Gun shows provide private gun owners wishing to sell or trade a firearm access to large numbers of potential customers. In most states, those transfers are not regulated by law — in an arrangement praised by gun rights supporters but decried by gun control advocates who say the "gun show loophole" allows for the illegal purchase of firearms by people who would not be able to pass a background check.
Gun rights supporters counter that there is no loophole, as federally licensed firearms dealers attending the shows are simply selling or trading guns as they would at their home.
Here are five reasons for buying and selling firearms at gun shows:
1. No hassles with background checks: Thirty three states do not restrict private, intrastate sales of used firearms between private individuals, whether at gun shows or elsewhere.
ALERT: Should Obama Have More Control Over Guns? Vote Now
2. No license needed for occasional firearms sellers: People who are not engaged in the firearms business but sell guns from time to time (such as a man who sells a hunting rifle to his brother-in-law) aren't required at gun shows to obtain the federal license required of gun dealers before completing the sale.
3. Second Amendment educational opportunities: Gun shows are huge gathering points for people who are interested in Second Amendment issues. That website said gun rights groups frequently set up booths at gun shows to distribute literature and recruit members.
4. A chance to buy ammo: Gun shows generally provide a chance to use cash to purchase thousands of rounds at a time for firearms owners who — for any number of reasons — are facing a shortage of ammunition for their particular weapon.
5. A chance to connect with history: Gun shows offer participants a chance to "hold history in their hands,"
says The Survival Mom. "At a gun show in March I held a genuine yellow Star of David with 'Juden' embroidered on it. Today, I saw a beautifully engraved revolver from 1851 and at another booth, something called 'gun juice.' You'll see hundreds of black handguns that all seem to look alike, except, of course, to the guys shopping the booths, but around the next corner there might be someone selling Civil War memorabilia."
This article does not constitute legal advice. Check the current gun laws before purchasing or traveling with a firearm.
URGENT: Do You Support Obama's Plans for Stricter Gun Control? Vote Now
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.