If individual gun sales will require a background check...how will this work?

Question

Folks are asking for a law that will require this, but nobody so far has explained how it will work or who will pay for it or even who will do the 'checking'.  If there was some explanation maybe the idea might get some traction.  If I sell my brother a pistol exactly how would he be 'checked'?  Any clues?

? · Answer

So you pass all the tests, but several years down the road you get a brain fart and go postal.... now what?  A new check every few weeks?  Of course you'll have to pay for these 'checks' and there's no natural stopping place for fees.

I was wrong once · Answer

The same way it works in a gun shop now. Maybe you should be required to do a check on a site like this one before you can sell your gun. Once you do the check, it's recorded in their database, and your're good to go. It's not rocket science. There's other sites that charge 10-20 bucks for a background check. I'd say the person buying the gun should pay the fee, but of course that could be negotiable.

Kojak · Answer

We are working at the wrong end of the problem..... ALL these efforts will NOT stop or even curb gun violence..... Most of the time the system does NOT detect the problem....and NEVER stops the nut-job from stealing a gun....
We need to come from the other end....anyone who uses a gun to commit a crime gets an automatic ten years on top of the punishment for the crime.....people who use a gun and KILL..... get eligible for the death penalty..... solitary confinement...one appeal.....death in one year not twenty ....  and the execution is shown live to all juvenile offenders   ...Ballistically register all weapons.....no weapon is transferred without notifying the registry...... 
Banning weapons and equipment does NOTHING to curb gun violence..... criminals by definition o not bey laws...

? · Answer

It is already done in states like California, NY, Colorado, and a couple of others.  It would work the same way.

John J. S · Answer

1) Sometimes CHP ( concealed handgun permit holders) are exempt because they have proof of a state-police background check.

2) purchaser goes to federally licensed firearms dealer (Dick's, Wal-mart, Sports Authority, etc) and fill out the firearms application, the ckerk calls the state police, who actually does the check.

3) In Oregon the fee for a check is $30. If private sellers requested a check, the store could add a small "processing fee" since they are making nothing on the sale.

4) Alternately the seller can have the buyer fill in the form and call State police themselves.  The fee is still $30, between the buyer and seller who pays.  My FFL dealer eats the fee (or charges me a bit more)

If individual gun sales will require a background check...how will this work?

5 Answers