Legal behavior when it comes to shooting and carrying guns varies from state to state. What is considered normal in a state with an urban population will certainly be different than a state where hunting is a popular and established activity – so how do Vermont's gun laws measure up?
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Vermont happens to be a liberal state with liberal gun laws, and for comparison’s sake, it’s educating to look at Vermont’s gun laws and how they compare nationally.
Vermont allows citizens to carry firearms without a permit. Vermont, in fact, is one of eight states that prohibit government registries of firearms: other states include Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and South Dakota.
In Vermont, firearms are allowed in restaurants, and it is legal to carry a firearm openly or concealed “provided the firearm is not carried with the intent or avowed purpose of injuring a fellow man.” It is illegal, however, to carry a firearm into a state institution.
According to the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, Vermont is one of 31 states in the U.S. that allows open carrying of a handgun without any license or permit. Though it should be noted that some of those states do require the gun to be unloaded.
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Residents of Vermont are legally allowed to own machine gun. However, it must be “legally registered and possessed in compliance with all federal laws and regulations.” Federal law prohibits possession of machine guns that were not lawfully owned as of May 19, 1986. Machine guns possessed legally before then may be transferred, though the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms must approve. As of November 2006, the national registry of machine guns had 391,532 registered. Federal protections prohibit states from outright banning every machine gun, but every state can create restrictions.
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