So I went to Walmart to buy a 22 Plinker for my grand daughter for her 8th birthday..she was at the lease and learned to shoot the 22..so Im like it would be a great first gun for her. The young man at the counter
was showing me the gun and I made mention that this was going to be for my grand daughter as a gift..takes the gun from me and locks it up and says "sorry sir I cant sell you the gun"..just because I was being honest about the deal.New ATF law says one cannot buy any firearm with known intention to pass it on to anyone.So I went to another Walmart..bought the same 22 Plinker..no quetions asked.My first firearm was a Winchester Auto 12 gauge at the age of 15 at a WesternAuto in Mckinney..put it on layaway paid it down and I walked out with it and I still own the gun today..my how times have changed!!!!

Man gun laws do suck and all, but I wouldn't have come on an open internet forum and just admitted to the ATF that you broke the law with a straw purchase. Although I think its just stupid to call it a straw purchase when buying as a gift for a family member, but they are the feds.. They aren't very bright.

I guess man..its not like its a AR15 ...

He never said the second one was a gift. :P

I whole heartedly agree with you man. Stupid laws.

It's all for your protection..

Careful serf, you're getting close to the line, get back.

Bunch of frekkin anarchists in here....

Lol I'm sure they could make something stick.

Oh they can stick something alright... those laws.

You are allowed to buy guns for a gift. Guy at Walmart was wrong.

how times have changed could tell ya's some stories. i'm postaddic trying ta cut down

I'd be buying it for myself and just letting her use it...."FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE"!

i was surprised to see rifles at our local walmart...they never carried em til now.

This is a lot different than a gift for a granddaughter, but the subject was on Fox News today.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/01/22/supreme-court-weighs-gun-rights-challenge/

Try buying a gun in the Peoples Republic of California. ATF says family transfers are still legal but never say its a gift.

This. You are not allowed to purchase a gun for somebody who isn't legally allowed to. You are allowed to make a purchase and give as a gift for somebody who is legally allowed. Just like you can take any gun out of your gun safe and give it to a friend.

Just make sure that her parents know to say "yes I gave her permission" if ever asked (as if they wouldn't). But even with this it may have to be proved in court because of the "affermative defense" clause.

BTW, you're a great grandpa! She'll love the plincker.

I have seen a similar post before where the store was Academy I believe.

As far as I know the clerk was in error. You can buy guns to give as a gift. And I believe it is done all the time. There is even a place on the 4473 form to specify that the gun is for someone else.

That's ok. It's about a resale issue but it's a first step.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/01/...tcmp=latestnews

I wonder at what point it becomes a personal property issue. I suppose it's all about intentions anyway.

I'm probably making a bad comparison to begin with.

Hey, since it's all for our protection what could possibly go wrong?

Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers

Exactly. Why tell some loser who works at Wal-Mart what your going to do with the firearm. Smart people keep their mouths shut about such things. This exact same post seems to pop up often. Shut your mouth and it won't be a problem.

I know this guy who bought this gun to give to his son for Christmas. This guy even told the wal mart lady it was a gift (the gun was obviously a youth rifle so it came up) and he was able to purchase no problem.

This was in the Peoples Republic of Common Sense East Texas.

What the hell do they think is gonna happen when a grown [censored] man walks in and buys a pink .22 cricket. Its most certainly a gift. I hope.

I think the first clerk was acting in a good-faith, belt-and-suspenders manner, but I don't think he's correct at all and he's probably overstepping his authority. You can "gift" firearms to minors for supervised, lawful activity in Texas and there isn't actually any law in Texas prohibiting minors from being in possession of firearms, handgun or not, as long as they are doing so in a lawful manner. They can't BUY or OWN firearms until they are 18, but they can possess them for things like lawful plinking or hunting. It doesn't matter what words you used, that is actually YOUR rifle but it is for the specific purpose of your granddaughter's use and enjoyment. Your choice of words at the counter can't make that into a criminal straw purchase. My $0.02.

Of course, being right may not save you from a ride in a squad car - but it will save you from a conviction.