Looking to Buy a Handgun But I’m 19

Status
Not open for further replies.
Justin,

Why not go straight to the horses mouth so to speak?

Write a letter to Kentucky State Attorney General Office asking them what the state law is about the questions you have.

I suggest a letter as you will have a "hard" copy and likewise will have a "hard" copy of their response when they reply in writing. Save both letters. Do not send a email as they have a way of disappearing. I am a former governmint secket agent and know first hand from many years of experience how opinions and policies conveniently disappear when a new "boss" arrives.
 
Yeah my dad knows little to nothing about guns so for him to go pick one out and know nothing about it would look a bit fishy to a dealer
As long as he does it with the foreknowledge of what gun to buy, it shouldn't be a problem. If he goes in with a note written in a hand that obviously isn't his, as some women have done and then been incredulous when I refused to sell, or he goes into a shop where they all know him personally and know he knows little about guns, that could be a problem for him. Educate him about the model you want; heck he might get excited about it and want one for himself, too!
 
Just read through a bit of it. Seems like I can get a CC license in another state and it be honored in KY. Also KY is becoming a permitless state this July

Just wait until July. As it is, in KY you can glove box carry with no permit now. In July you will have permit-less carry. After that, the only reason to get the permit is if you carry in other states.
 
On the gunsmithing scale of difficulty, about a 2. If you can operate the tools used, and follow directions, it's not hard.
 
I still contend that Justin would be better served with some decent legal counsel.

I was 19 once, and I understand where he is coming from. I purchased my first firearm at age 12 using my lawn mowing money, but that was before (just before) GCA '68. Much has changed since then, as has also been the case since I turned 21, and there is now a veritable minefield of laws, rules, and regulations, Federal, state, and local. Unfortunately, getting things wrong carries a high price.
 
I still contend that Justin would be better served with some decent legal counsel.

I was 19 once, and I understand where he is coming from. I purchased my first firearm at age 12 using my lawn mowing money, but that was before (just before) GCA '68. Much has changed since then, as has also been the case since I turned 21, and there is now a veritable minefield of laws, rules, and regulations, Federal, state, and local. Unfortunately, getting things wrong carries a high price.

This. OP, please talk to an attorney and follow all state and federal laws. Do not try to find ways to work around the law. I'm a former police officer and have seen so many people get into trouble interpreting laws on their own. You do not want to wind up facing felony charges because you took bad advice from someone on an internet forum.
 
This. OP, please talk to an attorney and follow all state and federal laws. Do not try to find ways to work around the law. I'm a former police officer and have seen so many people get into trouble interpreting laws on their own. You do not want to wind up facing felony charges because you took bad advice from someone on an internet forum.
Good thought! I will do more research for sure
 
No S/N or branding and it’s still legal?
Yep. As far as federal law is concerned, you can add a SN and your name if it makes you feel better, but it is not required.

The only time a home build is required to have a serial number and other maker info is if you are making a NFA weapon.
 
Attorneys General do not ordinarily answer answer such requests from residents. They offer opinions to legislators, but not the rest of us.

That may be true but it only costs a stamp to find out.

I will say from first hand experience that the Attorney General may (or in my case did) ignore the State Law even though I cited the exact law.

My former Governmint Agency also did things that were clearly illegal until they got sued and the case was about to go to trial hence my advice about getting it in writing.
 
By doing research I hope you mean you’ll contact an attorney who specializes in this field.
I'm not sure why he would need to talk to an attorney, unless he just happens to know one who will weigh in for free. The Federal and Kentucky laws regarding the question are readily available for anyone to read and this issue is not unique or complicated.
 
I'm not sure why he would need to talk to an attorney, unless he just happens to know one who will weigh in for free. The Federal and Kentucky laws regarding the question are readily available for anyone to read and this issue is not unique or complicated.

Because a good attorney will give him accurate information as opposed to him risking misinterpreting something he read.
 
To each his own I guess. The law is very clear, but it wouldn't hurt anything to ask an attorney, other than being an unnecessary expense.
I don't disagree about whether the law is clear or not, but based on this thread it's not clear to him, which is what matters. That's understandable as he's 19 and he's done the right thing by reaching out and asking questions. I just want to make sure the right person is answering those questions. It's going to be considerably less expensive for him to pay an attorney upfront than on the back end, if he makes a mistake and is charged with a felony.
 
bearcreek writes:

To each his own I guess. The law is very clear, but it wouldn't hurt anything to ask an attorney, other than being an unnecessary expense.

I agree here. I've done countless things in life that had this or that law, rule, ordinance, or regulation stipulating the manners in which they were to be done, and didn't feel the need to consult an attorney every time. Heck, even driving a car is wrought with legal restrictions, but I never consulted an attorney to learn what, how, where, or when I could drive. I did review the laws. And I'm probably not even all that bright. ;)
 
To each his own I guess. The law is very clear, but it wouldn't hurt anything to ask an attorney, other than being an unnecessary expense.
I do agree the law is clear to some degree. I know it is legal for me to possess a handgun in my state at my age. But the confusion lies in the jurisdiction of federal and state law regarding obtaining one. I don’t want to have to contact a lawyer unless absolutely necessary but I also don’t want to catch a felony. I’ll just simply do more research. I think it would be cool to build one with a slotted slide/custom barrel but also worried about the reliability and quality of those kits as compared to a factory made firearm
 
Check out this link + all the associated links.
http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/kentucky.pdf
Seems to me an 18 year old can open carry a handgun in Kentucky. There are lots of pitfalls though.
Example keeping a loaded handgun in a glove box or center console is legal and considered open carry but putting a loaded handgun under the drivers seat is considered concealed. Carrying a holstered handgun outside your coat is considered open carry but covering the handgun with a coat is concealed.
There is the Federal Gun Free School Zone to contend with. Having a CCW license voids the rules of the GFSZ.

If you want to go really basic on firearms ownership in most free states. Cased and unloaded is the safest way to go about things.


With the Glock kits - they require some tuning / trouble shooting / break-in to be considered reliable.
Example of trouble shooting the frame:
https://www.full30.com/watch/MDE2NjM4/ultimate-polymer-80-glock-troubleshooting-guide-tutorial

You can also look into black powder revolvers and cartridge conversion cylinders.
Black powder is ton of fun on its own.
 
Some very bad advice about gifts on this thread.

A gift is something given freely from one person to another. You do not EVER pay for a gift--not even a long time after the gift is given--and if you do EVER pay for a gift then it is not a gift.

It is legal for one person to gift a gun to another person as long as the second person can legally own it and as long as both persons are residents of the same state.

It is NEVER legal for a person to buy a gun from a dealer at the behest of another person who plans to pay for it. That is a straw purchase and it doesn't matter if the person who eventually ends up with the gun is a prohibited person or not.

It is legal for a person to buy a gun in a private transaction on behalf of a second person who intends to pay for it as long as the second person is not known to be a prohibited person by the buyer. There is no such thing as a straw purchase in a private transaction.

If the OP is legally able to own a handgun in his state, he can legally buy one in a private transaction, he can receive a handgun as a bequest, or he can receive one as a gift. In all of those cases except the bequest, he must receive the handgun from a person who is a resident of the same state as he is.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top