How difficult is it to buy a gun in America?

whiteboy

It's quite interesting to me that anyone over the age of 18, as long as they are a US citizen, can simply walk into a store and buy a gun.
Of course they have to do a background check to see if you're not a criminal or anything but otherwise you're free to go.

I think they should introduce guns into this country and in the same vein, allow anyone over the age of 18 to buy one, There would be no more teenagers complaining that they have nothing to do during the summer.

Khyra24

I don't think it's very difficult at all to buy a gun here...for shame.

Yes, teenagers shooting at each other instead of playing ball...genius.

The_Kew_Tour

hmmmm I smell something dodgy

Hazys

Depends on the state

Run_to_da_hills

Depends on the state, some are more liberal than others. Certain southern states you would find them at open air market stalls or hock shops. Just show your drivers license and Bobs your uncle. .

CreepingDeath

Doesn't mean you can carry it loaded around with you.

You need to complete an NRA basic pistol course to apply for "Licence to carry".

(In Washington DC/North Virginia at least)

Mardy Bum

Head down to the swamp meets in Tucson Az and buy one for peanuts.

Bruthal

whiteboy wrote: »

I think they should introduce guns into this country and in the same vein, allow anyone over the age of 18 to buy one

Would be handy for withdrawing your money without having to fill in the forms.

karlog

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIpLd0WQKCY

maglite

whiteboy wrote: »

It's quite interesting to me that anyone over the age of 18, as long as they are a US citizen, can simply walk into a store and buy a gun.
Of course they have to do a background check to see if you're not a criminal or anything but otherwise you're free to go.

Pretty much the same here,

Buy Gun,
Buy safe for gun,
Go to Gardaí, (background check, explain good reason for owning one etc.
Receive licence
Pick up gun.

whiteboy

CreepingDeath wrote: »

Doesn't mean you can carry it loaded around with you.

You need to complete an NRA basic pistol course to apply for "Licence to carry".

(In Washington DC/North Virginia at least)

did not know this, interesting

dj jarvis

walked into woolworths in the boston burbs , next to the tennis equipment was a huge display of guns , hand guns , rifles and assault type weapons , pick and mix and a 12 gauge shot gun please

also as far as i know in texas you only have to be 17 and no record and you can buy a AK47 ,
can you imagine that being allowed here , go to tescos and buy a rifle ????
shudder 2 think :eek:

RichieC

maglite wrote: »

Pretty much the same here,

Buy Gun,
Buy safe for gun,
Go to Gardaí, (background check, explain good reason for owning one etc.
Receive licence
Pick up gun.

Background checks and psych exams prior to gun purchases are communist.

dr gonzo

Considering Americas reputation in regards to gun ownership it really isnt that easy to buy a gun, its not terribly difficult but it isnt just walk into a shop and walk out armed a few minutes later. I decided to go through the process of getting a gun in California (I was bored), you have to go through class and practical training, paperwork and waiting period.

If you think about it what more can they do? I still think legal pistol ownership is a terrible idea but a lot of states seem to be quite strict about the whole process.

Capt'n Midnight

Before they brought in anti gun laws only one in four guns used in a crime was purchased legally so it can't be that difficult to pick up a dodgy one

Metallitroll

always reeked of something to me in such a developed country every woman and man a marshall, a law unto emselves, taking the law into their own hands where they deem fit its good for the american ego; at home and abroad. i guess it could only be cracked down on; long way to go yet

rossie1977

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcCJ24MozOg

JonnyMacM

Federal law states that every PERSON that buys a handgun/long gun in USA has to go through a NICS background check before purchasing a gun from a business/shop/dealer (there are a few exceptions), private sales are exempt from this. Each state has their own laws on top of this, some much stricter than others. Until last year you where not able to own a handgun in Washington DC. California, NY and a few others are also very strict though this number is getting less and less each year as people realize that Gun laws there generally only keep guns away form law abiding citizens, surprisingly criminals pay no attention to the law!

Depending on the state you live in you can carry a concealed hand gun on you all day, generally there are only a few places you cant carry it like court houses and other federal buildings(state law varies). The process for getting this license can be a matter of a few hours classroom training and 10mins on a range to months of form filling and waiting though the latter is getting rarer each year. Some states allow you to carry a concealed weapon without any license at all as long as you are legal to own the gun, Alaska and Vermont to name few.
Open carry (like the way a cop carries a gun) while less common in most states is legal and becoming more common.

Jesus Wept

guns for toys program

CrazyRabbit

dj jarvis wrote: »

can you imagine that being allowed here , go to tescos and buy a rifle ????
shudder 2 think :eek:

You wouldn't have to worry if it was bought in Tesco's. It'd probably fall apart before the 1st shot could be fired.

Savage Tyrant

I don't think the US's gun laws are a bad thing at all. I'd certainly sleep a little easier at night if I knew I had a legally owned pistol in my bedside safe.

Manic Moran

Won't do you much good inside a safe. If awoken, you will be groggy, confused, and somewhat in the dark (literally). Opening the safe could take a moment.

Firearm enthusiasts in the US would give their left nut to have a culture such as Switzerland has. If anyone attempted to propose a Knabenschiessen in California, the locals would anally excrete bricks. And as for walking down the street with an assault rifle on your shoulder?! (Which aren't legal in California anyway...). We also look with some envy to our neighbours in the Great White North, showing off rifles such as Tavor and G36 which are illegal in the US.

The problem is that US gun laws are very often 'feelgood' laws, and quite often knee-jerk ones. Firearms are categorised more on what they look like than what they actually are capable of, most of my rifles are categorised amongst enthusuasts as "EBRs", which stands for Evil Black Rifles. When the Roberti-Roois act was being written in 1989, the legislators basically got a Big Boy's Picture Book of Guns and went "I don't like the look of that one, we'll ban it". They even had to invent a new term for 'gunswedunlikedalookof', 'assault weapon', as the usual descriptors tended to be more based on mechanics and operation than on appearance. The 'Safe Handgun Law' is a not-very-well disguised attempt to basically ban firearms without banning them. What does it matter what colour it is? I've a commemorative pistol on hold for me in Nevada which I can't bring into the State because it's been engraved.

The California Handgun Safety Certiifcate, which you need to pass a test for before you can purchase a pistol, barring certain exceptions such as military or police, is about 30 questions long and written by politicians. It has questions like 'True or false: There are many needless deaths of children by fiream every year'. I saw only one useful question, asking for the surface danger zone of a .38 pistol round. The driving test is more difficult. And could someone explain to me why I need a ten-day waiting period when I already own multiple firearms? I already own more than I can use at once.

NTM

Sisko

Manic Moran wrote: »

Won't do you much good inside a safe. If awoken, you will be groggy, confused, and somewhat in the dark (literally). Opening the safe could take a moment.
NTM

Guns are not for home defence in Ireland. The safe is so some stupid kid can't play with it etc.

Do you sleep with a gun under your pillow or something? :P

Manic Moran

Manic Moran wrote: »

And could someone explain to me why I need a ten-day waiting period when I already own multiple firearms? I already own more than I can use at once.

Have you tried using a complex system of mirrors and pulleys?

maglite

Manic Moran wrote: »

culture such as Switzerland has.
NTM

SHHHHHhhhh!!!!!!!

People are just getting to grips with we can own and use shotguns here... Next step is a small caliber rifle, then ease in the bit about pistols.

The swiss dream would cause mass hysteria and an abundance of teenagers killing people. I mean look at the murder rates in Switzerland, Its out of control.


* some of the above post may contain traces of sarcasm. (drool)

CrazyRabbit

Sisko wrote: »

Do you sleep with a gun under your pillow or something? :P

I did, until I lost my right ear.

Remember this important lesson, on the M1911, switch up = safety on.

biko

You may want to look into various state laws.
Some states will sell you a gun over the counter but others will not.

Manic Moran

Sisko wrote: »

Guns are not for home defence in Ireland. The safe is so some stupid kid can't play with it etc.

I know, but I was playing along with the statement that he'd sleep better with one.

Do you sleep with a gun under your pillow or something? :P

No. My bed has built-in drawers, so it's in one of those.

NTM

phill106

Hmmm i still have my american citizenship and passport, wonder could I buy a gun on my holidays and bring one back?
Assuming I could afford a holiday.
Or a gun.

Savage Tyrant

phill106 wrote: »

Hmmm i still have my american citizenship and passport, wonder could I buy a gun on my holidays and bring one back?
Assuming I could afford a holiday.
Or a gun.

I'd say you could probably buy one. (Probably need an actual US address I'd imagine) .... But to bring it back? (legally?) No chance!

Ruu_Old

Brilliant OP! Cowboys and Indians, with real guns! PEW, PEW, got you, you're dead!! \o/ John..John??

phill106

hmmm must be some way of doing it legally (for guns that allowed here). Must check on shooting forum some time!

deathrider

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Just show your drivers license and Bobs your uncle. .

You have to show them proof that you have an uncle named Bob? :eek:

minidazzler

Khyra24 wrote: »

I don't think it's very difficult at all to buy a gun here...for shame.

Yes, teenagers shooting at each other instead of playing ball...genius.

You serious? How often do teenagers actually shoot at eachother? If there were more people armed as it is in the US, in this country, I am thinking our government wouldn't be so quick to be cnutish.

Rented Mule

karlog wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIpLd0WQKCY

This is one of my favorite Simpsons episodes of all time. The next scene is Homer sitting in front of his house waiting for the post to arrive for five days. As he sits there, everything goes by as if in an arcade with Tom Petty's The Waiting playing. Sheer brilliance.


I was robbed at gunpoint about eight years ago. I was absolutely infuriated and went out and applied for my gun card and starting looking at guns. By the time the gun card had arrived, I started to cool down a bit.

Homer's comment 'Five days ??? ...but I'm angry now !!' really hits home when I think about it.

Odysseus

whiteboy wrote: »

It's quite interesting to me that anyone over the age of 18, as long as they are a US citizen, can simply walk into a store and buy a gun.
Of course they have to do a background check to see if you're not a criminal or anything but otherwise you're free to go.

I think they should introduce guns into this country and in the same vein, allow anyone over the age of 18 to buy one, There would be no more teenagers complaining that they have nothing to do during the summer.

Anybody can, all you need is good reason, hunting or being a member of a target club. If if for hunting all you need is to be able to prove you have access to land to hunt on.

Security is required, but it's not difficult to buy a gun safe.

I have two rifles and a shotgun.

The process can be slow here, but it is not as difficult as most people think. The flase belief that is is really difficult put me off applying for years, the issue here is the types of firearm we are allowed, i.e. no hand guns anymore.

The problem in Ireland is we are supposed to have a system that is clear, but sadly it is not. You may be allow a certain type of firearm in one district, but a couple of miles down the road you can't as the super dislikes that type.

There are issues around restricted firearms, but getting a cert for a shot-gun or a .22 is not that difficult.

Capt'n Midnight

JonnyMacM wrote: »

Federal law states that every PERSON that buys a handgun/long gun in USA has to go through a NICS background check before purchasing a gun from a business/shop/dealer (there are a few exceptions), private sales are exempt from this.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/nics/nics

Mandated by the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act of 1993 and launched by the FBI on November 30, 1998, NICS is used by Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) to instantly determine whether a prospective buyer is eligible to buy firearms or explosives. Before ringing up the sale, cashiers call in a check to the FBI or to other designated agencies to ensure that each customer does not have a criminal record or isn't otherwise ineligible to make a purchase. More than 100 million such checks have been made in the last decade, leading to more than 700,000 denials.

No surprise really that 99.3% of people who apply aren't denied.

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/nics/reports/copy_of_TotalNICSBackgroundChecks.pdf
14,409,616 checks last year
2,796,849 in 2011 to Feb 28


Excluding those too young to buy guns this would indicate there was one gun bought for every two adults since '98 so shouldn't have any problem picking up one secondhand