Did I witness a straw purchase?

V

V4Vendetta

New member
I was at Dick's Sporting Goods recently to check their prices on 9mm ammunition*. While waiting for customer service, I saw a lady who was buying a shotgun for her husband. It was a Remington 870 12 gauge with 28" barrell**. She had never bought a gun before & had no idea which gun was the best one so I gave her my assurances that the 870 is a good gun. She then seemed relieved as the associate with her seemed to be just too eager to sell something. She got the gun & left.

My question is, is it legal to buy a gun as a gift for your spouse? I didn't ask her for her name so if ATF agents are reading this I have no idea where to find her so don't ask.

*It's $12 for 50 Winchester 115 grain JHP's. $9 for 50 Remington 115 grain FMJ rounds.

**I already checked & no, she doesn't have a sister:D .
 
V,
Yea it's legal to buy for immediate family. I asked this awhile back because I wasn't sure either. I think the main thing with straw purchases would be if you KNEW someone couldn't get a gun legally and then you bought it for them anyway. That is where you'd have problems.
 
I believe it is legal to buy a gun as a gift for anybody who can legally own a firearm.

Where you might get into trouble is, at least outside of immediate family, do you really know anyone else that well? Could there be something you're not aware of that would make it illegal?
 
*It's $12 for 50 Winchester 115 grain JHP's. $9 for 50 Remington 115 grain FMJ rounds.
Click to expand...

Man! ammo prices are going up! It wasn't but a few months ago you could get 100 WWB boxes for $10. Makes me glad I reload. I can load up 50 .40s&w for just over $4.

Anyway, I wouldn't worry if you saw a straw purchase. More than likely it was a Christmas gift.
 
I am sure that others will chime in along similar thoughts on it but I believe that you can purchase a long arm for a family member as long as you are not aware that they are prohibited from owning a firearm. If you know that they can't legally purchase one on their own and you buy them one then you are in hot water....
 
I too witnessed a gal buying a gun for her hubby yesterday and also wondered the straw purchase thing. Seems to me like it's an ill-defined gray area. What, exactly, is "family" under that rule? 3rd cousins? And if someone is in fact prohibited from buying (say, under a domestic restraining order), but you don't know it, do you really think the feds are NOT going to harass you if they find out? I think they will look to charge you with straw purchase, and would claim that whether you KNEW about the DRO is irrelevant.
 
Yes you can buy a gun as a gift for anyone using your own money.
It does not address the issue od whether the gun is going to a prohibitted person or family member
A straw purchase applies to where the money comes from not where the gun is going.

This is fully explained on the back of the federal document that you signed agreeing to the terms of purchase under penalty of law.
 
If she purchased the firearm as a gift for her husband its legal. In fact you can buy a firearm for a gift for other pesons besides family.

Now if your friend says hey I want a rifle but im offshore and cant get it now here is the money will you get it for me..thats a straw man sale.

if you are purchasing the rifle with your funds as a gift for another person you are still considered the actual purchaser of the firearm.
 
It is intent. Whomever "PAYS" for the firearm must fill out the paperwork. Someone cannot give you the money to buy the gun for them.
 
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