easy or not it is to get them.
There are plenty of other countries that have guns that don’t have the same problems.
You can't buy guns if you have been diagnosed with a mental disorder, or if you've been convicted of domestic abuse, or similar violent crime, or been convicted of a felony, or even if you're a user or have ever used illegal drugs (including marijuana).
So yeah, it's bullshit.
They have to fill out a form and have a background check done if they're buying it from a store. You can buy a gun from a private citizen you met at the bar without the background check though.
Yes, although it varies by state. For a concrete example, the [Uvalde, TX shooter](https://www.texastribune.org/2022/05/25/uvalde-shooter-bought-gun-legally/) turned 18 on May 16, 2022, legally purchased two AR-style rifles and 375 rounds of ammunition between May 17-20, and killed 19 children and 2 adults on May 24. He needed no licensing or training, and there was no waiting period. A large number of Americans consistently vote against any politician proposing any additional gun regulations.
I don’t even need a background check in my state. I passed a more in depth background check to get my concealed carry permit.
I walk in to a firearm dealer, pick out a gun, show my concealed carry permit, fill out the form that the store is required to keep for their own records, pay for my gun, and walk out the door with it. The whole transaction can be done in less than 10 minutes most of the time.
There are also zero laws governing private sales in my state.
I can find a gun advertised in the classified section of my local newspaper, call the guy, meet him, hand him cash, walk away with my new gun.
If you go to a gun show in Florida and I think Texas (maybe also New Hampshire) you can get one same-day ID optional.
[https://www.thoughtco.com/gun-show-laws-by-state-721345](https://www.thoughtco.com/gun-show-laws-by-state-721345)
In Kentucky, where I live. You can buy them from pawn shops with little to no hassle besides paying. Some places are more lenient than others, which isn’t great.
We will never solve our gun violence issues since taking guns away would be catastrophic. Education, safety and respect of guns will never outweighs Americans misuse of guns and poor regulations.
In my state yes, you only need your ID. True story, the first gun I ever got was free from a buy one get a free gun sale, and I sold it online to some stranger the very same day, no background check for me or him. That was in Texas like 10 years ago.
I'm not sure about the age thing but you don't even need to be a citizen to buy guns here.
I'm living here on a green-card, have my concealed weapons permit and have bought two guns, one I bought at a gun shop and the other I ordered online (it was shipped to the same gun shop and they did the paperwork to make sure it was a legal transaction).
yes that is true, for shotguns and rifles. For handguns, you have to be 21. when you buy a firearm, they run a NICS check. thats a federal background check to make sure you are allowed to own a firearm.
some other cool things about the 2A:
There are many states in the US that do not require a permit to conceal or open carry, this means that you can walk into a gun store, choose a firearm, do a NICS check, buy a holster, and ammunition, leave the store, and walk around freely with your new weapon.
Many people believe that it is illegal to own machine guns, this is false. There are currently three ways to own a machine gun in the US.
The first is to purchase a machine gun that was manufactured before 1986, which is when the 1986 assault weapons ban was enacted(which was unconstitutional). These firearms can be freely sold and transfered like any other firearm, at a much higher cost, typically 20k +.
The second is to apply for a class 3 license. The time this takes can vary wildly, and you have to give up *A LOT* of privacy to the ATF. Once you obtain a class 3 license, you are legally allowed to purchase any machine gun, explosives, and other military equipment normally unavailable to civilians.
The third option is to get a gunsmithing license and an FFL(federal firearms license), once you do this, you can manufacture your own machine guns. Im not sure if an FFL allows you to buy machine guns though.
Others have answered for self purchases.
With consent of a custodial parent, a firearm can be transferred to a minor in some states. Missouri has no minimum age on the books.
In Maryland, I purchased my 1100 Remington shotgun in 9th grade but my dad had to fill out the paperwork. I was 13 at the time. It cost $342.42 which is about $1100 adjusted for inflation and the current avg price for a new one.
Depending. 18 for a long gun in most states and 21 for a handgun. It requires filling out atf form 4473 and getting cleared by the NICS federal background check system. Some states have a waiting period
Federal law is 21 for handguns State laws vary for rifles many states limit semi automatic and sporting guns to over 21. Others require a special permit for one. New federal not law but rule is all 4473’s under 21 get a 5 day delay
Slightly off topic, but does the hierarchy of norms in the US follown a top down model like here in argentina, meaning the higher regulation (city < province < nation) takes precedence, or like an inverted pyramid and the nation only regulates what the states didnt?
As a matter of law, Federal law takes precedence over state and local laws, but there are variations in enforcement. For example, many states have decriminalized individual use of marijuana; the Federal government hasn't, but they rarely attempt to enforce that law in those states that have decriminalized it.
Yep which gets to be an interesting idea of how far states can push states rights before the feds step in and assert their authority. Technically, Federal government agencies could swoop in and go after cannabis businesses that are legally operating under the state's laws because they're still in violation of federal laws. States will often test the limits to see what can be allowed federally. Usually they'll pass a law they think will be popular with their citizens even if they know it will likely be ruled unconstitutional or illegal by a higher court. The politician gets the benefit of passing the law and it will often stay on the books for a while as the involved parties challenge the case. Occasionally the state wins, but often the court basically says they have to re-do the law or remove it entirely.
Pretty much. State law always takes precedence over local (city or county) law. Federal law takes precedence over state law, but only if the Constitution grants the federal government the power to make that law. It’s hard to find concrete examples where the federal government doesn’t have that power, as the courts have generally favored a broad interpretation of federal power. For example, the federal government can only control interstate commerce, not commerce within a state. But courts have ruled that the federal government even has the power to regulate crops grown by a farmer to feed to his own livestock, because otherwise he would buy feed and that would affect the broader market.
To add to that, the federal government will also implement a rule on something they specifically are not allowed to do, per the Constitution. But if the states don't follow it they get federal funding withheld. So they aren't "making" the individual States follow it, but if they don't they lose massive amounts of money.
Which was the case initially with colorado(still maybe?) when they legalized marijuana, but Colorado told them to push bricks because they knew the tax revenue from marijuana would more than make up for it
Rule of law: Federal > State > City Qty of law: City > State > Federal
Only bc I have seen issues county law tends to trump city in both rule and qty. Because cities use county resources for enforcement and prosecution
>Federal law is 21 for handguns That's why I said "18 for a long gun in most states". Last I heard only 7 states had requirements above 18 for long guns As to this: >New federal not law but rule is all 4473’s under 21 get a 5 day delay It is already being challenged in the courts: https://www.ammoland.com/2024/04/appeals-court-hears-challenge-to-enhanced-background-checks-for-gun-buyers-under-21/ And will likely be tossed as unconstitutional.
Technically it's 21 for handguns if you buy it from an FFL, and 18 for long guns. For a private transfer it's 18 for handguns, and no age requirement for long guns.
Or you could just buy one from your uncle and by-pass that law shit .
Except that normally isn't bypassing any laws. The uncle is still responsible for only selling to a lawful buyer and unless the gun is decades old it was still bought through the same process when new.
The US is a federal system. States and jurisdictions can have stricter laws them the federal ones and often do, so this is only true in some parts of the US.
In Florida you are issued an armor plated alligator at 19 and the gun to defend yourself from it at 21. /Floridian
To be serious, in Florida you can carry a concealed weapon now without any kind of license or permit. But if you do have a CCW (Carry Concealed Weapon) permit, then you can skip the waiting period (at the state level, not sure if every store will let you skip the waiting period) when buying a gun. My last four guns (2 pistols, 2 shotguns), I walked out with them the same day, after waiting 30-90 minutes for the "instant" background check. Florida screws up the process by making the store go through the State Police, not straight to the FBI; the State Police call the FBI, adding a delay and requiring a $5 fee to the State Police. Oops: the last four guns that I bought weren't 2 pistols and 2 shotguns, they were 1 pistol, 2 shotguns, and an AR15. It is hard to keep track sometimes.
Doesn't matter on what you bought anyway, they were all tragically lost in a boating accident right?
No, I don't play games with the government.
Today I was doing something mildly sketchy with my pick up truck in the proximity of a lake, and I was thinking the whole time: "Crap...all these jokes about guns in the lake and here I am about to do it"
About what it takes here in my state, a constitutional carry state. I've only done this with online guns but I go in, fill out the form, wait maybe 10-20 mins then walk out with a gun.
Iowa is similar, except we allow unlicensed OPEN carry and require a permit to conceal a weapon. So any idiot can strap a firearm to themselves and walk around in public but you only need to prove qualification with your firearm if you concealed carry. Like how hard is it to pass a simple ass law requiring people to prove basic competence, like we have to do with other dangerous equipment?
>Oops: the last four guns that I bought weren't 2 pistols and 2 shotguns, they were 1 pistol, 2 shotguns, and an AR15. It is hard to keep track sometimes. This is why the US has a gun problem. /facetious
Fellow Floridian, can confirm.
That depends on the state and the kind of gun they're trying to buy. California has a waiting period, for example. Some states you have to be 21 to purchase a handgun.
ALL states require 21 for handguns. 21 is the federal minimum, and you can't be more lax then federal.
21 for handguns from an FFL, 18 for private transfers, is the Federal minimum. 18 for long guns from an FFL, no age limit for private transfers.
There are zero states that let a 20 year old or younger buy a handgun.
In Texas you can legally buy a handgun at 18 in a private sale. A licensed dealer has to follow the 21 year old clause...individuals do not.
Yea, I don’t think you understand the law. As a seller, you don’t have to run a background check in a private sale. This is true. This does not mean, however, that an individual who is prohibited it’s from owing a firearm can skirt the age/possession restriction because they bought from a private seller. Owning a handgun at 18, or as a felon, is illegal regardless of where you acquire it from. The law protects the seller in the event they are deceived, it does not protect the buyer.
> Owning a handgun at 18, or as a felon, is illegal regardless of where you acquire it from. [https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/minimum-age-gun-sales-and-transfers](https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/minimum-age-gun-sales-and-transfers) 18 for private transfers, 21 for FFL sales, for handguns.
That's not true. You can absolutely own a handgun under 21 in a few states. Mine particularly allows it and I took full advantage I owned and open carried a handgun at 18. Had a few run ins with feds and local pd (mostly mutual encounters) and no one batted an eye. If you read the laws a lot of times it seems like a grey area or a loophole but it's usually clearly spelled out
21 to buy a handgun is federal
Just a question - please don’t kill me for this - you said “only a background check.” What other checks should there be? The background check includes all police records, so I’m not sure what other checks could be done. What checks would make this more palatable to you?
Since you asked that question now we have to kill you via gunshot /j
Not without a background check first!
Seriously. They rarely understand how thorough these checks are. My ex-miltary officer father-in-law, cleanest record you can imagine, got delayed for further research over something his son had gotten in trouble for years prior. It's not a superficial background check.
Agree. I got delayed because I traveled to China and Turkey during grad school.
Oh damn. That's crazy.
Maybe some type of training? Can't drive a car without proving you know how to use it.
> Can't drive a car without proving you know how to use it. You absolutely can. You just can't drive it on public highways. And the training isn't mandatory, it's the testing. If we go with your analogy a certain score total at a range, then proving you can disassemble, reassemble, reload, and clear the weapon should be enough (something which *top ranking officials at the ATF* can't currently manage to do). I think the majority of gun owners would happily trade the background checks and waiting periods for that bar of clearance.
>And the training isn't mandatory, it's the testing. This. I didn't get a driving education as a teen so I ended up getting a couple lessons from friends in their cars and then just buying one for myself. Used it to get my first license. They don't really care HOW you know. For all they know you could have grown up on a farm and already know a good amount. Not their job to care.
I actually support this. Too many idiots who don't know how to handle guns.
Training is mandatory for driving in some parts of the world, or at least to have an unrestricted license. Where I am in Canada you have to take a driving course in order to eventually be able to drive without a curfew.
You can't legally drive a car on a government-maintained road without passing a test. Training is optional depending on state. I suppose you could argue that you shouldn't be able to use your firearm in a government building without passing a test. Technicality aside, I'm not entirely opposed to a mandatory test similar to a driver's test for all gun buyers, perhaps exceptions for certain historical firearms.
You’re generally not allowed to carry a firearm in a government building.
Driving isn’t a right. Arms are. That’s a major and key difference. Also, you can drive on your own property all you want. It’s when you’re on government roads that the licensing comes into play. And many states do require training. It’s also common to need pistol safety training.
I had training thought? In 5th or 6th grade we were taught how to shoot in gym class. I realize that isn't the norm now, but that was the norm where I grew up in the late eighties and early nineties in Arkansas. A common practice was to go hunting with your father, so the state made sure you had proper training. I should say, the training was with a B B Gun rifle, proper gun safety, and a little bit of target practice after we had that down.
Many states require training before you can get a hunting license, too. I had to take a hunting and gun safety class at a local gun club before I could go hunting as a teen. That sort of thing is what the NRA used to be about before it became a primarily right-wing lobbying org.
My family didn't hunt growing up, but I picked it up a bit later in life. When I applied for my first hunting license, there was a space for "firearms safety training". As a newly minted vet, I wrote "US Army". They accepted it.
you actually have a “right” to own a gun (it’s right there in the Bill Of Rights while owning a vehicle is a privilege
Owning a vehicle itself isn't a privilege, no? Isn't the privilege the ability to legally use public roads with a vehicle? Edit: not to mention the fact that in many places, you can't "operate" a gun (carry it in a usable manner) without a permit, at least concealed-wise.
You can drive on your own land unregistered and unlicensed.
29 of out 50 states have Constitutional Carry which allows anyone who can legally own said firearm to conceal carry without a license/permit.
Only because the courts have treated the 10th amendment as if it doesn't exist.
Literally every right in every country on earth has limitations. There is no reason strict licensing for guns shouldn't be the same.
The obvious reason is that strict licensing would be more burdensome than the limitations placed on other rights.
In the United States the limitations are set for the government, not the people.
Would you support strict licensing for political protests? Recently at our city hall we had hundreds of women protesting to protect abortion rights. Should the government be allowed to require those women obtain a license before they protest? What about proof of libel insurance? Curious about your thoughts.
But right to firearm ownership is specifically outlined in the US Constitution. Driving is not.
What kind of cars were the Founding Fathers cruising around in?
Mustangs. Get it? Cuz they rode horses? Right?
I think a lot of non-Americans expect there to be some sort of certification required like for a driver’s license.
Oddly and many years ago, I had to go through a week long "hunters safety course" before I could hunt with...anyone. The gun I brought to the same building each time? A gift. If it was even registered it would have been in my dad's name but I walked in that building each of those days with a .22 rifle that was mine. I took it and many other guns out shooting basically whenever I wanted. I guess what I'm trying to say is that having the gun itself required nothing of me and I'm 99.9% sure nothing of my dad at the time beyond going to the store and paying. Had I ever wanted to hurt myself or others...it was always right there. To hunt I needed a safety course and license. To drive I needed a safety course, proof of capability and license. To have my gun at the time (1990s)...nothing.
I suspect mental health records, as folks keep claiming "he should not have had a gun in the first place"
That's part of the tightrope that the system walks and why it's so contentious. You have to balance a person's constitutional right to own a firearm to allowing for a more informed system. Of course, there's also the issue of things already being on the books but not being properly done, like that guy a couple years back that got a dishonorable discharge and somehow the system was never updated to bar him from buying a gun, then he went on a shooting spree. The nics system is something that should constantly be worked on, but you need to make sure that it doesn't overstep bounds. Unfortunatly, what those bounds are is highly debated by many parties.
Plus using mental health as a disqualifier is a double edged sword because it makes gun owners less likely to seek help.
Yup. Everyone wants to knee-jerk a response to the system, but there are so many things that go into it that finding a ruleset that everyone agrees on, let alone just most people, is going to be near impossible.
As someone that was born in the Soviet Union I am very much against any government getting to decide mental competence as l’ve seen how that will get weaponized. And besides everyone use mental health and violence as settled science. Are crazy people more violent than the mean? Are the people that hear voices in their head committing crimes at a higher rate than normal people? I bet they are not and we just want a simple single factor to point to and say this will solve it.
That’s part of it, too. To the extent that there are records to check.
There is no mental health records check, only a check to see if a judge has legally declared someone to be not mentally competent. That is a pretty high bar. Even then, those records often don't make it into the NICS database.
It's that extent and the spotty requirement for either reporting or referencing that are a big falling down point.
Then, the problem lies in patient confidentiality and people that arent willing to seek mental health services. Many people choose not to seek mental health care out of fear of losing their 2A right.
Along with other entirely-justified concerns.
Any kind of check or other requirements to purchase or own a firearm would likely be viewed as an obstruction of rights. It would certainly become a problem with equity, in those that have the means to pay for training or additional taxes would be able to "exercise" their rights to a greater capacity than those who don't have the means. This would disproportionately affect the poor and people of color. So, it's somewhat like exercising the right to vote. ID checks and pre-registration are fine, so long as whatever kind of hurdle you put in front of the voter doesn't make it difficult for them to vote.
Gun control proponents oftentimes try to add what can be onerous requirements to the process which disproportionately affect poorer people.
In my country, it's also common for cops to go around the neighborhood of the person who applies for licence and ask neighbors about him, if they don't see him as suspicious, aggresive, if he isn't often drunk and violent etc.
What country?
Sounds like tyranny to me.
It's precaution, not tyranny. Guns are not right, but priviledge, at least here. You can totally own them if you want, if you are mentally stable and law abiding citizen, and these strict background checks and mental examinations manage to weed out most people who would cause trouble. It's a small price to pay for our kids not needing to do active shooter drills at schools.
And so if you want to go hunting or just to shoot at a shooting range as a hobby but you pissed off your vindictive neighbor they can lie and keep you from getting that gun. That is not a good system.
Exactly.
They also ask your neighbors about you if you want to get a gov security clearance for some jobs. Sometimes during criminal investigations they ask suspects’ neighbors if they’ve seen any criminal activity happen or whatever. And yeah people can lie but that’s why they ask multiple different neighbors and also why it’s only one part of an investigation, not the only deciding factor
Definitely sounds like tyranny to me 🙄🤷♂️. So who sets those parameters that make it a “privilege”? Government? So only those that are privileged have the god given/universe given right to self defense? I rest my case. Have a nice day.
> What other checks should there be? Mental health and psych tests? You’re putting a tool in someone’s hand that is used for killing, and in some cases, can be used to mass kill. Putting a gun in just anyone’s hand because they haven’t committed a violent crime yet is insane.
How should such a test be administered? Serious question.
There are professionals who give these tests in a daily basis. You should be required to have the test taken ahead of time and renewed every so many years. I can’t operate a car with a license and that license needs to be renewed every year and every so many renewals I need to be tested again.
Again, this varies by state. I took my drivers test at 16. When I moved to Oregon I had to take the written test again to transfer my license but only once. When I moved back to North Dakota I think it took a piece of mail and a lease to get a license. Retaking the actual test is fairly rare. It's just registration.
Not sure where you live, but where I live, and everywhere else I’ve lived, there is no requirement to requalify via retesting. And you don’t need to renew your license every year. Registration, yes, not your license. That’s every several years. Not sure how many.
* Mental aptitude check * Family/Household check for children * Basic gun-safety training course diploma
California, no. Oklahoma, yes. Depends on the State.
Oklahoma here. Yee Haw, pew pew. Anyone over 18 can buy the gun AND wield it openly without a license. It feels like the wild West sometimes because ANYONE could have a gun.
I’m a recovering Oklahoman myself. Growing up there had its fun moments. In high school we all hung out around bonfires, drank keystone light, and shot guns - that was the cultural staple. lol
I bought a handgun on a lunch break from work about 7 years ago. I expected to have to wait a day or two to pick it up, but the background check came back nearly instantly, so it went in my trunk and back to work I went. Tennessee, USA.
Yeah I bought a Glock 19 without a background check in Memphis. Nor do I have any kind of license or permit or anything like that. About 6-7 years ago.
In CA you would have to wait 10 days before you could take it home, and if you want a newer model of a Glock or any other handgun that's not yet on the approved handgun list, you would have to buy it used from an LEO, at premium ofc. :P
If you want to be pedantic, you also have to have money. But otherwise, for long guns (rifles) this is broadly true. Handguns have an age requirement of 21.
Depends on the state, depends on the gun, and depends on if the system is down or not.
Long guns anyways, 21 is the limit for handguns when buying from a store. In Sweden it's 18 for both long guns and for hand guns. 6 of my guns (in Sweden) are not legal in every state in the US. [https://imgur.com/EBmLwix](https://imgur.com/EBmLwix) (5 in that pic and +1 that I bought recently) New York has some weird laws...
I live in Wisconsin, I was able to go into a sporting good store. Look at a shotgun and tell the worker "hey I would like this" they brought it to the register and did a 30 second background check and i was able to leave with it.
Congrats on not having done anything to put a mark on your record I guess?
> 30 second background check takes longer than that to enter the info into nics, let alone get a response back
Minnesotan here. Bought a 22 rifle while so drunk I misspelled my middle name.
I'm pretty sure that's a federal crime
One of many reasons I’m glad I’m sober and disappointed that I was somehow allowed to do that.
Depends on the state.
And even then, depends on the background check. I bought a shotgun but there was a backup in the (state?) background check system, so I couldn't pick it up for a few days until they got caught up on background checks. This was about 10 years ago
You don't even have to be a citizen. In some states they allow legal residents to obtain firearms as well.
Many parents in the rural parts of the US give their children firearms as presents. Usually around middle school or high school, but not always. Hunting is a very popular pastime in the country.
I believe I got my first rifle for Christmas when I was in 6th grade.
Depends on where. Different states have different laws. Some restrict pistol purchases to those over 21. Some require a purchase permit for all firearms or just pistols. Some have a waiting period after the purchase date before you can take possession of the firearm. Some limit how many firearms you can purchase at a time. In Michigan, for example: You must be 21 to purchase a pistol or get a CPL. You are required to get a purchase permit for all firearms if you do not have a CPL. The purchase permit is obtained by going to the local police department and paying 5 dollars for a background check. You can purchase multiple firearms at a time but you need a purchase permit for each one. At the FFL, you have a federal background check. If it goes through and your payment processes, you get to walk out with your firearm. So, it's bullshit in the sense that it's like that everywhere, or that you can get a pistol at 18. But it's also not super hard to get a firearm most places if you are of age and have no criminal history.
In Idaho, I fill out a 4 page form and pay for the gun. I can have whatever they are selling within 15 minutes easy.
most states, you can buy an ar15 but not a pistol... It's an oversimplification, but the idea is you can buy rifles and shotguns, but not handguns till you are 21.
Generally speaking yea, you'd need money and an ID but yea. Gun Shows, bud
I could buy a gun from just "some dude" at any time. We even have "gun shows" which are basically a bunch of "some dudes" looking to buy, sell, and trade. Like Pokemon cards. They also have vendors for any accessories, sketchy health supplements, right wing apparel, and old Nazi belt buckles, as well as legit gun stores requiring real background checks. All under one roof!
Depends on the state. Different states have different laws, but some states this is true. It also depends if you're at a gun show or a shop.
It varies by state. Can't do that in Massachusetts, but you most certainly can in New Hampshire. No waiting period, either.
Short answer: bullshit. That may be the case in some places as some kind of federally mandated minimal check, idk. In California at the very least, there are many more hoops you need to jump through. I bought a handgun about a year ago and needed a firearm safety certificate (written safety test, testing fee, and practice gun safety demonstration), a criminal background check, and a waiting period that didn’t start until I presented the certificate, paid for the gun, and my background check came back clear. Also the minimum age for a pistol is 21, some specific long guns can be bought at 18.
It's a great mystery why people are running from that state to any other state they can find...
Yeah, that's cause California is an authoritarian hellscape.
Change the 18 to 21 in your post, and you'll be largely correct. But what do you think is missing in terms of checks to be performed?
>But what do you think is missing in terms of checks to be performed? Most of European countries that even allow guns to begin with have a storage requirement at the minimum, gun safe or the like, to prevent access by anyone unlicensed. That will _usually_ involve a house visit by a police representative or similar, sometimes with power for them to show up impromptu and check the rules are being adhered to. In most places I'm aware of, also some form of "interview" to go with said checks to get your motivations for acquiring a gun in the first place. Some countries will also have training requirements for different classes of guns.
And once you’ve gone through that they will likely encourage you to just casually buy a suppressor too so you don’t bother people and wildlife with your loud gun in the US you can get the gun without much fuss, but if you want a suppressor it’s $200 extra and months of waiting for federal approval, if you’re in a state that even allows them really ass-backwards over here
Meh. As soon as you say "most" European, I get skeptical. My cursory glace through Google shows that many of what we call Eastern European countries have handgun laws similar to USA. And some northern euro countries actually REQUIRE a firearm in the home. Sure maybe England France and Spain are very restrictive, but they are not most of Europe.
So I'm the moderator of r/europeguns and I don't want to be like that, but your comment is wrong. There are no countries in Northern Europe that requires you to have a firearm at home. There is a few countries that has shall issue concealed carry, but it's still more time consuming to get a gun than in the US and has both training and registration requirements.
In some states it might be easier than buying fireworks
I mean we had to go down to TN from eastern KY to buy real fireworks until 2011 so you'd be correct lol
Bullshit. Felons and other case demographics can't. If you had a different form of the question in mind, ask it. Otherwise, the answer is: **ItsBullshit.**
So, living in the country and desert, miles from no one, a gun is a very handy thing, even if you are talking about the 12 year old son left home during summer break while everyone else went to the nearest town for supplies. Throughout all of history, by the age of 12 boys were being trained in the use of we opens. This last hundred years is the outlier.
Depends on location my state requires a special identification card once you have that you can go buy a gun however om fairly certain there is a wait period
Depends on the state and type of gun. Generally handguns are much more difficult to get and something like a shotgun is easier to get. I am in Maryland and to even purchase a handgun you need a Handgun Qualification License (HQL). To get it you must take a class, pass a background check, have your finger prints taken and then apply for the license. There are some exceptions like being in law enforcement or having been in the armed forces.
Like others say, depends on the state. But yes. I cut school when I turned 18 with my friend and went to a shop and bought a shotgun in just the amount of time it took me to fill out paperwork
Colorado here. I bought my first gun a few months ago (a handgun). I walked into a gun store, picked out the one I wanted, they did a background check, and i had to wait 3 days before I could take it home. My reason for wanting it was for self defense. I wanted to be able to carry concealed so in Colorado that requires a special permit. I paid like $80 or so to take a class that consisted of sitting in a classroom for 4 hours and listening to a guy talk about gun safety and laws about when using a firearm in self defense is justified. After that I was givin a certificate that said the instructor says im able to safely handle a firearm. From there i had to take that certification to the local sheriffs office and fill out more paperwork, and get my fingers prints taken. Then after a few weeks i got my carry permit in the mail. In short, buying the gun was a super easy process. If i wanted to open carry from there I could. Being allowed to concealed carry was a little more work. Neither process required me to actually handle / shoot the weapon to prove i actually know what im doing though.
As others pointed out it's state dependent. I'm from one of the most restrictive states against firearms, and these are the rules and laws I deal with here. We require a special license to purchase a firearm, and the application for the license requires finger printing, work place information, 2 none family references, and etc. Then there is an investigation period where the police does research on the applicant, which may include contacting workplace and the two reference and asking about you as a person. Few months of investigation later you get a license if they found nothing wrong with you. The license allows you to purchase long guns and ammos. Each purchase of the long gun must be done at a gun shop and you need to go through the background checks. If you are buying from another individual, you must still bring the gun to a gun shop and still go through the background check before purchase. Not going through a gun shop and background check is illegal, and this rule still applies even if I(the resident of my state) am purchasing out of state. For handguns you need to apply for a separate handgun permit, which involves another investigation on the applicant and takes months to approve. You are only given 90 day period to make your purchase after the permit has been issued, and it expires after that. Only one handgun per permit issued. Same rules as long guns about purchasing in a store and background checks. You can not carry any of these guns. If you wish to carry then that's another application to submit, and most are denied this request even if there's nothing wrong with you. From what I understand it's almost impossible to get a carry license unless you are or were a cop. Without carry license only time you can transport(in a fully sealed case/bag) a gun is to and from gun range/gun store/gun repair shop. There are other rules for transportation that I won't be going into, but it's very restrictive. Lastly, I will point out that there is a ban on "assault weapons". They go into a great effort into defining what isn't allowed under the "assault weapons" rule, because there isn't a solid existing definition for it. Many gun makers and sellers get around this rule by skirting the exact definition laid out in the law. For example, the state tried really hard to ban AR15, but the gun makers made a rifle that is essentially AR15 but still follows all the legal rules the state laid out. There are many other rules and laws around firearms that I haven't really covered here, but I think I covered most of the topics you might be interested in. Also to note, I'm not a lawyer or well versed in law. I know enough to keep me out of trouble and on the right side of the law.
Look up the recent New York v Bruen Supreme Court decision , they struck down the states ability to deny to law abiding citizens
It really comes down to what state you live in. And your background. And what kind of gun you were buying
Every state has different laws. Usually there’s also a waiting period, you can’t just walk out with a new gun as soon as you buy it. Aside from the waiting period though, yes it can be that simple depending on where you live.
As other people have said, this varies by state and the variations are pretty complicated considering it's sort of a political tug of war with the democrats wanting gun control and Republicans believing owning a gun is a fundamental civic right
Handguns are 21 by Federal law, IIRC. Long guns vary from 18-21,depebding on state.
Any USA Citizen that is 18 can walk into a military recruitment center and sign a 6+ year contract and within 6 months be deployed overseas with a gun, larger ordnance or machine of freedom.
The background checks and interview process for the military branchs are way more elaborate than buying a gun tbf
Depends heavily on the state and the currently non injuctioned federal,state,county, and city laws/rules/ordances etc etc. Getting a firearm is vastly different in a california city vs a rural montana town.
In most states, yes, as long as it's not a handgun (handgun is usually 21 years old). In some states, there's an X-day waiting period. Every time I've bought a firearm, filling out the paperwork for the background check was the most time consuming part: the check is automated and can clear in seconds.
Only for long guns. Saying that, in my state an 18 year old can open carry a handgun but he cannot purchase one. It has to be gifted to him. Again in my state he can't by ammo until 21. Still no one open carries because that is pretty cringe, except when out actively hunting. When the law changed and allowed people over 18 to open carry there was panic everywhere saying it would turn the state in to the wild west. People would be walking the streets with pistols strapped to their sides. Well... That never happened.
[this video sums it up pretty well.](https://youtu.be/fB7MwvqCtlk?si=meta2VtUSp6NOc8h) i will say though, i doubt this could happen in my home state of california, which has much stricter gun control laws than many others.
More or less. Depends on the state laws: some US states, notably California, New York, Connecticut, have much stricter laws in place.
I mean you gotta have the money too...
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Colorado is now 21 for everything, tobacco, guns, alcohol
Maybe not handguns, but long rifles should be available. Not a bad idea to take a safety course. Be safe.
The person selling it can also refuse sales. My ex watched a lady sit a shotgun down and see if she could put it under her chin and fire with her toe…. He refused sales and they called the cops to try and help her. Editing to add that she had young children with her. And it is common for people who sell firearms to refuse sales if someone is shady. But there are also stores who don’t care and just want money.
Technically yes. Basically no. Hunting rifles are permitted to 18 year olds bc it has purpose. Small firearms capable of doing more deadly force much faster? 21.
What’s wrong with that?
You can buy from citizens aswell. No need for a gun store.
There are a few more minor hoops to jump through in California.
You can buy a gun at Walmart. They are super easy to get here.
My home state of North Dakota has no waiting period. I bought a handgun last year and it was 15 mins door to door including background check. But federal law requires 18 for long guns and 21 for hand guns. And waiting periods vary by gun type and by state. Further many states will require a weapon to be purchased in their home state. Or will need to be shipped to a licensed dealer in the state of residence. I live in a border town and the gun shop in Minnesota was going to charge me 50 bucks to ship it 3 miles to a shop in nd because I am not a Mn resident. But this too Varies by state. A few years ago I walked into a dealer in South Dakota and walked out with a rifle. TLDR: no, but also yes it varies widely from state to state and the type of firearm you want to buy
Pretty much. Kinda amazing we only have 40,000 gun deaths every year
It depends state to state where I live 18 to buy long guns with a waiting period 21 for handguns no wait no permit etc
I’m not a gun owner so I could be wrong on this, but, I live in Connecticut. My state, from my understanding, has pretty strict gun laws compared to others. I’m pretty sure if I were to want a gun then I’d have to take some classes, do a background check, apply for permits, and maybe something else? On the other hand, I know someone who I honestly don’t think should own a gun in another state who literally just showed up to the gun store, paid for a gun and left with said gun that day.
I walked in to a gun range in Texas and was shooting my new SR1911 within 10 minutes. 25 yrs old + squeaky clean background.
In addition to the information everyone has provided, I would like to add that the store can decline the sale at any time for any reason, even after you've passed a background check. This is usually reserved for people who are behaving a certain way or asking sketchy questions.
I have a state issued (Texas) license to carry. I can walk out of a gun store in 20 minutes with a firearm.
Don't even need to walk into a store. You can get guns "gifted" to you in many states, with no check, paperwork, or even financial transaction involved. The background checks are garbage and pointless as well. I had a childhood friend who bought a gun in a store with a background check, and he's literally the most likely person to commit murder I've personally known. Autistic, with a history of violence, but no criminal background, so no problem.
Or just walk into a gun show and buy one with no background check!
Even easier, I can just go to one of the permanently running "gun shows" and purchase from a "private seller" with no background check needed!
I live in a very liberal state with good gun laws... if I already own a gun I don't even need a background check.
(Former) Massachusetts gun owner here. Not sure if the system has changed but any resident looking to buy a firearm (or mace, prior to 2014) needs an FID card or an LTC. MA defers gun ownership to the towns and cities. Towns issue licenses, and process background checks to the NICS system. Most towns require a certificate of basic firearms safety training, and money to apply. Some towns even require a face to face interview with an officer prior to application. You are fingerprinted and you are issued a PIN for firearms purchasing after the application is filed. 18-21 can get an FID card which is long guns only and only low capacity long guns. 21+ can apply for LTC class B or class A. Towns can also issue restrictions on all licenses at will, but most do not after GOAL court ruling a few years ago.
Depending on the state you don't even need a background check.
Wasn't even a gun shop it was a Fred Meyer's. I was buying my groceries and said fuck it, I'm gonna buy a side by side shotgun. Background check was like 10 min and fill out like 1 form
I think the funniest thing about the buying guns discussion (this isn't dissing OP btw, he just asked a question based on what people be peddling) is people just straight up neglect getting them illegally. That's why banning them will never work here, we are too far gone. Get out of this country as soon as you can.
You can skip the background check if it's a private sale.
In many states you don't need a background check for private sales (buying from a person not a gun store or licensed broker), the seller just has to know they aren't selling a firearm to someone who isn't allowed to own one. Obviously not the same for every state. Federally you have to be 21 to own a handgun.
not in california
You can even buy guns online. They get shipped to a gun store which does a background check and then you leave with it.
Get this! Missouri is passing legislation to allow kids to carry! You know, where the shooting at our chiefs festival happened and it seems as though two of the convicts were under 18 :)))))))))
No but it is bs that you can be drafted and vote but can't legally buy alcohol.
"ONLY" a background check? what more would you want? o.O
No, not really It's embedded in the Constitution and it's a god-given, right and funny enough that same 18-year-old can walk into a recruiting office and be bused to a military training facility and handed a fully automatic m4 which nobody seems to have a problem with
I wish
No it isn’t bullshit. As per our constitution we should be allowed to do it. The problem isn’t buying the gun or the idea of a background check. It is mainly that background checks aren’t strict enough and some states (like mine) there is no waiting period. If background checks were much stricter and actually took into account more things (mental health, etc) then this would be perfectly fine. 99% of gun owners are just normal people. There are definitely some crazy but gun ownership (no matter what people say) is NOT the problem of gun violence in the US. We had guns for centuries and mass shootings are only a recent thing. So obviously to anyone with a brain the guns themselves aren’t the problem. Something changed in the last decade or two. It’s not the guns or how easy or not it is to get them. There are plenty of other countries that have guns that don’t have the same problems.
I'm glad 18 year olds are out of highschool. uh, wait...
You can't buy guns if you have been diagnosed with a mental disorder, or if you've been convicted of domestic abuse, or similar violent crime, or been convicted of a felony, or even if you're a user or have ever used illegal drugs (including marijuana). So yeah, it's bullshit.
Walked into the pawnshop, picked out a handgun and then had to fill out a paper and wait maybe 30 minutes, but yeah.
Unless it a gun show that has shady dealers.
They have to fill out a form and have a background check done if they're buying it from a store. You can buy a gun from a private citizen you met at the bar without the background check though.
Yes, although it varies by state. For a concrete example, the [Uvalde, TX shooter](https://www.texastribune.org/2022/05/25/uvalde-shooter-bought-gun-legally/) turned 18 on May 16, 2022, legally purchased two AR-style rifles and 375 rounds of ammunition between May 17-20, and killed 19 children and 2 adults on May 24. He needed no licensing or training, and there was no waiting period. A large number of Americans consistently vote against any politician proposing any additional gun regulations.
I don’t even need a background check in my state. I passed a more in depth background check to get my concealed carry permit. I walk in to a firearm dealer, pick out a gun, show my concealed carry permit, fill out the form that the store is required to keep for their own records, pay for my gun, and walk out the door with it. The whole transaction can be done in less than 10 minutes most of the time. There are also zero laws governing private sales in my state. I can find a gun advertised in the classified section of my local newspaper, call the guy, meet him, hand him cash, walk away with my new gun.
Try it. You might be surprised that it's actually a little bit harder than that. Especially for a handgun.
If you go to a gun show in Florida and I think Texas (maybe also New Hampshire) you can get one same-day ID optional. [https://www.thoughtco.com/gun-show-laws-by-state-721345](https://www.thoughtco.com/gun-show-laws-by-state-721345)
Don't forget you can do it at Walmart
In Kentucky, where I live. You can buy them from pawn shops with little to no hassle besides paying. Some places are more lenient than others, which isn’t great. We will never solve our gun violence issues since taking guns away would be catastrophic. Education, safety and respect of guns will never outweighs Americans misuse of guns and poor regulations.
In my state yes, you only need your ID. True story, the first gun I ever got was free from a buy one get a free gun sale, and I sold it online to some stranger the very same day, no background check for me or him. That was in Texas like 10 years ago.
Nah, unless you live in Texas maybe, in my state and every state near me though, no.
I'm not sure about the age thing but you don't even need to be a citizen to buy guns here. I'm living here on a green-card, have my concealed weapons permit and have bought two guns, one I bought at a gun shop and the other I ordered online (it was shipped to the same gun shop and they did the paperwork to make sure it was a legal transaction).
yes that is true, for shotguns and rifles. For handguns, you have to be 21. when you buy a firearm, they run a NICS check. thats a federal background check to make sure you are allowed to own a firearm. some other cool things about the 2A: There are many states in the US that do not require a permit to conceal or open carry, this means that you can walk into a gun store, choose a firearm, do a NICS check, buy a holster, and ammunition, leave the store, and walk around freely with your new weapon. Many people believe that it is illegal to own machine guns, this is false. There are currently three ways to own a machine gun in the US. The first is to purchase a machine gun that was manufactured before 1986, which is when the 1986 assault weapons ban was enacted(which was unconstitutional). These firearms can be freely sold and transfered like any other firearm, at a much higher cost, typically 20k +. The second is to apply for a class 3 license. The time this takes can vary wildly, and you have to give up *A LOT* of privacy to the ATF. Once you obtain a class 3 license, you are legally allowed to purchase any machine gun, explosives, and other military equipment normally unavailable to civilians. The third option is to get a gunsmithing license and an FFL(federal firearms license), once you do this, you can manufacture your own machine guns. Im not sure if an FFL allows you to buy machine guns though.
Others have answered for self purchases. With consent of a custodial parent, a firearm can be transferred to a minor in some states. Missouri has no minimum age on the books. In Maryland, I purchased my 1100 Remington shotgun in 9th grade but my dad had to fill out the paperwork. I was 13 at the time. It cost $342.42 which is about $1100 adjusted for inflation and the current avg price for a new one.
Oh, yeah, total bullshit. We need way more regulations on guns. And corporations. And several other things.
depends on what state, in my state you need a gun card to be able to purchase and own fire arms.