Purchasing handgun ammo

pstylesss

Platinum Member
Mar 21, 2007
2,914
0
0
I live in WA state.

I've been buying ammo and other things since I'm going on a camping trip and we'll be shooting. I can buy any "rifle ammo" or shotgun shells I want without question but so far every chain store I go to will not sell me .38 for a PPK I have. I asked the guy if it was just a store policy to not sell handgun ammo to people under 21 and he said that it was a law. I told him it wasnt (I have scoured our RCW and spoke with my PD Chief and Assist Chief and they both said I was allowed to buy it).

There was a lady at the store last night who was by the gun section and heard me say that and said it was against the law "trust me, I'm a cop". I asked her for the RCW number and she didn't know it... but I was just supposed to trust her. So the guy behind the counter pulls our his RCW book and goes through it to try to prove it. He couldn't find anything on it. I've searched online again today and am finding nothing. As far as I can tell it's not even addressed in our state laws.

Any chance anyone knows?

RCW = revised code of washington.
 

sao123

Lifer
May 27, 2002
12,656
207
106
Originally posted by: ZeroIQ
I live in WA state.

I've been buying ammo and other things since I'm going on a camping trip and we'll be shooting. I can buy any "rifle ammo" or shotgun shells I want without question but so far every chain store I go to will not sell me .38 for a PPK I have. I asked the guy if it was just a store policy to not sell handgun ammo to people under 21 and he said that it was a law. I told him it wasnt (I have scoured our RCW and spoke with my PD Chief and Assist Chief and they both said I was allowed to buy it).

There was a lady at the store last night who was by the gun section and heard me say that and said it was against the law "trust me, I'm a cop". I asked her for the RCW number and she didn't know it... but I was just supposed to trust her. So the guy behind the counter pulls our his RCW book and goes through it to try to prove it. He couldn't find anything on it. I've searched online again today and am finding nothing. As far as I can tell it's not even addressed in our state laws.

Any chance anyone knows?

RCW = revised code of washington.



Its called FEDERAL LAW... 1968 gun control act
http://www.atf.gov/pub/fire-explo_pub/gca.htm


§ 178.99 Certain prohibited sales or deliveries.


(a) Interstate sales or deliveries. A licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector shall not sell or deliver any firearm to any person not licensed under this part and who the licensee knows or has reasonable cause to believe does not reside in (or if a corporation or other business entity, does not maintain a place of business in) the State in which the licensee's place of business or activity is located: Provided, That the foregoing provisions of this paragraph: (1) shall not apply to the sale or delivery of a rifle or shotgun (curio or relic, in the case of a licensed collector) to a resident of a State other than the State in which the licensee's place of business or collection premises is located if the requirements of § 178.96(c) are fully met, and (2) shall not apply to the loan or rental of a firearm to any person for temporary use for lawful sporting purposes (see § 178.97).


(b) Sales or deliveries to underage persons. A licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector shall not sell or deliver (1) any firearm or ammunition to any individual who the importer, manufacturer, dealer, or collector knows or has reasonable cause to believe is less than 18 years of age, and, if the firearm, or ammunition, is other than a shotgun or rifle, or ammunition for a shotgun or rifle, to any individual who the importer, manufacturer, dealer, or collector knows or has reasonable cause to believe is less than 21 years of age, or (2) any firearm to any person in any State where the purchase or possession by such person of such firearm would be in violation of any State law or any published ordinance applicable at the place of sale, delivery, or other disposition, unless the importer, manufacturer, dealer, or collector knows or has reasonable cause to believe that the purchase or possession would not be in violation of such State law or such published ordinance.

[T.D. ATF-270, 53 FR 10497, Mar. 31, 1988; T.D. ATF-363, 60 FR 17454, April 6, 1995]

 

bananapeel42

Banned
Feb 5, 2008
327
0
0
sounds like the local police you have are real winners. every store you go in has a huge ass sign saying what you can't buy if you're under 21.

hard to imagine someone who is actually a police officer saying something as dumbassed as that.
 

sao123

Lifer
May 27, 2002
12,656
207
106
Originally posted by: bananapeel42
sounds like the local police you have are real winners. every store you go in has a huge ass sign saying what you can't buy if you're under 21.

hard to imagine someone who is actually a police officer saying something as dumbassed as that.

indeed...

Its local police (like yours) who are not thoroughly educated in federal and state laws, who give police a bad name...
because you cant enforce what you dont know, and usually what they do know is enforced incorrectly.
 

LTC8K6

Lifer
Mar 10, 2004
28,520
1,576
126
Hopefully you are trying to buy .380 Auto ammo and not .38 ammo...
 

Cheesetogo

Diamond Member
Jan 26, 2005
3,824
10
81
Originally posted by: Anubis
so wait you can own a handgun but you cant bu the ammo legally. something seems wrong about that

To purchase a handgun, you need to be 21.
 
Feb 24, 2001
14,513
4
81
Originally posted by: Cheesetogo
Originally posted by: Anubis
so wait you can own a handgun but you cant bu the ammo legally. something seems wrong about that

To purchase a handgun, you need to be 21.

Right, but only 18 to own.

Father gives son a handgun at 19. Legal.

Son can't go into Wal-Mart and buy handgun ammo.
 

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
91
the police, at least the PA police, don't seem to be very knowledgable regarding firearms laws.
 

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
91
Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Originally posted by: Cheesetogo
Originally posted by: Anubis
so wait you can own a handgun but you cant bu the ammo legally. something seems wrong about that

To purchase a handgun, you need to be 21.

Right, but only 18 to own.

Father gives son a handgun at 19. Legal.

Son can't go into Wal-Mart and buy handgun ammo.

then get your father (or someone 21+) to buy your ammo.
 

Anubis

No Lifer
Aug 31, 2001
78,712
427
126
tbqhwy.com
Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Originally posted by: Cheesetogo
Originally posted by: Anubis
so wait you can own a handgun but you cant bu the ammo legally. something seems wrong about that

To purchase a handgun, you need to be 21.

Right, but only 18 to own.

Father gives son a handgun at 19. Legal.

Son can't go into Wal-Mart and buy handgun ammo.

see that IMO is stupid, they either should both be 18 or both be 21
 

sao123

Lifer
May 27, 2002
12,656
207
106
Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Originally posted by: Cheesetogo
Originally posted by: Anubis
so wait you can own a handgun but you cant bu the ammo legally. something seems wrong about that

To purchase a handgun, you need to be 21.

Right, but only 18 to own.

Father gives son a handgun at 19. Legal.

Son can't go into Wal-Mart and buy handgun ammo.

you cant own a handgun at 18... you dont own it until you have it transferred (registered) into your name with a background check... and you cant do that except through a licensed dealer, and they cant do it till your 21.

it might be in your POSESSION, but according to the law, OWNERSHIP and thus RESPONSIBILITY still falls onto the father.
 
May 31, 2001
15,326
2
0
Originally posted by: sao123
Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Originally posted by: Cheesetogo
Originally posted by: Anubis
so wait you can own a handgun but you cant bu the ammo legally. something seems wrong about that

To purchase a handgun, you need to be 21.

Right, but only 18 to own.

Father gives son a handgun at 19. Legal.

Son can't go into Wal-Mart and buy handgun ammo.

you cant own a handgun at 18... you dont own it until you have it transferred into your name with a background check... and you cant do that except through a licensed dealer, and they cant do it till your 21.

it might be in your POSESSION, but according to the law, OWNERSHIP and thus RESPONSIBILITY still falls onto the father.

What state do you live in that you have to transfer ownership of a handgun via a dealer?
 

sao123

Lifer
May 27, 2002
12,656
207
106
Originally posted by: ShotgunSteven
Originally posted by: sao123
Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Originally posted by: Cheesetogo
Originally posted by: Anubis
so wait you can own a handgun but you cant bu the ammo legally. something seems wrong about that

To purchase a handgun, you need to be 21.

Right, but only 18 to own.

Father gives son a handgun at 19. Legal.

Son can't go into Wal-Mart and buy handgun ammo.

you cant own a handgun at 18... you dont own it until you have it transferred into your name with a background check... and you cant do that except through a licensed dealer, and they cant do it till your 21.

it might be in your POSESSION, but according to the law, OWNERSHIP and thus RESPONSIBILITY still falls onto the father.

What state do you live in that you have to transfer ownership of a handgun via a dealer?

PA
 
May 31, 2001
15,326
2
0
Originally posted by: sao123
Originally posted by: ShotgunSteven
Originally posted by: sao123
Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Originally posted by: Cheesetogo
Originally posted by: Anubis
so wait you can own a handgun but you cant bu the ammo legally. something seems wrong about that

To purchase a handgun, you need to be 21.

Right, but only 18 to own.

Father gives son a handgun at 19. Legal.

Son can't go into Wal-Mart and buy handgun ammo.

you cant own a handgun at 18... you dont own it until you have it transferred into your name with a background check... and you cant do that except through a licensed dealer, and they cant do it till your 21.

it might be in your POSESSION, but according to the law, OWNERSHIP and thus RESPONSIBILITY still falls onto the father.

What state do you live in that you have to transfer ownership of a handgun via a dealer?

PA

My condolences.
 

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
91
Originally posted by: ShotgunSteven
Originally posted by: sao123
Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Originally posted by: Cheesetogo
Originally posted by: Anubis
so wait you can own a handgun but you cant bu the ammo legally. something seems wrong about that

To purchase a handgun, you need to be 21.

Right, but only 18 to own.

Father gives son a handgun at 19. Legal.

Son can't go into Wal-Mart and buy handgun ammo.

you cant own a handgun at 18... you dont own it until you have it transferred into your name with a background check... and you cant do that except through a licensed dealer, and they cant do it till your 21.

it might be in your POSESSION, but according to the law, OWNERSHIP and thus RESPONSIBILITY still falls onto the father.

What state do you live in that you have to transfer ownership of a handgun via a dealer?


i thought that was pretty much most states?
 

sourceninja

Diamond Member
Mar 8, 2005
8,805
65
91
In indiana no licences are required for private sales and no background checks required at gun shows. On top of that, we have lifetime carry permits and very good laws about when it is ok to shoot someone (which is almost any kind of threatening situation you can think of)
 

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
91
Originally posted by: sourceninja
In indiana no licences are required for private sales and no background checks required at gun shows. On top of that, we have lifetime carry permits and very good laws about when it is ok to shoot someone (which is almost any kind of threatening situation you can think of)

I live in PA also and long gun transfers are ok without an FFL but not pistols. lifetime carry permits would be nice. it's 4 or 5 years here (i'd have to look).
 

Scarpozzi

Lifer
Jun 13, 2000
26,392
1,780
126
This is one of the reasons I made a fake ID the first week I started college.

My interpretation is that you can buy ammo all day long. I used to buy .22 ammo without being questioned even when I was under 18. But you can't buy guns without being 21 because they have to run a quick background check. Of course, laws keep getting more strict with this stuff...

My advice, pool your money and get a grown up to buy a bunch of ammo for you so you don't have to deal with the asshats that work at the stores. Most don't care whether or not you get your ammo. They just want to protect their $7/hour jobs for some reason.
 
Feb 24, 2001
14,513
4
81
Originally posted by: sao123
Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Originally posted by: Cheesetogo
Originally posted by: Anubis
so wait you can own a handgun but you cant bu the ammo legally. something seems wrong about that

To purchase a handgun, you need to be 21.

Right, but only 18 to own.

Father gives son a handgun at 19. Legal.

Son can't go into Wal-Mart and buy handgun ammo.

you cant own a handgun at 18... you dont own it until you have it transferred (registered) into your name with a background check... and you cant do that except through a licensed dealer, and they cant do it till your 21.

it might be in your POSESSION, but according to the law, OWNERSHIP and thus RESPONSIBILITY still falls onto the father.

Negatory. Only in relation to dealers or state specific law.

Federal law is that 18 year olds may posses or acquire from a private party a pistol. They just can't buy them from a dealer.
 

pontifex

Lifer
Dec 5, 2000
43,804
46
91
Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Originally posted by: sao123
Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Originally posted by: Cheesetogo
Originally posted by: Anubis
so wait you can own a handgun but you cant bu the ammo legally. something seems wrong about that

To purchase a handgun, you need to be 21.

Right, but only 18 to own.

Father gives son a handgun at 19. Legal.

Son can't go into Wal-Mart and buy handgun ammo.

you cant own a handgun at 18... you dont own it until you have it transferred (registered) into your name with a background check... and you cant do that except through a licensed dealer, and they cant do it till your 21.

it might be in your POSESSION, but according to the law, OWNERSHIP and thus RESPONSIBILITY still falls onto the father.

Negatory. Only in relation to dealers or state specific law.

Federal law is that 18 year olds may posses or acquire from a private party a pistol. They just can't buy them from a dealer.

but i believe it's illegal for someone to purchase a pistol and then turn around and give it to someone under 21.
 

adairusmc

Diamond Member
Jul 24, 2006
7,095
78
91
Originally posted by: pontifex
Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Originally posted by: sao123
Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Originally posted by: Cheesetogo
Originally posted by: Anubis
so wait you can own a handgun but you cant bu the ammo legally. something seems wrong about that

To purchase a handgun, you need to be 21.

Right, but only 18 to own.

Father gives son a handgun at 19. Legal.

Son can't go into Wal-Mart and buy handgun ammo.

you cant own a handgun at 18... you dont own it until you have it transferred (registered) into your name with a background check... and you cant do that except through a licensed dealer, and they cant do it till your 21.

it might be in your POSESSION, but according to the law, OWNERSHIP and thus RESPONSIBILITY still falls onto the father.

Negatory. Only in relation to dealers or state specific law.

Federal law is that 18 year olds may posses or acquire from a private party a pistol. They just can't buy them from a dealer.

but i believe it's illegal for someone to purchase a pistol and then turn around and give it to someone under 21.

Not if it is a gift.
 

DayLaPaul

Platinum Member
Apr 6, 2001
2,072
0
76
It is legal to own a handgun at 18 years old in any state in the union. However, it is illegal to sell a gun to someone under 21. Therefore, the only legal way for an 18 year old to legally own a gun is if it is a gift. However, this gift can not be in the form of a "straw purchase." Confused yet?