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Questions tagged [firearms]

Ballistic weapons powered by burning propellant. May be more narrowly construed by statute.

Canonical answers:

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Why does the United Kingdom's handgun ban not apply to Northern Ireland?

I know that the United Kingdom banned civilian handgun ownership in 1997. I also know that the ban does not apply to Northern Ireland, and one can buy a handgun there through the same process used to buy rifles and shotguns in Great Britain. Why is…
Purple P
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What are some possible law suits or civil actions the Las Vegas shooting victims could take?

I assume that many, if not all of the businesses, corporations and individuals who were operating and supplying services at the time of the Las Vegas Strip shootings (Wikipedia) - such as hotels, concert promoters, etc. - to guests and concert…
BlueDogRanch
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Can a policeman have his service weapon on him in a building that does not allow guns?

I am French, so the US regulations about who can hold a gun where are complicated for me, I apologise if the question is obvious in the US. YouTube brought me to a 2019 case (the TV News version and the bodycam version with more details) where a…
WoJ
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Is it legal in the US to leave a gun in the hands of a minor without oversight?

Reading about the detail of the trial of Rittenhouse I wondered how it was possible that a minor was allowed to go around holding a weapon. I searched on the internet and I read some blogs claiming that minors are allowed to hold weapons only in a…
FluidCode
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What needs to be done if I'm inheriting a gun?

My grandfather recently died and I was asked by my dad and his siblings if I wanted my grandfather's .22 rifle. I agreed, but have no idea what to do to legally take possession of the gun. My assumption is that it's registered with the state of…
BDD
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Under what circumstances is it OK for a layperson to shoot a fleeing burglar?

This question and quotes below (emphasis added) come from an article in today's paper titled "‘He started crying like a little baby’: 11-year-old brags about shooting suspected home invader." A known home intruder was taking some things from a…
WBT
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If two gunmen are in a standoff, can either of them kill the other and claim self defense in the USA?

Because of recent news about the Kenosha shootings, and people claiming the shooter might walk free because he can claim self-defense, I've started wondering this question. I've seen pictures of another person having been shot in the arm, holding a…
Joeytje50
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Are there situations where it is legal to threaten someone with a gun but not legal to fire the gun?

One of the essential rules of firearm safety is to never point a gun at anything or anyone you do not intend to shoot. It also seems to be a consensus that whenever it wouldn't be lawful to shoot someone in self-defense, brandishing a gun would also…
vsz
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Can a law enforcement officer temporarily 'grant' his authority to another?

The emergency services dispatch of Small-town, USA receives a call from a citizen near city limits. The citizen placed the call after he drove past a roadkill deer off to the side of the road. It is clearly mortally wounded, and will not survive,…
Razmode
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How common are import bans of what is freely traded on national markets?

In this question I will give an example of a law that effectively bans the import of (and makes attempted import without prior approval a crime) certain goods that can be freely bought and sold on national market. The effect is that the goods are…
Greendrake
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How are laws requiring gun buyers to be 21+ constitutional?

Isn't anyone 18 or older guaranteed full constitutional rights? How can someone between 18 and 21 be denied the right to own a gun based on age?
Someone
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Register an inherited Trophy of War handgun?

My grandfather recently passed away. He was a veteran, and owned a Nazi P38 Luger handgun, registered as a Trophy of War, manufactured in 1941. It appears I may inherit the Luger. We are both from CA, and I have no reason I would not be allowed…
George
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Are there any notable 2nd Amendment cases not involving (then) modern firearms?

Imagine if you walk down the road all dressed up for the Battle of Hastings reenactment with all of your fellow Viking-Normandy enthusiasts, covered neck to toe with your chainmail, your great helm on your head, and holding a kite shield with a…
R-Obsessive
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Can one individual (not a dealer) give or sell a firearm to another individual without reporting the transaction?

Can one individual give a gun to another individual without filing any paperwork or doing a background check in Oregon? What if the recipient is a minor? What about selling the gun?
Someone
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How does the "well regulated militia" clause affect laws?

The second amendment to the US Constitution states: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. What, if anything, about the law(s) in the US…
WBT
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