How old do you have to be for a handgun?

garandfan

I know that federal law requires you to be 21 years old to purchase a handgun. My question is is it legal for someone who is under 21 years old to receive a handgun as a gift? For instance, here in Arizona, if you are at least 14 years old, you are allowed to carry and transport guns as long as you are at or going to a legal shooting are, even if it is a handgun. Since our state allows you to transport a handgun before you are 21, are you allowed to legally own it (not purchase it) before you are 21.

Edited by - garandfan on 06/06/2002 02:00:41

Edited by - garandfan on 06/06/2002 02:26:29

nunn

I gave my 14-year-old son a handgun. My business, the way I figure it.

SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net

gunpaq

My father gave me a .357 Ruger Blackhawk for my 14th birthday many a year ago. A gift is a gift, what is done in your house or land is your private business. If I am correct one must be 21 to purchase a handgun.

Pack slow, fall stable, pull high, hit dead center.

Gordian Blade

In NY State, even to touch a handgun legally, you must have a pistol permit. To own one, you also need the permit and it will be registered in your name by serial number. To get the permit, you must be 21 to apply. Since it takes at least 6 months to go through, effectively that means 21.5 years old.

If you have a parent who "gives" you one, it still isn't legally yours until you go through the above. A young person shooting a handgun on private property (out of neighbors' hearing) probably wouldn't be hassled unless the police had another reason to be there, but if they catch you with a handgun and no permit, the consequences are bad.

Concealed carry for the average citizen is very hard to get. Most permits (like mine) are for hunting/target only.

The low crime rate and difficulty of obtaining illegal handguns in NY State shows how effective this is.

thunderbolt

Read Bill Clinton's Youth Handgun Safety Act. Pick up a copy at your
favorite gun shop.

oldgunner

In my opinion, your hand should be big enough to grip it and reach the trigger. Your mind should be big enough to take advise on doing it safely.

There are no bad guns, only bad people.

MFI

In my county here in NY State concealed carry licenses are very easy to get. Yes you must first obtain a permit which here in Delaware county takes about 3-6 weeks for most. It used to be that the law was 18 to get a permit but you you could not buy a handgun until you were 21.You could own it at 18 and shoot it but you couldnt buy one in a store. Now its 21 to apply for the permit and to own one (legally).


"I saw that at Walmart for $5.00 less"

Bullzeye

They've got the gun stores here in NY running scared.

They've apparently been told that if they so much as let an unlicensed individual (of any age) hold an unloaded pistol in the store, they will have their business shut down and they will do Federal time.

There are many stores now that refuse to sell even rifles and shotguns to anyone under 21, all from legal concerns.

I get carded at Dick's when I want to buy a $4.00 can of Break-Free. Reason? It's in the hunting department, used to lubricate guns, and is therefore a Restricted Firearm-Related Item.

The 14-year-old gangbangers who bring in $1000 a week selling crack in NYC and can buy themselves a NIB Desert Eagle .50AE out of the back of some *'s trunk no questions asked have more rights than I do.

It makes me want to f***in' scream.