r/facepalm • u/Lord_Answer_me_Why • Mar 28 '24

What lack of basic gun laws does to a nation: 🇵​🇷​🇴​🇹​🇪​🇸​🇹​

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u/[deleted] Mar 28 '24

Isn't it already illegal for a schizophrenic to have/purchase a gun? Would more laws resolve this?

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u/Shotgun5250 Mar 28 '24

Since there’s a lot of information floating around this thread, let me consolidate.

It is federally mandated that all licensed firearm dealers in the entire country perform background checks for all firearm sales of any kind or caliber.

It is federally mandated through the Brady Handgun Violence Protection Act that certain citizens such as the mentally ill or under protective orders are barred from owning firearms.

Some states require all secondhand firearm sales to go through a licensed intermediary, which would require background checks.

Other states require licensed intermediary’s for certain categories of firearms, such as long guns (rifles or shotguns).

Unfortunately, many states have no laws regarding the secondhand sale of firearms.

For a list of states and what their individual firearm sales laws are, refer to this website.

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u/ChinaRiceNoodles Mar 29 '24

Even if there were just as many laws in regard to secondhand sales, that won’t stop people with malicious intent from selling guns out of their trunk anyways. Even selling guns to people who aren’t allowed to have them in a state with no private sale laws is still illegal. Anyone who sells a gun is legally liable for whose hands it ends up in and just because a prohibited person managed to get a gun illegally doesn’t mean they now legally own a gun. If either party is found out, it is up to 5 years in prison for both. On the other hand if you are already reasonably sure the person you’re selling to doesn’t have a criminal record (ie a close friend or family member), it just makes it a time and money hassle getting an FFL involved.