Handgun at 18

Dadillac

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Joined
Nov 16, 2012
Messages
6
Hello Everyone,
Im looking to buy my first handgun in the next month as a means of home protection. I am 20 years and from Rock Hill. I had been putting of purchasing a handgun of my own because i had always been told you had to be 21. I recently come to undersatnd that you can purchase one at 18 from an individual state resident, but not a dealer.
So my question is, can i purchase one online and have it shipped to an FFL dealer? or does that count as purchasing from a dealer?
And if so are there any "loopholes" or other ways around this law.
Any knowledge in the subject would be appreciated.

Thanks
 
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Purchasing online through an FFL is still purchasing from a dealer and is a no go for under 21. If someone over 21 makes the purchase for the purpose of selling it to you it is called a straw purchase and that is against the law unless you are part of a Mexican drug cartel. Then the ATF will make sure they help you out in any way possible.
 
TheSwampFox said:
Purchasing online through an FFL is still purchasing from a dealer and is a no go for under 21. If someone over 21 makes the purchase for the purpose of selling it to you it is called a straw purchase and that is against the law unless you are part of a Mexican drug cartel. Then the ATF will make sure they help you out in any way possible.
:lol:
 
TheSwampFox said:
Purchasing online through an FFL is still purchasing from a dealer and is a no go for under 21. If someone over 21 makes the purchase for the purpose of selling it to you it is called a straw purchase and that is against the law unless you are part of a Mexican drug cartel. Then the ATF will make sure they help you out in any way possible.

Not quite -- if a parent or legal guardian purchases the firearm they may gift it to the minor. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals recently heard a significant case re 21 year olds buying firearms and emphatically reemphasized that the Gun Control Act specifically allows such a transfer. But yes, pretty much any other such transfer where someone else buys the gun for your would be a straw buy.
http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pu ... V0.wpd.pdf


John Canuck, however is totally right. While the courts and legislature have ruled that you are too irresponsible and erratic to purchase a firearm from an FFL after receiving a background check and showing identification, you are allowed to purchase a firearm from a private seller with no background check and no ID requirement.

You may want to check out Armslist or the swap part of this forum.
 
but it is the case. mr thomas is filling out the forms and is the actual purchacer.

this bs came up because of fast and stupid i think.

they have no right to assume he is lying. what if he is gifting it to Bobbys father?

i know not to buy a gun for a felon, someone underage, a nut or someone i dont know. they are assuming i am a criminal, a lier.
 
Tigerstripe said:
but it is the case. mr thomas is filling out the forms and is the actual purchacer.
An FFL can lose their license for knowingly selling to someone they should have reasonable cause to believe is a prohibited person or a straw purchaser.

Tigerstripe said:
this bs came up because of fast and stupid i think.
No, it came up because of the Gun Control Act of 1968. The only change to firearms regulations or laws that I am aware of that resulted from Fast and Furious was a new ATF regulation requiring mandatory registration in a central database of any two centerfire rifles purchases within the same week in certain southwest states and.

You don't think that Fast and Furious was about REDUCING straw purchases, do you? :shock:

Tigerstripe said:
they have no right to assume he is lying. what if he is gifting it to Bobbys father?
i know not to buy a gun for a felon, someone underage, a nut or someone i dont know. they are assuming i am a criminal, a lier.

Again, the FFL runs the risk of losing their livelihood, so yeah, many FFLs will assume the worst about their customers so as to not get hammered by the ATF and lose their business.

I've found that the best approach with such FFLs is to elevate to a manager. Usually managers are better versed in the law and have more discretion. If that doesn't work, the next option is to find a better dealer. There are plenty of fish in the sea who are not jerks and who know the law. If a businessman wants to lose a sale over an abundance of caution, then fine -- he'll lose the sale, and every one thereafter too, especially if he is a jerk about it!
 
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