Military ID and Firearms Purchase

[686S&W]

I'm about to go active duty in the Air Force in three weeks. I know I will not be able to keep any of my guns with me on base, so they are going to remain locked away with my parents.

I have a niece who is about to turn six, and she has been dogging my cousin and I about teaching her to shoot, so I've decided that with my sister's consent I will purchase a youth .22 of some sort to train her on when I have a come home on leave. I also have a spare upper for my AR that's feeling lonely and I would like to build another lower.

Does anyone know about purchasing a firearm using a military ID card for identification? Does it apply to all of the U.S., or only the state your based in when stateside? And so forth.

 

[xsquidgator]

Can't say for sure about now, but I don't see you having a problem so long as there aren't any local laws against whatever you want to buy (e.g. you're not 21 and you want to buy a pistol isn't ok some places).

I used to go shoot with another JO friend of mine (who outranked me by 1 paygrade some of the time) and in SC in 1990 they had a law that there was a 3-day waiting period buying a handgun. Unless you had a "superior officer" sign off a chit saying you were ok, so since my bud (an O-2, I was an O-1 at the time) was there he signed it and I had no waiting period that time. Perhaps if you're fortunate there may be some sort of thing along those lines you can use to your advantage once you get to your permanent duty station.

 

[Guido2006]

According to the ATF regs, as an active duty member with an ID, you can buy guns in the state of your permanent duty station listed on your orders.

However, its not clear if you are legally allowed to purchase guns in your home state (if you retain your home state drivers license for example) where you claim residence (assuming its different than your permanent duty station). Someone else might be able to chime in on this one.

 

[kbsrn]

YOu can buy

firearms in your home state with your driver's license and in the state you are stationed with a copy of your PCS orders.

 

[xd45gaper]

should have joined the Navy, i know with a US Navy ID you can purchase any firearm you want. with a USAF ID you are limited to small calibers in pink or purple!

 

[Roadkill]

My son is in the AF, just left for Italy. With a set of orders, Valid SC DL, and a Military ID he bought guns in both Alabama and Georgia. No problem

 

[kbsrn]

The Navy

"should have joined the Navy, i know with a US Navy ID you can purchase any firearm you want. with a USAF ID you are limited to small calibers in pink or purple!"

Coming from someone in the Navy with it's rather long tradation of having hundreds of men locked open ships for months at a time that is pretty rich. As I remember the Marines handle the firearms for the Navy

 

[CombatArmsUSAF]

Coming from someone in the Navy with it's rather long tradation of having hundreds of men locked open ships for months at a time that is pretty rich.

That's the reason I joined the Air Force, I don't like men or boats all that much.

 

[686S&W]

Thx Guys.

Navy I dunno. I'm not a big fan of the Villiage People or Godsmack.

Yeah, a lower, a mini-14, and a .22lr bolt gun are i nthe works before 2009.

 

[Jimmie]

This is a long gun, not a handgun, right? Then as far as the feds are concerned, you can buy it in any state as long as you abide by the laws of your state of residence and the state in which you purchase the long gun. Walk into Academy or Wal-Mart or Sportsman's and buy your 22 rifle.

http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#b2

(B2) From whom may an unlicensed person acquire a firearm under the GCA? [Back]

A person may only acquire a firearm within the person’s own State, except that he or she may purchase or otherwise acquire a rifle or shotgun, in person, at a licensee's premises in any State, provided the sale complies with State laws applicable in the State of sale and the State where the purchaser resides. A person may borrow or rent a firearm in any State for temporary use for lawful sporting purposes.

[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(3) and (5), 922(b)(3), 27 CFR 478.29 and 478.30]

 

[birdbustr]

kbsrn,
I was thinking you were completely right with your first post, but with your second post about the Marines handling the firearms you are showing your age!

Navy has been handling their own security for the entire time I have been in since 2001, and who knows how long before that even.

As far as the Air Force/Navy back and forth, I am currently stationed at an Air Force Base where I work with all branches and the Canadians, and I have heard it all! In the end everyone realizes that each branch has it's purpose and we really don't hate each other all that much.

 

[DMF]

This has been discussed here ad nauseum, yet some here are giving advice that could get people in serious trouble.

Here is the real answer:

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#b11

B11) What constitutes residency in a State? [Back]

The State of residence is the State in which an individual is present; the individual also must have an intention of making a home in that State. A member of the Armed Forces on active duty is a resident of the State in which his or her permanent duty station is located. If a member of the Armed Forces maintains a home in one State and the member’s permanent duty station is in a nearby State to which he or she commutes each day, then the member has two States of residence and may purchase a firearm in either the State where the duty station is located or the State where the home is maintained. An alien who is legally in the United States is considered to be a resident of a State only if the alien is residing in that State and has resided in that State continuously for a period of at least 90 days prior to the date of sale of the firearm. See also Item 5, “Sales to Aliens in the United States,” in the General Information section of this publication.

[18 U.S.C. 921(b), 922(a) (3), and 922(b)(3), 27 CFR 478.11

 

[kbsrn]

birdbustr

When I went through the AF SP officer academy in 86 one of my classmates was a very old ensign who had been the master of arms. He said that he was the first but won't be the last to go through the class becuase the Navy was doing what you said.


BTW: I grew up on Navy bases, my dad was a CPO. The rest of the family is AF. They treat families better.

 

[Battlespace]

I am not sure about the exchanges on air bases, but those on Army installations now sell firearms. Good prices, minimal paperwork. I have bought two handguns at Ft Knox and walked out the door with them within an hour of walking up to the counter.

 

[UnknownSailor]

They started pulling Marines off of Navy ships circa 1998.

To the OP poster, you will probably be able to store your firearms on post in the armory once you finish your schooling and arrive at your first permanent posting. During boot camp and school, forget it. Posted overseas? Not worth the hassle.

 

[EOD Guy]

Depending on the State, you may need additional identification other than a military ID card. The new active duty ID cards are not considered valid identification in some states because they do not contain a physical description of the individual.

 

[smithwr3]

I've got about 12 years of experience that I can impart on this. If you are going to basic training at Lackland AFB, TX, you might have an issue since you probably won't have an opportunity to inform the drill sergeant before he tells you to get off of the bus. Since I'm an officer and except for my summer camp, I've never had any problems storing my personal firearms in the base armory when I go TDY. Security Forces has always been really good about this. I normally call them to verify their hours of operation and that they allow the storage of personal weapons. When you get to your first permanent duty station, if you are enlisted and not married, you will be living in the dorm and all weapons, including paintball and airsoft guns, must be stored in the armory. If you are married and live in base housing, you have to register the weapons with security forces, but you may keep them in your house. If you are TDY and staying in lodging on base, keep it in the armory.

 

[doc2rn]

Do Not Forget to go directly to provost marshal on base and register the firearm upon arrival. Then go directly to CO and get permission to store in armory.
I kept a 9mm and a 30-30 in the armory at Charleston Naval base and Camp LeJeune. I never had a problem even when I went on float they where transferred to the Base MP armory, then back to me upon return.
I just want to say THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE. I wish you well.
For everyone else Marines are just a department of the NAVY.

 

[TEDDY]

beaten toit

when I was in I always had guns except in boot camp.stored them in ord shack.but I did have one in my locker at one base.as I was AOM3C the ord shack was my home.
I wondered if the present was any differance than the past, 1943/51.
the marines guarded the gates.navy interia.I did many tours as plane guard.
------------

 

[Adventurer_96]

doc2rn's info might be good for a Navy base, but it's a little different on an Air Force installation. Read smithwr3 for a pretty comprehensive outline of how to go about owning firearms while in the USAF.

I will never check my personally owned firearms with the armory again as they refused to release them to me without a letter from my commander (CC in USAF lingo, not CO). Not to mention, they'd taken some out for a little unauthorized target practice.

Thanks, I'll live off base.

But, here's an important consideration:

Keep a copy of your orders in your vehicle.

Why? If you get pulled over, it's nice to have them to explain why you have one state's driver's license, another state's tags, and you're driving in a third. I'm exaggerating, but you get the picture.

However, when you go to purchase a firearm and you show your military ID, they'll usually request a copy of your orders (if they're familiar with the process) to confirm you're stationed in that state. I've lucked out at several gun shows & random trips to the gunstore when I didn't expect to buy something because I had the orders in the car.

Best of luck - what's your AFSC going to be?

 

[PavePusher]

See here, my post is #24

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=3914721#post3914721

I'm current AF enlisted, 17 years. I'll try to get a copy of the regs on personal weapons for you. Short version is this:

Basic Training: Leave 'em at home.

Technical Training: I think they can go into the base armory, but I'd probably leave them home for this as well. Have your recruiter check this for you. Make him show you a copy of the regulation.

Single, living in dorms: Must be stored in base armory. They sometimes get abused by the Security Police, but I have no experience with this.

Married, in on-base housing: Can be kept in your residence. Some restrictions.

Single or married, living off-base: Keep anything you want at home.

Can't carry on person around base, transport on base has to be unloaded and cased. Can not store in vehicle. This makes transporting SD gun going to/from work about impossible. I'm about to appeal this to my base commander.

Hope this helps

 

[Pat_Rogers]

For everyone else Marines are just a department of the NAVY

The Men's Department...

 

[riverdog]

Is this even an issue?

For handguns it is, but for rifles, such as a .22 bolt gun, I've used my CA drivers license to purchase a bolt gun in WA State. The shop was well aware of the AW ban in CA and would not let me buy an AR. While on active duty I bought handguns in both my duty state and in my state of record while home on leave.

Building up an AR lower should be fine as long as neither of the two states involved have an ongoing AW ban (eg., CA and MA). $.02

 

[jkingrph]

That's the reason I joined the Air Force, I don't like men or boats all that much.

How is Turkey these days. I spent two years at Izmir back in 72-74 with a couple of tdy's to Incirlik and Athens.

Purchased 4 shotguns while there, could only have rifled long arms if they had been grandfathered in on someone's bayanami(sp) and transfered on. There were a few like that amoung our pig hunting group and they always brought top money when that person transfered out.