Do I need a license to own a gun?

Question

Is it legal to own a gun and if so do I need to get a license first? Also do I need to register my gun with the ATF?

Answer 1

Liscense only for a concealed weapon, where allowed. If you desire to carry your handgun on a holdster on your belt, then no liscense. otherwise, no liscense needed. It is called the 2nd amendment.

Answer 2

The answer is state dependent. Some states require all firearms be registered, some states do not. There is not a national registration database that covers all firearms; states have their own databases (such as the California DOJ) on guns that are bought and sold through legitimate gun dealers and Federal Firearms License holders. Many firearms that have casual transfer between family members, firearms meeting antique status, firearms that have been within a family for many years and have passed down from father to son, etc usually don't have registration papers on file. Thus, those fall into a gray area regarding registration. So, if you have a firearm in the trunk of your car and are on the way to the shooting range and get stopped. The firearm is properly stowed in a locked case, empty and the clips and ammunition are separate, and the firearm is registered to you, you have no problems. If it's not registered, and it's been in the family a long time, just hope nobody in the family committed a felony with it or that it was stolen because then you have a major problem. Possession of stolen property or possession of a weapon used in a felony. Problem in "defending yourself from a burglar" with or without a license is what intent and what weapon the burglar had. You, of course, have absolutely no way of knowing the intent of the burglar other than to burglarize your home.Do they plan to run away if seen? Do they plan to try and scare you? Hit you? Stab you? Shoot you? You can't answer those questions unless you see a weapon in their hands. But that still doesn't answer whether the weapon was to injure or to intimidate. Did you see a knife? Did you see a gun? What did you see before you shot? Juries often find that your 12 gauge shotgun was overkill on little 100 lb. Billy who was just climbing through your window to steal your laptop and the knife he had was just to pry your window open. Even though you say he lunged at you with the knife just before you pulled the trigger. And there is no license for that 12 gauge shotgun at all. The caveat is that you must make a conscious decision whether the force you take is consistent with the threat you face. Sometimes that could be multiple attackers who could overpower you and attack your family. They might be armed with a knife, or perhaps, in numbers, with striking instruments only. But there is a decision that has to be made in a split second whether to pull that trigger and once you do, you can't change your mind. It's final. And you have to live with the decision you made. Been there and done that. My credo is and always has been:" It's far better to be judged by 12 of your peers than be carried by 6 of your friends" 40+ years and Thank God, no mistakes.

Answer 3

Fortunately in most states a license is not required to own a gun but in a few they are. In some states some types of guns have to be registered and be aware that history shows us that anytime firearms are registered they are usually later confiscated.

In any state except for Vermont to carry concealed you must obtain a permit. There are 40 states that have a "shall issuse" system so that unless the state can show a valid reason why you cannot be in possession of a firearm, they will issued you the permit provided that meet any training requirements and have the money to purchase the permit. In eight other states you can apply for a permit but you must convince the local officals that your life and the life of your loved ones is worth saving or you will not get a permit. In two states there is no type of concealed carry at all.

No guns are resgistered with the ATF. It is currently illegal for the ATF or any other federal entity to keep a database of law abiding gun owners. States of course will have to keep a database of concealed carry permit holders.

Check out this website for infomratin directly related to the state you live in. You will also find a link the your states offical web site that goes into specific detail pertaining to purchasing, owning and carrying a firearm.

www.packing.org

Good luck to you.

Answer 4

In MANY (didn't want to say ALL because I'm not sure) states you need a license to own a HAND GUN. You apply for the license (usually a 7 - 10 day wait) THEN you can buy the hand gun.

Answer 5

99.9% of the USA, the answer is NO.

In most states if your neighbor wants to sell his gun and you are not a felon, you can buy it from him with no paperwork, background check or reporting of the sale.

In 46 states you need a PERMIT to carry concealed.

In 2 states you can carry how and when you want.

In 2 states you can not carry concealed at all.

Guns do not need to be registered with the ATF unless they are machine guns, sawed off shot guns, or otherwise on the restricted list.

A complete list of gun laws can be found at the reference provided.

Answer 6

What state do you live in? Each state is different. In Illinois where I live, you have to have a foid card (Firearms Owner Identification)
That takes a month or so to get, as long as you have a clean record. Then there is a waiting period between when you pay for a gun and when you can actually pick it up. I forget if it's three or seven days.

Answer 7

I'm uncertain as to where you live but hopefully licenses and registration of these arms are mandatory everywhere. In Canada you would certainly need to get a license and to register it also.

Answer 8

Yeah, you DO need a license to own a gun.

Answer 9

Laws for registration vary by state. Go to a gun store and they will tell you what the local laws are.

Answer 10

Depends on your state's laws. It doesn't need to be registered with the BATF unless it's class III.