Federal Law on Buying a Firearm
The federal government takes measures to ensure that guns are sold and purchased legally in an attempt to increase public safety. The federal gun law acts outline how guns are to be purchased, sold and transferred in the United States.
Other People Are Reading
-
Ineligible Persons
-
There are groups of people that are not eligible to carry a firearm. For example, people who are mentally unstable, convicted of a criminal offense that carried more than a year sentence or two years for a misdemeanor, dishonorable discharge from the Armed Forces, people under a retraining order, fugitives of the law and other issues and offenses that may compromise the safety of others are not eligible.
Age Requirements
-
An individual 21 years of age may purchase a hand gun from a licensed dealer in the individual's state of residence. An 18 year old may purchase a rifle or shotgun from a licensed dealer in any state, but not a hand gun until he is 21 years old.
-
Documeting the Sale of the Firearm
-
All firearm sales must be documented on a federal form 4473. This form includes information about the purchaser, the make and model of the gun and the serial number of the gun.
Sale of Multiple Handguns to an Individual
-
If multiple guns are purchased by an individual within a five-day period, dealer notification must be given to the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Violators of the documenting rules may be imprisoned for up to one year and fined up to $1,000.
Gun Sales Between Individuals
-
An individual selling a gun to someone that resides outside his state must have a federal firearms license. If not, he must transfer the gun to a dealer in the purchaser's state.
Purchasing Antique Firearms
-
Antique firearms may be purchased across state lines without the seller transferring the firearm to a licensed dealer in the purchaser's state. A gun must be manufactured before 1899 to be considered an antique.
-
References
- Photo Credit gun image by dinostock from Fotolia.com
