The second listing was different. It was a ad from a man named Jim, who lived just two towns over. They exchanged a few messages online to agree on a price. Because they both lived in a state that did not require background checks for private transfers, they met in a brightly lit grocery store parking lot the next afternoon.
Unchecked: An Investigation of the Online Firearm Marketplace can you buy guns online without a background check
The first was from a —a licensed gun shop three states away. The price was great, but the fine print was clear: the rifle would be shipped to a local gun store near Elias. There, he would have to show his ID, fill out ATF Form 4473 , and wait for a NICS background check to clear. It was a digital purchase, but the physical hand-off was strictly regulated. The second listing was different
The primary legal way to buy a modern firearm without a federal background check is through a between two individuals residing in the same state, provided that state doesn't have its own universal background check laws . The Story: "The Digital Handshake" Because they both lived in a state that