Yes you can buy one but dealers apparently now have a right to refuse to sell to you if they think there is something wrong with you. If they say they're selling you a gun you "can't own" they're wrong as you can own it but you can't register it. This means if you are found with it you can get a trip to jail, fingerprinted, and given a court date. I had it happen. Judge tossed it out of court but kept a very nice S&W .38 special older model w/out the wide trigger and hammer - may have been late 30's or at least prior to whatever was new in sixties. Gun had excellent trigger and hammer feel - when cocked there was a clean neat click like nothing you'd hear today. You may have to shop around. Getting a target pistol is not an issue especially if something odd or big.