Miscellaneous desk
< August 2	<< Jul \| August \| Sep >>	August 4 >

Welcome to the Wikipedia Miscellaneous Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is a transcluded archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

August 3[edit]

Gun Laws in the USA[edit]

In Most states of the u.s. I believe that in order to buy a firearm you need to undergo a two-week holding period and an exam for mental stability. What happens in the u.s. When you simply have a firearm and you would like to sell this to a friend? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2A00:23C6:6884:6200:CD3A:16A0:165D:8FF8 (talk) 18:56, 3 August 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Wikipedia has an article about this at the title Gun show loophole; it covers what is known more formally as the "private sale exemption" to various gun sale laws in various states. Also remember that with 50 states, you have 50 different sets of laws, so "In the U.S., what laws cover such and such a topic" always has at least 50 different answers. But that article should get you started on your research covering the topic in broad strokes. --Jayron 32 19:01, 3 August 2020 (UTC)[reply]

In my experience, the 'private' gun sale must take place at a licensed firearm dealer, and that dealer would then hold the gun during the waiting period, if applicable. But yes, as stated above, check your state's gun laws as they do vary. --DB1729 (talk) 19:17, 3 August 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Lol, in some states anyone can buy many things like handguns or 31-shots in 31-trigger pulls versions of the U.S. infantry weapon and many loaded mags but slight part differences just enough to make it hard to alter to "machine gun" or 3-round burst, from any private person who will sell to them with little chance of the government knowing. It's still illegal for felons to buy, touch or sell but they're unlikely to get caught in those states. Where do you think murder guns come from? Mostly private persons who sell to anyone even if they suspect they're gangsters or banned from guns and/or stolen guns. Other parts of America will have gun laws anywhere from c. 9-round burst in 800 milliseconds would be easy to get if national gun law somehow got much looser to celebrities and elites only. Sagittarian Milky Way (talk) 20:05, 3 August 2020 (UTC)[reply]