What Constitutes an Illegal Gun in the USA?

Gun laws are a significant issue in the United States, with most citizens preferring stricter laws. However, the vast majority are against outlawing handguns, and opinion is split relatively evenly on banning assault rifles.

Almost all of us want to get rid of illegal guns, but we don’t always agree on what an illegal gun is or what it should be. The law reflects this, with each state having its own gun laws.

This raises the question of what an illegal gun is at both the state and federal levels. We’ll talk about that in more detail in this article.

What Is an Illegal Gun in Tennessee?

Tennessee is a reasonably gun-friendly state, so there are fewer restrictions than you might see in many other states. There aren’t many limits on what you can own, and no permits or licenses are required for most guns. 

This isn’t to say that there aren’t any security measures in Tennessee. Gun dealers all over the US have the right to refuse service to anyone for any reason, even if they pass all required checks.

Human judgment is often quite sharp, and the actions of concerned gun sellers have prevented many potential shootings. Others have lessened the severity of a shooting by refusing to sell an accessory to those who have already acquired a gun.

National Laws vs. State Laws

Gun laws in the US help shape state gun laws because a state isn’t allowed to make laws contradicting federal laws. This is not a hard-and-fast rule, though, as the national government is content to let states make their own decisions on specific issues.

Gun laws are an excellent example of this, albeit limitedly. For instance, one of the buzzwords that we hear a lot surrounding the gun debate is open carry rights.

Open carry means it’s a right to carry a pistol in public without hiding it. This differs from concealed carry, which means that the gun must be hidden. You can learn more about concealed carry here.

Illegal Guns on the National Stage

Despite all the contradicting laws and regulations at the state and federal levels, a few rules must be followed in every state. The first is a legal age limit to owning a gun. In some states, the minimum age is 18, while in others, it’s 21.

The purchaser must also have no current or previous felony convictions on their record. They also cannot have been ordered into a mental institution. Finally, they cannot be purchasing the gun on behalf of someone who isn’t legally allowed to buy one.

Assault rifles and various accessories are also banned in several states, as is most military hardware.

What is an Illegal Gun: A Guide

Gun laws in the US are complex, so it can be tough to determine what is and isn’t an illegal gun. We’ve discussed some gun laws in this article, but there’s always more to learn.

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