[Grinch]

Hi guys,
I hate to bring up the issue of confusing gun laws but here goes...
I checked the NRAILA website and this is what I got so far...

A person must be 21 years of age to purchase a handgun or handgun ammunition. (GCA, 1968)

A person under age 18 may not possess a handgun or handgun ammunition, and it is illegal for a person to provide a handgun or handgun ammunition to a person under age 18, except for target shooting, hunting, or certain other exempted purposes. (Youth Handgun Safety Act, 1994)

So someone under 21 can't buy a handgun and someone under 18 can't possess a handgun. That leaves open the possibility that someone who is between 18-20 years old can possess a handgun (unless prohibited by state law).

So my question is....Would it be illegal for someone who is 21 to buy a handgun and give it to someone who is 18 or older??

Any input or direction to where I could find more on this topic would be appreciated. Thanks!!
Grinch

 

[sully]

To the best of my understanding, it would not be illegal, but I would be very careful playing those kinds of games.

If something were to happen, all it takes is one prosecutor with anti-gun leanings to hold the over-21 individual accountable, and really screw things up for you.

Also, if the intent is to purchase a gun for someone else, that technically becomes illegal under the "straw-hat" purchase rules. You would have to purchase it for yourself, and then later decide to sell/give it to someone else.

 

[Grinch]

Thanks for the input Sully. I was kind of confused and I definitely don't want to end up doing something that would get me in trouble.
Thanks again!

 

[outdoortexas]

I'm not capable of a legal answer, so won't offer any input. You have brought up a good question, and sully has a point.

 

[Guest]

Since it is conceivably your butt that would go to jail if things went really wrong, I'd recommend you contact your state attorney general's office and see what they say.

Buying a gun for someone who couldn't buy one on their own is illegal, so I'm betting the answer is no. I inherited a handgun before I was 21, and I think that was legal, but am not sure. Since its a .22 and not something I'd use defensively, I wasn't that concerned about it.

 

[cajungeo]

Course all the teeny gang bangers really care about the laws. They have their pistols, and do not shoot animals out of season. They only use their pistols for "drive by shoot-a-thons". Course the down side is they rarely hit who their shooten at, so they hit the inocent ones insted.

 

[outdoortexas]

Cajungeo,

You've got to be nicer man, it's not the kids fault you know, had to be a bad childhood, or something. They can't possibly be responcible!

 

[cajungeo]

Hey outdoortexas. Your probably right, if anyone could figure out who their parrents were. Or it may have been the mean ol principal who kicked them out of school for expressing their individuality by holding a knife at the teachers throat.

 

[outdoortexas]

Exactly!

 

[Bill]

Beware, if the firearm is purchased with the intent of tranferring it to the other buyer (who cannot buy it directly), this is called a "straw man" purchase, and is illegal.

Even if there is flexibility to transfer a handgun to an 18yr old son, for example, buying a firearm for an 18yr old friend simply because they cannot is against the law, even if the individual acts might be legal when done seperately. While it is incumbent on the justice system to prove blame, reality shows that the buyer is the one who is going to have to prove himself innocent.