The gunshow loophole

[jerkin]

With all this talk about the gunshow loophole over the past few years one thing occurred to me that I've never seen, facts. How many gun crimes are perpetuated with guns that were purchased at gunshows without background checks? The overwhelming number of gun crime is committed with handguns and I'm sure Pa. isn't the only state that requires a background check to purchase one through a private seller.

Has anyone ever seen any data on this? If it's so easy for a prohibited person to get one without a background check then why all the straw purchases? How do we even know there is a problem?

[schr8er2000]

Dont you know that all the BAD BAD crimes are committed with BLACK rifles ???

[theshadow]

With all this talk about the gunshow loophole over the past few years one thing occurred to me that I've never seen, facts. How many gun crimes are perpetuated with guns that were purchased at gunshows without background checks? The overwhelming number of gun crime is committed with handguns and I'm sure Pa. isn't the only state that requires a background check to purchase one through a private seller.

Has anyone ever seen any data on this? If it's so easy for a prohibited person to get one without a background check then why all the straw purchases? How do we even know there is a problem?

I posted in another thread, gun show purchases make up around 2% of the way criminals get their guns, with the majority coming from 'other illegal' purchases, specifically from drug dealers, fences or family members. Tomorrow when I'm on the computer again, I'll post the study results here.

[Metz]

One liberal (that calls himself republican, right) proudly ppresented the link to the study. Accdg to it, about 14% of crimnals obrained their guns via the gun shops or at the shows. There was just one "little" problem - the study was dated 1997, 3 or so year after Brady law passage. Which means, the vast majority of incarcerated felons (that were questioned) obrained their guns BEFORE the mandatory background check. Which pretty much voids this "study".

I have no doubts, that FFLs and gun shows are a minor gun source for criminals nowadays. But I have every reason to presume, that straw buyers making the purchase even in gun show cases. Known felon just wouldn't dare to go to the very crowded place, that is crawling with cops and people, that might recognize him in order to perform seriously illegal transaction.

Bottom line - does the so called loophole exist? Yes it does. Does in effect anything? Nope. Not a thing. Because those (technically law abiding) people, won't be stopped anyways, if they will do their straw pirchase via FFL.

[stringplucker]

According to the actions of the ATF lately, some of them illegal guns on the street is their fault...

[RandomTask]

Bottom line - does the so called loophole exist? Yes it does.

No it does not.

[FJRMarty]

A "loophole" is a colloquial term for legally bypassing a rule or law which contains legal and unstated allowances. Breaking the law is not a loophole, except if you are prone to invent favorable statistics and promote imaginative internet lore as fact.

If you come to a gun show in PA and want to purchase a handgun you must go through a FFL and a background check.

I am unaware of any place where one can purchase a handgun legally and not involve a FFL and a background check. Perhaps there are places like that?

Perhaps the media is confusing the legally allowed private sale of some long guns? Nah, they wouldn't do that.....

[Metz]

No it does not.

Did I say "so called"? Because it meant pretty much this:

A "loophole" is a colloquial term for legally bypassing a rule or law which contains legal and unstated allowances.

I didn't say I agree with this bullshit definition any more, than I agree with labeling my rifle "assault", when (I swear to god) it never assaulted anyone.

[customloaded]

A "loophole" is a colloquial term for legally bypassing a rule or law which contains legal and unstated allowances. Breaking the law is not a loophole, except if you are prone to invent favorable statistics and promote imaginative internet lore as fact.

If you come to a gun show in PA and want to purchase a handgun you must go through a FFL and a background check.

I am unaware of any place where one can purchase a handgun legally and not involve a FFL and a background check. Perhaps there are places like that?

Perhaps the media is confusing the legally allowed private sale of some long guns? Nah, they wouldn't do that.....

PA is the only state I've lived in that required a FFL for a private sale of a handgun. All the states I've been stationd in didn't have this law...NC, GA, AL, and TX. I don't know about MD because those two years at Fort Meade I spent mostly in PA on weekends...

CL

[rkrcpa]

I am unaware of any place where one can purchase a handgun legally and not involve a FFL and a background check. Perhaps there are places like that?

Florida does not require an FFL for the private transfer of handguns. That's just one example, I would imagine there are others, mostly in free states.