• We are now running on a new, and hopefully much-improved, server. In addition we are also on new forum software. Any move entails a lot of technical details and I suspect we will encounter a few issues as the new server goes live. Please be patient with us. It will be worth it! :) Please help by posting all issues here.
  • The forum will be down for about an hour this weekend for maintenance. I apologize for the inconvenience.
  • If you are having trouble seeing the forum then you may need to clear your browser's DNS cache. Click here for instructions on how to do that
  • Please review the Forum Rules frequently as we are constantly trying to improve the forum for our members and visitors.

Legal age to possess Handgun?

Audioautomatica

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2008
Messages
16
Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
imported post

After posting in Selecting a Handgun it was suggested that I become familiar with the Washington State laws about the legal age of possessing firearms.

I came across this;

http://washingtonceasefire.org/resource-center/federal-and-state-firearms-laws


I says the federal and Washington state laws say you must be 21 to purchase and possess a handgun.

But does that mean you have to be 21 to possess a firearm that you did not purchase, perhaps it was a gift?

And if it's a federal law, why would it also be a state law....?
 

carhark

Opt-Out Members
Joined
Feb 1, 2008
Messages
64
Location
Kitsap & Whatcom Counties, Washington, USA
imported post

Washington Ceasefire is misinformed. To sell firearms as a regular business, federal law requires you acquire a Federal Firearms License (FFL). Part of the FFL contract says you cannot sell a handgun to anyone under the age of 21, though you can sell 18-21 year olds long arms. So it is not illegal for an 18 year old to purchase a handgun, but illegal for FFL dealers to sell it. 18 year olds can still purchase from private owners who do not possess an FFL, or have a handgun gifted to them. Becuase there is no federal law or RCW that outlaws the possesion of a handgun to 18 year olds, it is assumed to be legal. Be aware, I am not a lawyer, this is just my personal interpretation of the law.

Also, I suggest reading the FAQs at the top of the Washington page, and the laws themselves, which can be found here http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=9.41
 

sv_libertarian

State Researcher
Joined
Aug 15, 2007
Messages
3,201
Location
Olympia, WA, ,
imported post

Yeah if you are over 18, but under 21 you can legally posess a handgun. I did when I was 19, I bought it through a private transaction. Since it was a .22 I always had ammo for it too.
 

bigazn13

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2008
Messages
17
Location
Kent, Washington, USA
imported post

hmm, anyone near the Kent area have a handgun for sale? would like to spend some time at the range with a handgun before I turn 21.
 

bigazn13

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2008
Messages
17
Location
Kent, Washington, USA
imported post

ive been to champion many times before and even had a membership for a while but they would only let me rent long rifles or bring my 10/22, wouldnt let me rent a pistol till I was 21.
 

jbone

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 4, 2008
Messages
2,230
Location
WA
imported post

According to the jackass on Vodka who allowed the 6year old to posses his .45 its 6 years old. What a tragic story.
 

FMCDH

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2008
Messages
2,037
Location
St. Louis, MO
imported post

jbone wrote:
According to the jackass on Vodka who allowed the 6year old to posses his .45 its 6 years old. What a tragic story.
I know! Can a human be more stupid?!(rhetorical question ofcorse)


It brings to mindstereotypical images of a fat slob in a wife beatersitting in his lazy boy telling his kid to go get him a beer, his playboy and his gun. Theseare the images we are fighting against! :banghead:
 

David.Car

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2008
Messages
1,264
Location
Spokane, Washington, USA
imported post

nosliw wrote:
you mean you lied to the clerk at walmart about what kind of gun the 22lrs were to be used in? :D
What he is elaborating on is the fact that handgun ammunition is restricted to 21 and up... UNLESS... it is being used in a rifle... ;)
 

FMCDH

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 9, 2008
Messages
2,037
Location
St. Louis, MO
imported post

Audioautomatica wrote:
I says the federal and Washington state laws say you must be 21 to purchase and possess a handgun.
Since when did anti-gun activist groups start using accurate information to promote their views? ;)
 

bigazn13

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2008
Messages
17
Location
Kent, Washington, USA
imported post

FMCDH wrote:
jbone wrote:
According to the jackass on Vodka who allowed the 6year old to posses his .45 its 6 years old. What a tragic story.
I know! Can a human be more stupid?! (rhetorical question ofcorse)


It brings to mindstereotypical images of a fat slob in a wife beatersitting in his lazy boy telling his kid to go get him a beer, his playboy and his gun. Theseare the images we are fighting against! :banghead:

thats the exact image I had when I heard about it at work, but he was also balding, its a terrible tragedy what happened, goes to show you that

guns + alcohol + idiots = accident waiting to happen
 

sv_libertarian

State Researcher
Joined
Aug 15, 2007
Messages
3,201
Location
Olympia, WA, ,
imported post

nosliw wrote:
you mean you lied to the clerk at walmart about what kind of gun the 22lrs were to be used in? :D
Nope I ran plenty through my 10/22 as well. I was telling the truth when I said they were for a rifle.
 

jchen012

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2006
Messages
144
Location
Bellevue, WA, ,
imported post

bigazn13 wrote:
hmm, anyone near the Kent area have a handgun for sale? would like to spend some time at the range with a handgun before I turn 21.
I think what you meant to say was "Is there anyone in Kent who has a handgun for sale for my parents?" And then the parents can gift it to you.
 

marshaul

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Aug 13, 2007
Messages
11,188
Location
Fairfax County, Virginia
imported post

jchen012 wrote:
bigazn13 wrote:
hmm, anyone near the Kent area have a handgun for sale? would like to spend some time at the range with a handgun before I turn 21.
I think what you meant to say was "Is there anyone in Kent who has a handgun for sale for my parents?" And then the parents can gift it to you.
So, do you just not bother reading threads before you post in them? It's perfectly legal for someone aged 18-20 to buy a handgun in a private party transfer.
 

sv_libertarian

State Researcher
Joined
Aug 15, 2007
Messages
3,201
Location
Olympia, WA, ,
imported post

jchen012 wrote:
bigazn13 wrote:
hmm, anyone near the Kent area have a handgun for sale? would like to spend some time at the range with a handgun before I turn 21.
I think what you meant to say was "Is there anyone in Kent who has a handgun for sale for my parents?" And then the parents can gift it to you.
Nope, a private party can sell a hangun to an 18-20 year old. No straw purchase though of course. If I had a handgun I was interested in selling, I would consider selling it to an 18-20 year old with the same criteria I would with any other private party transfer. Which is to say if I think the person is someone I would sell a gun to or not.

Someone did me the favor of selling me a handgun when I was 19, I'm not inclined to forget that sort of thing.
 

American Rattlesnake

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2007
Messages
281
Location
Oregon, USA
imported post

sv_libertarian wrote:
Nope, a private party can sell a hangun to an 18-20 year old. No straw purchase though of course. If I had a handgun I was interested in selling, I would consider selling it to an 18-20 year old with the same criteria I would with any other private party transfer. Which is to say if I think the person is someone I would sell a gun to or not.

Someone did me the favor of selling me a handgun when I was 19, I'm not inclined to forget that sort of thing.
Same situation here, exactly. Bought my first pistol when I was 19 and would have the same criteria as you for a face to face sale were I to make such a sale today.
 

sv_libertarian

State Researcher
Joined
Aug 15, 2007
Messages
3,201
Location
Olympia, WA, ,
imported post

For one thing I wouldn't sell it to someone who looked "wrong" or used language that indicated to me that they wouldn't respect the weapon. I may ask to see a hunter safety card, or pick their brain about guns and chat them up a bit. I'm a salesman, I'm pretty good at feeling someone out. Also I would take down their DL number and address.
 
Top