Aside from uniformed law enforcement and those serving in our armed forces, a striking 44 percent of our fellow Americans report firearm possession within the comfortable confines of their homes. The motivations for holstering a weapon in the domestic sphere are as varied as they are deeply personal. A significant number seek the reassurance of security it brings, while others find their pleasure in the art of marksmanship or embrace the tradition of game stalking.
Contemplating the intricate fabric of firearm ownership, one is met with no small measure of nuance. Mastery of the requisite legal knowledge, understanding the spectrum of conceivable licensure, recognizing distinct firearms, and a comprehensive grip on firearm safety essentials—these are but a few facets pivotal prior to staking a claim in gun proprietorship. Fear not; this composition is poised to offer illumination. Herewith are nine critical insights to contemplate ere venturing to procure a firearm.
1. Clarify Your Intent for the Firearm
A clear understanding of your intent with the firearm paves the way through the forest of options at the gun emporium, Lead and Steel. Insight into your motivations steers the establishment’s personnel to shepherd you towards the firearm best suited to your objectives. Let’s delve into the various classes of firearms you might encounter:
Handguns/Pistols
These are diminutive yet potent weapons possessing abbreviated barrels. Their precision is formidable, a testament to the rigidity stemming from the rifling within their stout barrels, fashioned to handle formidable pressures.
The manageable stature allows them to be brandished with singular ease, even lending themselves to one-handed operation. They are quintessentially suited to the roles of self-preservation, custodial duty, and honing skills on the shooting range.
Shotguns
These wield arms are characterized by elongated barrels devoid of rifling, opting instead for a smooth bore to guide their payloads. Given the barrel’s girth relative to that of a handgun, it endures less pressure. For clays or winged quarry, these are the firearms par excellence.
Rifles
For those with a gaze cast towards distant quarries, the rifle emerges as the prime candidate. It boasts an extended, rifled barrel, the walls of which are fortified to withstand substantial pressures. A shotgun may not hold a candle to a rifle when it comes to precision and reach across vast expanses.
Semi-Automatic Rifle
This armament is a study in ingenuity, self-loading and priming for the next discharge post each expenditure of a round, autonomously chambering anew. Diverging from a fully automatic counterpart, it requires a deliberate release of its trigger, precipitating a reset of sear and hammer, thus setting the stage for the ensuing volley upon the next deliberate pull.
2. Delve into Your Local Gun Legislation
For the uninitiated in gun buying, a preliminary foray into the patchwork of statutes governing firearms in your home state and the wider community is imperative. Legalities fluctuate greatly, with what is permissible in one state potentially fraught with legal peril in its neighbor.
Even if your aspirations for ownership are solely to fortify the sanctuary of your abode and the safety of your kin, the lapse into unwitting contravention of any statute not only jeopardizes immediate acquisition prospects but could also cast a long shadow on future firearm possession.
In our nation’s fabric, each state threads its own narrative with the issuance of carrying privileges. Firearms are typically toted in two distinct fashions – openly, for all eyes to see, or concealed from view. A multitude of states sanction open carry, be it under the aegis of a permit, without such bureaucratic niceties, or they may veto the practice entirely.
The landscape of conceal carry legislation is correspondingly variegated across state lines, slotting into one of three categories:
Constitutional carry/unrestricted carry, dispensing with the requirement of a permit altogether. As of February 12, 2021, a diverse roster of states, including Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, and several others, have embraced this stance, extending the liberty to bear a concealed firearm sans permit to every individual of legal age and unencumbered by prohibitions on firearm ownership.
“Shall issue” states, mandating compliance with a set of predefined state-specific legal criteria as a precursor to the issuance of the desired permission.
“May issue” states, where securing a permit is a formidable quest, fraught with challenge and subject to rigorous qualifications.
To chart a course through this legislative labyrinth, turn to the internet for a wealth of information on the laws in one’s jurisdiction, visit a local library, or consult with a reputable firearm merchant. These are your lodestars – guiding lights to ensure your path to gun ownership remains squarely within the bounds of legality.
3. Make Sure You Can Buy a Gun Legally?
While the Second Amendment enshrines the right to keep and bear arms for many Americans, it’s not an all-access pass. The FBI keeps a close eye on individuals looking to purchase firearms through its comprehensive databases and carries out stringent background checks.
Before setting your sights on that first firearm purchase, you’d do well to pore over this list of criteria that might slam the door on your ability to buy:
- A checkered history with felony or misdemeanor convictions.
- A discharge from the military that was less than honorable.
- Pending charges for serious infractions, even if the gavel hasn’t hit the block.
- The paradox of being a fugitive who respects the law.
- State-level red flags for substance abuse trouble.
- An active restraining order with your name on it.
- Time spent in a mental health institution.
If there’s any doubt clouding your mind about your qualification to purchase a firearm, do yourself a favor and have a candid chat with the gun shop folks before even attempting to fill out that gun permit application.
4. Live-Fire Trial
You wouldn’t dream of sealing the deal on a new car without feeling its wheels hug the road first. It’s no different for acquiring your inaugural firearm. It’s wise to rent a piece of steel and put some rounds downrange.
After letting lead fly a few times, you’ll start getting the picture of what fits your hand like a glove. If the arsenal at one shop doesn’t hit the mark, don’t be shy about marching to a different beat.
5. Finding the Right Weight in Your Arms
Juxtapose the heft of one firearm against another. Does the one in your grip feel like a feather or a lead brick? Wrap your hand firmly around its grip.
Steer clear of the trigger guard with your digits. Give the safety switch a flick to see if it plays nice. You’re aiming for a firearm that won’t weigh you down in action.
6. Requirements for Purchasing a Gun
Photographic proof of your mug is a must in most places—a driver’s license or a fresh government-issued ID will do the trick.
7. The Background Check Rundown
Every would-be gun owner has to lay bare their background on an ATF Form 4473, effectively swearing you’re fit to tote a gun. It’s your duty to dot those i’s and cross those t’s with nothing but the pure truth.
It’s game time for the gun dealer, too. They’ve got to put your data under the microscope and then pitch it over to the FBI’s court for a background bonanza. The feds may put a pin in their verdict until the air clears with more info. Should the FBI leave everyone hanging without a thumbs up or down within 72 hours, there’s a lane for the dealer to go ahead and pass the gun to the applicant as a sort of default play.
8. Maintaining Your Gun Properly
A firearm represents a significant investment, warranting vigilant protection on your part. Various environmental assailants—the likes of moisture, particulate matter, and even the natural oils gracelessly emitted by your hands—have the potential to ignite the onset of rust, promote corrosion, or illicitly mar the metal of your firearm.
Should your firearm succumb to dampness while engaging in outdoor activities, make it your urgent prerogative to dry it off posthaste.
9. Proper Storage of Your Firearm
Securing your sidearm against potential misappropriation, or the grasp of inquisitive youngsters, isn’t something to be taken lightly. The premium strategy? Investing in a robust gun vault or safe is paramount. It is imperative to be the sole gatekeeper of the combination or key, thus ensuring exclusive access to the weapon stored within.
Gun Storage Dynamics
A general consensus among firearm aficionados is to keep these potent tools under lock and key. Given that a substantial number of weapons fall into the hands of criminals via theft, this practice can effectively barricade the path to your gun’s unlawful procurement. Moreover, if you play host to pint-sized humans, whether they be your progeny or descendants of your lineage, such safeguards can thwart the danger presented by their boundless curiosity.
There’s a patchwork of stipulations across states, with only a select few mandating locked-up storage. Case in point: Massachusetts stands alone in its decree that gun owners must nail down their firearms with a lock or in a locked container. Still, bear in mind that other state legislations might pin you with liability if a minor accesses your firearm, with tragic ramifications ensuing.
The Query of Vehicle-bound Firearms
Circumstances warranting the carriage of your gun in your vehicle are manifold:
- En route to refine your marksmanship at the range
- Acquiring or escorting a new firearm to its residence
- The thrill of the hunt calls
- Armed with a permit, legally bearing your firearm
The onus falls to you to ensure that during transport, your firearm remains secured and decidedly under your governance. For instance, a trip to the range should involve your handgun comfortably ensconced within a portable gun vault, strategically stowed out of plain sight.
10. Authorization for Carrying Firearms Personally
The ethos of carrying a gun—be it conspicuously open or discretely concealed—is governed by a patchwork of policies that vary wildly from one state’s jurisdiction to another. The United States leaves the prerogative to the individual states on how they wish to administer carry permits. The regulations in the offing range as follows:
- May Issue – The territory necessitates a permit, though the stringent criteria could prove a formidable obstacle.
- Shall Issue – A permit remains mandatory; however, meeting the state’s criteria is the golden ticket.
- Unrestricted/aka Constitutional Carry – The absence of a permit requirement speaks volumes.
The Quest to Procure a Firearm
Embarking on the quest to purchase a firearm isn’t akin to a casual foray into a snack aisle. You’ll be navigating through a legal labyrinth that encompasses an array of statutes, mandatory licensing, procedural paperwork, and nuanced stipulations. It’s essential to ascertain the legality of your purchase within your domicile’s domain.
Poised with such knowledge, the next juncture involves the identification of a reputable establishment blessed with glowing commendations for procuring your weapon. Patronize a store that has not only a sterling reputation but also a dossier of favorable customer feedback.