(Exclusive) Nashville Shoot Goes on A Killing Spree... Media is worried about their gender

I'm not disputing that you need to be licensed in order to comply with federal law for firearms dealers. What I am arguing is that the loophole of being allowed to make occasional sales of firearms through private sellers continues to be exploited to a significant extent. Also, I went through the original 2017 study Firearms Acquisition Without Background Checks and I couldn't find anything claiming that 0% of guns bought at gun shows were purchased without background checks. I used the search function and analyzed all references to gun shows in the article, and I couldn't find anything along those lines. The study looks at a few different sample sizes based on when acquisition occurred. Perhaps you were looking at a specific sample and not the entire data set? I did, however, find this piece of information from the Results section of the study: For firearms purchased privately within the previous 2 years (that is, other than from a store or pawnshop, including sales between individuals in person, online, or at gun shows), 50% were obtained without a background check. This percentage was 26% for owners residing in states regulating private firearm sales and 57% for those living in states without regulations on private firearm sales. (All of that is a direct quote from the research paper). The data reveals that Americans are, in fact, buying firearms from private sellers at a considerable rate. Overall, 50% of such firearms were purchased without a background check. That is a significant percentage, and it tracks with the overall percentage (22%) of firearms purchased without a background check nationwide. I also learned by reviewing the study that 45% of gun purchases online did not include a background check. It looks like online transfers have become a more popular method for private sellers who aren't interested in completing background checks, which makes sense. It's also important to note that the percentage of Americans buying guns without background checks through private sellers is much higher in states that fail to regulate private sales compared to states that have such regulations in place. There is quite a big difference between 26% and 57%, and I think that speaks to the relative efficacy of state regulations on private sales of firearms.

The gun show loophole is well "known" and equally well mischaracterized. It is against the law ( 18 USC 922) to be a firearms dealer without a license. The ATF expounds on this "As a general rule, you will need a license if you repetitively buy and sell firearms with the principal motive of making a profit. In contrast, if you only make occasional sales of firearms from your personal collection, you do not need to be licensed. In either case, all of your firearms transactions are relevant, regardless of their location; it does not matter if sales are conducted out of your home, at gun shows, flea markets, through the internet, or by other means." It is also against the law (also 18 USC 922) to sell or transfer a firearm to someone who you know or reasonably believe is ineligible to buy one or intends to use it in crime. And if you purchase a firearm on someone else's behalf under either of those circumstances, it's an additional felony (18 USC 932). As for the 22% number, the same study that produced that number found that 0% of guns bought at gun shows were bought without background checks. This, of course, does not mean that they never happen, but they are immeasurably rare. Even the 22% number is a mischaracterization. It includes all transfers including gifts and inheritance. If you gift or bequeath a gun to someone you probably know them pretty well. The number they determined for sales was only 13%. (Miller, Hepburn, and Azreal. Firearm Acquisition Without Background Checks)

Nope. Federal law only requires licensed firearm dealers to perform background checks prior to the sale, but a substantial percentage of gun sales in the U.S. (about 22%) are conducted through private sellers who are not licensed. Private sellers are not simply civilians handing off a gun to a friend or relative. For example, gun shows are events that often feature private sellers. The private sales exemption is frequently referred to as the "gun show loophole" because of this. These private sales are not through a licensed firearm dealer, so they are currently exempt from federal law requiring background checks prior to the sale. This is one major way many people are able to purchase firearms without ever going through a background check. It is a massive and well-known loophole. Currently, 22 states and D.C. also require background checks for private sales or require buyers to get a license through the state (a process that necessarily includes a background check). As you mentioned, some of these states also require private sellers to process sales through a licensed dealer, which would necessarily include a background check. This leaves over half of the remaining states without such safeguards in place. In over half of the United States, the private sales exemption prevails. Universal background checks (or any single measure for that matter) won't be able to stop all mass shootings, but it's still important to have these baseline protections in place. We know these measures are effective at reducing rates of gun violence in the general population; that is clear from the research. We won't achieve 100% primary prevention this way, but it is definitely a step in the right direction.

I don’t think you understand that firearm dealers are required by law to perform checks on anyone that is trying to purchase a gun. Private sellers refer to civilians who can transfer a gun to someone without a background check like a friend or family member. If they do not they are breaking the law and will get their license revoked and will be fined. Private sellers are recommended to use a dealer to transfer so they go through the system to see if they are a felon or prohibited possessor. However in order to have private sellers also require to do so you need laws prohibited it and it would also violate inheritance of weaponry after a death as well. 38 million people get background checks on average per year. It’s many things but the background check system wouldn’t have stopped her from legally getting a gun

It’s the culture, the sickness is in the culture, the glorification of guns, violence in the media plus the self righteous and entitlement that is ingrained. U go around shouting number 1 teaching everyone about your superiority and how special it is to be American, teaching each child to have that same sense of entitlement and that the world is theirs, portray violence and force and domination in your media, support and create unbalanced resources/opportunities all the while giving access to weapons to your population, then you are surprised when disenfranchised, mentally I’ll or just simply self centered individuals motivated by hate which is so precedent in the culture and politics, when these people use those firearms to commit heinous acts

It's done through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) and basically checks to make sure the person trying to purchase the firearm is not a convicted felon, domestic violence abuser, etc. Currently, there are many loopholes that allow firearm dealers to sell guns without performing this basic check, including the private sales exemption. Universal background checks would effectively close those loopholes by requiring all firearm dealers to conduct a check prior to the sale.

As a non-American could you explain to me how background checks work for gun licences in America when they are done please?

Patreonnewb

Aba was totally right to call out conservatives for being so disingenuous when they claim the solution is "better mental health care" and then do nothing to support policies to that effect. And yes, we need universal background checks. Like Preach said, it is not the standard in all states yet (despite being overwhelmingly supported by most Americans).