How easy is it to get an illegal handgun in the USA?

Question

Hello from Britain! Some friends and I are discussing the recent mass media coverage of gun crime in Britain (typically committed by under 16s, worringly) and how, if you live in the right area and know the right people, it's very easy to get a handgun, even if it is very expensive and may be, in actual fact, a modified blank-firing pistol of a reactivated collector's piece. Nothing top of the range, but of course they all kill.

We then wondered that, given some parts of the USA have very liberal gun laws compared to us here in the UK, does that neccesarily make it any easier to get an illegal handgun or do you still have to be part of that tight-knit underworld fraternity? Could you or I, Joe Bloggs, acquire an illegal handgun with relative ease even if we knew nobody who was of criminal leanings? Or is it just as secretive a process as it is in the UK, depsite the fact there are so many more legal guns?

Thanks for all serious and helpful answers!

PS, I'm not really sure why I put the question in this section- I suppose if anyone on here would know about gun culture it would be the guys and girls on this category. If I don't get a great response I might try the Law section later.

I stress I am asking only out of curiosity in relfection of the UKs gun laws and crime figures; I have no intention of illegally purchasing a gun myself!

And what about ammo?

Answer 1

At the moment, very easy.
Keep in mind that someone bent on ignoring or breaking the law will not bother to consult the law before aquiring a weapon by whatever means neccessary.

Answer 2

I am a criminal justice major and in my victimology class, my professor stated that over 80% of all crimes in the U.S. are committed with guns obtained through illegal means. So to all the liberal, gun-control idiots out there-obviously gun control will resolve nothing except to increase gun violence since no law-abiding citizens will have them. Sorry, I had to add that. To answer your question, obviously guns are prolific throughout much of the U.S. However, I still think that it would be relatively hard for the average American to find and purchase a gun illegally. (Look at what happened to TI a few weeks ago.) I think that in order for a person to purchase guns illegally (especially automatic weapons), they have to be involved pretty heavily in a certain subculture. From what you describe in your first paragraph, that pretty much sounds like the way it is here. Many liberals here think that because America doesn't have gun control, anyone can just walk down the street and buy a gun from a thug. Frankly, I'd be amused if they tried...they would probably end up getting shot by the person they were trying to buy from. Hope that helps.

Answer 3

Jaelee S is off the mark with the gun show, that is a dangerous and uneducated remark that the media and the Brady Group like to spout.
To purchase a hand gun at a gun show you need i.d and a permit, already obtained before you go. Some states and counties will issue you a permit at the door if you are a resident of the county and your name comes back from the FBI's National Instant Background Check. In some states, like NC, if you have a concealed carry permit, you no longer need to get a background check, buy additional permits, or go through a wait period because you already had your background checked out to issue the concealed carry permit. These procedures vary from state to state, but the basics are laid out by federal law.
For an individual to legally purchase a hand gun then re-sell it to some one who can't is called a "straw purchase" and is a federal crime. Although this does still happen on occasion. To purchase one illegally, you would need some money in the rougher neighborhoods. Or get lucky and have one offered to you. Ammo is easy, go to Wal-Mart. No requirements to keep track of who buys ammo.

Answer 4

Well, I've never done it so I can't say for sure but it must not be too hard because there are sociopathic morons doing it every day. As you can see from living in Merry Old England, gun control only disarms the honest folks. The criminals will always have illegal means of getting weapons for their criminal activities. In those states here in the US where it has been made legal for an honest citizen to carry a concealed firearm, the violent crime rates have dropped. Now the criminal never knows when he is attacking a helpless unarmed individual or whether he is confronting an armed person who will introduce him to the Grim Reaper for his criminal efforts. The number of instances where a legally armed individual has misused this right is infinitesimally small. I am legally licensed to carry a concealed weapon and have had to resort to it only once. Even then, I had only to let the person see that I was armed and did not have to draw my weapon. They went away..... very fast.

Answer 5

Getting an illegal gun is extremely easy in the US. Personally if I wanted a illegel gun I could drive a whole 10 miles and buy one for $20 of course it will probably have a couple few lives already on it. By the way living right by Detroit it will be easy. Ammo, that's even easier, at Walmart you can buy handgun rounds fairly cheap as long as you are over 21 and shotgun shells if over 18, or you can go to a gun show and buy surplus military ammo cheap and there are practically no age checks.

Answer 6

It's not as easy as the average person may think, but it's all relative to who you know and your ability to make connections to the criminal underworld.

If you were a stranger in town and were willing to seek out criminal elements, say prostitutes or drug dealers, and were willing to hand out some bribes along the way I'm sure you could find yourself a handgun, but it would take some effort and some cash......likely much more than the real trade value of the firearm. Also, the risk of getting yourself robbed and killed undertaking a venture such as this would be very high......as they know you have a lot of cash and are not armed!

As easy as it is to purchase a handgun legally in most states in the USA, law enforcement does aggressively go after and prosecute the illegal firearms trade. Jail sentences often go up when you commit a crime and there's a gun involved, and illegal gun trading is a federal crime, which means that besides local law enforcement, there's federal agencies that specialize in finding those involved with guns.

Bottom line: Yes, the illegal gun trade in the USA is very underground.

Cheers! DJ

Answer 7

Of course if you have money any where you live you could probably aquire a handgun with ease. But as for here in the states it is easy to get a gun. At least for me it would be but I know shady people who could aquire things like that. Say you a out of towner or Joe nobody for that matter were to try to get a gun you more than likely could get a gun with no problems as long as you had money. Keep in mind I do live in Michigan about 30 minutes out side of Detroit so I dont know if my answer would just get lost in violence statistics but good luck anyhow hope this helps.

Answer 8

It almost appears that the more rigid the laws in an area, the easier it is to acquire one. If Washington, D.C. has the strictest regulations in the country and the highest rate of death by handgun, shouldn't that tell you something?

I was offered a Colt M1911 .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol on a New York City street corner several years ago for the very low price of $75. I was not looking, it was an offer out of the blue. Again, an area of very strict laws and very available handguns.

I don't know where to look to find one, I just know they are there. I do have a New York State permit to own and carry one, by the way.

Answer 9

Criminals will always have guns. It takes nothing to steal one and criminals are not going to submit to a background check nor are they going to adhere to a waiting period. Criminals will never comply with gun laws. This is why when guns are outlawed only outlaws with have guns.

Certain politicians aspiring for the office of presidency have armed body-guards 24-7 paid for by the tax payer. These politician(s) don't have to worry about self defense or home defense. I can't afford an armed body-guard 24-7 so my Constitutional right to keep and bear arms only make sense to me. Those who wish to erode our Second Amendment rights don't have the same concerns that the common man has. Therefore one must question the motives of these politicians who push for more gun control. What are their motives? Gun control or total control? Think about it.

Best.

H

Answer 10

all and sundry else lined your question from the perspective of being a US resident/citizen suitable. although, in case you're asking in case you may circulate to our united states of america, purchase a gun, carry it around and shoot it. Then the respond isn't any. There are federal and international rules scuffling with that. once you're a foriegner, vacationer etc. you may not purchase, carry, hire or shoot a gun on US soil legally with out an insane quantity of paperwork. probability is, in case you have a pal here, he could show you how to shoot his weapons on private land and you will in no way get caught, yet your buddy would be violating a number of rules as will you. in case you circulate to a public selection that rents weapons, they're going to maximum probable turn you away for an analogous motives. It sucks that a guy who loves weapons and merely needs to shoot can not circulate to the U. S. and do it. however the guidelines are in place to circumvent circumstances like a team of our enemies coming here, determining to purchase weapons value effectively and actual, education with them value effectively and actual and then utilising them against us or smuggling them someplace to combat our allies. And for that reason I totally help the guidelines.

Answer 11

All you have to do to obtain a gun in the U.S is have some money and the classified section of the newspaper.

Keep in mind, most people here have guns. If you intend to use a firearm in a illegal manner, then we can shoot back ; )