Could one mistake concerning the use of your firearm mean the loss of your freedom? Many honest gun owners would answer in the affirmative, and the risk is greater than they believe. The laws throughout the USA concerning the possession, storage, and discharge of your firearm are complex, but more than that, they differ immensely from state to state. Even veteran gunners can fall foul of the law without realizing the fact.
With the increased level of regulations and public scrutiny that exist under current climate conditions, errors that would have been dismissed in the past may now result in felony charges, fines, and revocation of firearms and gun rights. This is more about knowing the code rather than mere safety; here’s a look at the top eight firearm-related mistakes that may put every firearms owner under risk.
1. Crossing State Lines Without Checking Reciprocity
Concealed Carry Reciprocity is not a national phenomenon. What will get you by in one state, will not get you squat in another, and simply crossing a border without knowing what the requirements are can make a legal carrier a felon instantly. Some states will honor Concealed Carry reciprocity, while others will not honor any non-residential carry permit. The results of this can be arrest, seizure of your weapon, and charges against you. Legal carrier’s research destinations before going, as well as ensure safe transport of the weapons.
2. Negligence of Storage Issues
Leaving a loaded gun inside an unlocked car or in an unlocked drawer can have devastating consequences. In Child Access Prevention States such as Texas, a person owning a gun is liable to be prosecuted as criminal if a child obtains access to an easily dischargeable firearm. The locking devices and safes have to be utilized in storage laws to prevent unauthorized use in 26 states. Apart from this provision of the law, locking firearms away can ensure as high as 85 percent reduction in youth gun injuries.
3. Making Illegal Modifications
Gun modification is a very rewarding process and there are many changes that can be done with a weapon, others such as reducing the barrel of a weapon to less than what is required, changing a semi-auto to fully automatic and installing an unregistered silencer can be in contravention to the National Firearms Act. What may seem like minor adjustments may render a weapon illegal. A “lack of knowledge” argument will not go over well in court.
4. Failure to Report Lost or Stolen Firearms
An unaccounted gun is more than a loss to the individual; it can also be a possible source of legal trouble. There are 17 states in which failing to report a lost or stolen gun within a certain time period is considered a crime. This has shown to decrease the flow of illicit gun transport by 46%. When a stolen gun is used to commit a crime with the failure to file a police report, the gun’s owner could be considered negligent or even complicit.
5. Carrying while under influence
Drinking and guns do not mix. In most states, the concept of a person being drunk and carrying a gun is considered a form of DUI. It has to be taken into consideration that in most cases, one does not need to pull out the gun in order to get arrested. Drunkenness brings poor judgment. To say the least, it is paramount to lock the gun prior to the first glass of beer.
6. Improper Lending or Private Sales
It may be illegal to lend a gun to a friend or conduct a private sale. Specifically, federal law prohibits delivering a gun to a person prohibited from possessing the weapon. In addition, most states mandate that transfers take place after a background check, or through a licensed dealer. If a crime takes place, the defendant will be subject to serious punishment. Compliance with specific state statutes regarding the transfer of a gun will go a long way in avoiding undesirable criminal liability.
7. Misjudging Self-Defense Justification
Regarding state-specific laws for self-defense, improper use of a gun that does not go towards justifiable force of defense may lead to charges of assault or manslaughter. The prosecution would try to determine if it was a reasonable and necessary reaction. In gun-free zones specifically categorized by the Gun-Free School Zones Act of 1990 equipped force for defense may cause additional charges for possession of a gun in a gun-free zone.
8. Ignoring Gun-Free Zone Restrictions
Failure to Comply with Gun-Free Gun-free zones include schools, government buildings, some hospitals, and some private companies whose signs ban guns. Breaking these rules, even by mistake, is a felony, leads to revocation of carry permits, and comes along with fines. Some places, such as Postal Service parking lots, forbid guns at all, even in the trunk of one’s car. Evidence suggests more than 85% of mass shootings happen in gun-free zones, but again, the punishments are harsh for carriers.
It is necessary to be aware of such rules to remain within the bounds of the law. For gun owners who are lawful, staying out of trouble with the law means more than knowing how to handle the gun correctly. It also means being alert about changes in the law. Each move made, from where the gun will be kept to when and where it will be transported, can end up in court. The gun owner must be informed.
