Handgun Ownership Minimum Age 21 in All States

[tateb24]

Just to be clear 21 is the minimum age to purchase a handgun? I am selling something on GB and want to make absolutely clear.

[boomerang]

You're not allowed to transfer (sell) a handgun across state lines. It has to go through a gun dealer with all the paperwork, etc. and they would transfer (sell) it to their local customer. As far as BATFE is concerned.

Some states also require a permit to purchase a pistol regardless of age.

[nitrogen]

21 is the minimum age to purchase from a federally licensed dealer.

You can possess a handgun at any age with parental permission, or over the age of 18, usually in a FTF type sale.

Of course, state law may vary in some places.

[KD5NRH]

I've never quite understood why they want you to wait until you can go get liquored up before they'll let you buy a handgun from an FFL dealer.

OTOH, you can start buying them from some guy on a street corner as soon as you can get cigarettes. (Convenient, since the guy on the corner is more likely than the FFL to accept cigarettes as payment.)

[SA-TX]

You're not allowed to transfer (sell) a handgun across state lines. It has to go through a gun dealer with all the paperwork, etc. and they would transfer (sell) it to their local customer. As far as BATFE is concerned.

...

This is generally true but there are exceptions. For example, pre-1899 firearms are, by federal law, "antiques" and not subject to transfer restrictions. You can sell & receive interstate with no paperwork. A more likely situation is where someone is a licensed collector. They can buy out-of-state as long as the weapon qualifies (must be 50 years old or be on a list).

Those exceptions noted, boomerang is right -- if you are selling a handgun to someone who isn't a resident of the same state you are (as proven by ID), then the transaction will probably needs to go through a couple of FFLs (one in your state and one in theirs). That is actually a good thing because the FFL will deal with the paperwork, making sure the person is 21, making sure they have any necessary permits, etc.

SA-TX