Giving a firearm as a gift for son?

[pitbull88]

I would like to get my son (16 years old) a rifle or pistol for Christmas. I was looking at the 10/22 takedown or Ruger MkIII or Browning Buckmark--something he can practice with, cheap.

How do I do this legally? Can I buy the gun, and simply give it to him? Is he legally able to own a gun in Indiana?

BTW, my wife will not be pleased.

 

[Mgderf]

Pitbull,
Yes, as a parent you can legally buy the rifle and present it to him as a gift.

When you fill out the 4473 form YOU will be the "purchaser/buyer" and you will go through the background check.

If it were your next door neighbor, you could pay for the gun and let him/her go through the background check.

He can legally possess a rifle at 16. I don't know if he can actually "own" it in the eyes of the law.
At 18 he can buy and sell long guns and ammo in Indiana.

 

[Bluejeeper]

Pitbull,
Yes, as a parent you can legally buy the rifle and present it to him as a gift.

When you fill out the 4473 form YOU will be the "purchaser/buyer" and you will go through the background check.

If it were your next door neighbor, you could pay for the gun and let him/her go through the background check.

He can legally possess a rifle at 16. I don't know if he can actually "own" it in the eyes of the law.
At 18 he can buy and sell long guns and ammo in Indiana.

on most of that.

Why could you not also gift a gun to your neighbor?

 

[Mgderf]

on most of that.

Why could you not also gift a gun to your neighbor?

You could, I don't believe it would be outside the law.
It would just eliminate any idea of a "straw" purchase.
I've gifted several firearms. If they go to family, I hand them to them.

If I gift a friend, I let them go through the background check.

I've gifted a couple of Crickett rifles here on Ingo. I let the kids parents go through the background check, more to cover my rear than anything else.

 

[Bluejeeper]

You could, I don't believe it would be outside the law.
It would just eliminate any idea of a "straw" purchase.
I've gifted several firearms. If they go to family, I hand them to them.

If I gift a friend, I let them go through the background check.

I've gifted a couple of Crickett rifles here on Ingo. I let the kids parents go through the background check, more to cover my rear than anything else.

Ahh gotcha

 

[wsenefeld]

At 18 he can buy and sell long guns and ammo in Indiana.

He can do the same with a pistol but it must be a private sale. You can't buy a pistol or ammo from a dealer until you're 21.

 

[Mgderf]

He can do the same with a pistol but it must be a private sale. You can't buy a pistol or ammo from a dealer until you're 21.

Needs to be 18 to buy/sell a handgun in Indiana doesn't he?

 

[Dead Duck]

You could, I don't believe it would be outside the law.
It would just eliminate any idea of a "straw" purchase.
I've gifted several firearms. If they go to family, I hand them to them.

If I gift a friend, I let them go through the background check.

I've gifted a couple of Crickett rifles here on Ingo. I let the kids parents go through the background check, more to cover my rear than anything else.

If your giving/gifting a rifle to to someone in Indiana, why the background check? Do you question their residency or they're not a proper person?

 

[Mgderf]

If your giving/gifting a rifle to to someone in Indiana, why the background check? Do you question their residency or they're not a proper person?

If it is someone I have no knowledge of then yes, it IS a question of them being a "proper person" and I have no way to check that.
This is not a hard and fast rule with me, just something I do when I have a question about legality.
I have both sold and gifted long guns to Indiana residents without a background check, but I always keep it as an option.

 

[trailrider]

If it is someone I have no knowledge of then yes, it IS a question of them being a "proper person" and I have no way to check that.
This is not a hard and fast rule with me, just something I do when I have a question about legality.
I have both sold and gifted long guns to Indiana residents without a background check, but I always keep it as an option.

Why would anyone ever give/gift a gun to someone they have no knowledge of?

 

[MrsGungho]

Why would anyone ever give/gift a gun to someone they have no knowledge of?

Mgderf is well known for gifting Crickets to children of INGO members. Contest is held and winner is chosen and paperwork is done.

 

[indyjohn]

I would like to get my son (16 years old) a rifle or pistol for Christmas. I was looking at the 10/22 takedown or Ruger MkIII or Browning Buckmark--something he can practice with, cheap.

How do I do this legally? Can I buy the gun, and simply give it to him? Is he legally able to own a gun in Indiana?

BTW, my wife will not be pleased.

You will purchase it and be the 'owner' until some time in the future. Your wife will need some kind words of assurance that it will only be in his hands under close adult supervision, otherwise it will be locked away in the safe.

This Christmas we will be giving our 3rd son his first firearm. It will be a Ruger 10/22 (probably the 50th Anniversary model). He is 10 years old. He has already proven his proficiency with a 10/22 topped with a red dot @ 30 yards.

Good luck! You'll do fine.

 

[Mgderf]

Why would anyone ever give/gift a gun to someone they have no knowledge of?

I guess we think differently.
I've made a habit in the past few years of doing what I can to promote the shooting sports.

I became a certified NRA basic pistol instructor so I could help others learn to shoot safely.

I volunteered at my local range to teach the "First Shots" program, sponsored by the NSSF (National Shooting Sports Foundation").
I taught 3 classes, one Saturday a month, for just over 3 years, before the range discontinued the program.

I've given away Crickett rifles to kids on at least 4 different sites.
I did not know a single one of these kids or their parents.
Since I always try to CMOA (cover my own anatomical body part) I had the kids parents undergo the background check. I just thought it would be a great way to help someone less fortunate than myself to be able to teach their children the shooting sports while keeping my own best interests in mind.

What is wrong with giving a stranger ANYTHING, even a firearm?

 

[Integraholic]

If it were your next door neighbor, you could pay for the gun and let him/her go through the background check.

This is not true. While in the gun store, you cannot pay for someone else's gun.

 

[Mgderf]

This is not true. While in the gun store, you cannot pay for someone else's gun.

You are misinformed.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Why would anyone ever give/gift a gun to someone they have no knowledge of?

Dude, it's INGO. We've made a habit of giving away guns.

 

[singlesix]

Just don't mention that the gun is a gift to the sales clerk, I was in a Dick's and a mother told the clerk she was buying the gun as a gift for her son and the clerk informed her it was a straw purchase and refused to sell her the gun. I know first mistake it's Dicks.

 

[Mgderf]

Just don't mention that the gun is a gift to the sales clerk, I was in a Dick's and a mother told the clerk she was buying the gun as a gift for her son and the clerk informed her it was a straw purchase and refused to sell her the gun. I know first mistake it's Dicks.

That is an issue with the sales clerk not being aware of the law.
It is NOT a straw purchase.

 

[singlesix]

That is an issue with the sales clerk not being aware of the law.
It is NOT a straw purchase.

Correct and besides myself another person informed the clerk of this fact but he refused to listen.

 

[Integraholic]

You are misinformed.

While I admit I'm not sure the exact ATF rules on the subject, it's could be considered a way to avoid having the background check done on yourself. This is the precise reason we don't allow it at BGF. Someone not related to the person filling out the 4473 cannot pay for the gun.