Weapons and the Laws Module 4

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Possession Minimum Age Limits:

• To have sole possession of a handgun is 18 years old. • To purchase a handgun from another person is 18 years old (person to person ) transaction. • The minimum age to purchase or sell handgun ammunition from another person is 18 • To purchase or sell a handgun from a gun dealer is 21 • To purchase or sell handgun ammunition from a gun dealer is 21 • Must be 18 years old to shoot at an indoor or outdoor public range unless under the direct supervision of an individual 18 years of age or older. • A person under 18 can shoot a handgun on private property. The person must be under the direct supervision of someone 18 or older. Handgun Purchase and Sales Process Purchase from a Michigan Gun Dealer. The gun dealer performs the entire purchase process at the time of purchase. Forms and process to complete at point of sale (P.O.S) • ATF form 4473 • Pistol Sales Record • Other forms required by the gun dealer • NICS background check (National Instant Criminal Background Check System) • Purchase is required to register the handgun with their local PD. Within 10 days of purchase. NICS Process - FLL Gun Dealer When a person tries to buy a firearm, from a Federal Firearms Licensee {FFL}. The dealer contacts NICS by phone. The prospective buyer fills out the ATF form, and the FFL relays that information to the NICS. The NICS staff performs a background check on the buyer. That background check verifies the buyer does not have a criminal record or isn't otherwise ineligible to purchase or own a firearm.

Straw Purchase

The ATF defines a straw purchase as “Buying a gun for someone who is prohibited by law from possessing one or for someone who does not want his or her name associated with the transaction is a “straw purchase.” That means not only is buying a gun for a prohibited person a straw purchase, but so is buying one for that friend or family member who thinks a 4473 is “registration” and “doesn’t want the government to know that they bought a gun.”