From the Heartland

This is my soap box, on these pages I publish my opinions on firearms and any other subject I feel like writing about.

Wednesday, September 22, 2004

There is no such thing as a Gunshow Loophole

For many that read this blog this is old news, but for the rest that have not heard it adequately explained here goes.

Who buys/sells at a Gunshow
Gunshow exibitors are made of different types of people. Some rent a table/s at a gunshow because they own a gunshop and and the weekend shows give them exposure to many thousands of customers that they ordinarily wouldn't have. Others rent table/s because they are collectors and wish to proudly display their collection. A Gunshow gives them the opporunity to socialize with other collectors and a chance to aquire a piece that may be missing from their collection.

Still others are hobbiests and rent a table to sell off some of the things they no longer need, have two of or are just not interest in anymore.

Background checks
The Gunshop owners and the collectors that are federally licensed to purvey firearms, are still required to perform background checks at a Gunshow. They must still do business according to the rules of their license, the Gunshow setting does not negate that requirement.

Persons that are Federally licensed to deal in firearms are still required to do background checks at Gunshows, there is no loophole. (is that plain and loud enough? ...ed)

The Hobbiests (for lack of a better word ..ed)
Any person, that is not a dealer or collector, can rent a table at a Gunshow as well. Most of the time these hobbiests have a multitude of items for sale or trade, such as reloading equipment, magazines, ammunition, firearms parts and yes occassionaly a firearm or two. These people are limited in how many firearms they can sell on a yearly basis, because they are not licensed. They are not in the business, they are not doing it for a profit. They have something they don't want or need anymore and just want to pass it on to someone that does.
In most states these individuals do not need to perform a background check at a Gunshow, because this is a private transaction between private persons.

It would be no different if that Hobbiest did not take that firearm to the Gunshow and ran an advertisement in the paper to sell it. (Plain enough?..ed)

The Gunshow loophole is a figment of Sarah Brady's imagination, it doesn't exist, it never did. And just to make things even more clear there are some states that require even a hobbiest transfer to another private citizen be taken to a dealer at the show, who will charge them a transaction fee to do the required background check.

The rules for Federally Licensed Dealer transactions at Gunshows are the same as they are when they transact at their Licensed Place of business.

There is and never has been a loophole.


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