Never bought a gun before, and.....

[Cliff08]

Hi. Today is my 35th birthday and not having the money to go buy me a new Corvette, I was thinking of buying a handgun. I've never bought a gun before and speaking to some new friends I have here in PA i'm starting to take an interest in them.However, I went through a bought of depression about 3-4 months ago when my wife left me.Things are back to normal now, but how having been diagnosed with insomnia,depression and alchohol abuse affect my ability to buy a gun? Someone told me there is a question on the application that asks if you've ever been diagnosed with a mental illness. Is depression considered a mental illness? I've never been to jail and never gotten a DUI and I would hate to think that being depressed for just 2 months would stop me from buying a gun. Any help anyone can provide would be greatly apprecciated!

[RocketFoot]

I hear a lot that depression is a physical illness...so I would answer the questions honestly, and put 'no' for the mental illness question. All you can do is give it a try and see if it goes through.

Good luck and keep us posted!

[Cliff08]

All you can do is give it a try and see if it goes through.

...yeah but if I say no and it's determined that depression is indeed a mental illness will I not get in trouble for lying?

[HiredGoon]

My layman's opinion would be that depression is not a mental illness for handgun buying or License To Carry Firearms (LTCF) purposes.

Mental illness, for one thing, probably refers to being involuntarily (or voluntarily) committed to a mental institution for treatment.

As long as you answer honestly to the best of your ability, I would say that you should be OK, as far as "lying" is concerned.

[HiredGoon]

Also, here is the link to the Franklin County sheriff's office concerning a License To Carry Firearms (LTCF) which you will need to carry your new gun concealed, in your vehicle or in Philadelphia. Link.

[jud4420]

As long as you werent put in a hospital on a 302 or 303 involuntary commitment you should be fine. Even a 302 you will still be alright as long as there was no letter sent in saying you needed to be committed.

On the applications it asks referring to these types of commitments only. If you signed yourself in or werent hospitalized at all and just diagnosed for depression, you should again be fine.

If they do deny you, then you may appeal it, (somewhat easy process) by sending in any documentation that counters the reason for denial. From the sounds of it, you should have no issue here though.

Btw.. Im not a lawyer.

[Xringshooter]

The Federal form (4473) asks:
Have you ever been adjudicated mentally defective... OR have you ever been committed to a mental institution?...

The PA instant check paperwork has not such questions on it.

The 4473 basically states that you answer YES if it was by a court or other board, commission, etc. order and that the terms do not include a person in a mental institution for observation or a voluntary admission.

So if a court,etc didn't put you in you will be fine and can legally answer NO to question 11.f. on the ATF Form 4473.

I'm not a lawyer either but I am a licensed gun dealer.

[Pa. Patriot]

The Federal form (4473) asks:
Have you ever been adjudicated mentally defective... OR have you ever been committed to a mental institution?...

The PA instant check paperwork has not such questions on it.

The 4473 basically states that you answer YES if it was by a court or other board, commission, etc. order and that the terms do not include a person in a mental institution for observation or a voluntary admission.

So if a court,etc didn't put you in you will be fine and can legally answer NO to question 11.f. on the ATF Form 4473.

I'm not a lawyer either but I am a licensed gun dealer.

I concur. Another FFL, not a lawyer

[tdyoung58]

Hi. Today is my 35th birthday and not having the money to go buy me a new Corvette, I was thinking of buying a handgun. I've never bought a gun before and speaking to some new friends I have here in PA i'm starting to take an interest in them.However, I went through a bought of depression about 3-4 months ago when my wife left me.Things are back to normal now, but how having been diagnosed with insomnia,depression and alchohol abuse affect my ability to buy a gun? Someone told me there is a question on the application that asks if you've ever been diagnosed with a mental illness. Is depression considered a mental illness? I've never been to jail and never gotten a DUI and I would hate to think that being depressed for just 2 months would stop me from buying a gun. Any help anyone can provide would be greatly apprecciated!

unless you've been INVOLUNTARILY COMMITTED you should be fine.

[headcase]

All you can do is give it a try and see if it goes through.

...yeah but if I say no and it's determined that depression is indeed a mental illness will I not get in trouble for lying?

Answering any question in a manner you believe to be truthful is all that is required. In order for you to be convicted of "lying", it would have to be proven that you intended to lie, or knowingly lied. IANAL