[GreyHoundSailor]

While on active duty stationed in one state I purchased a rifle and took it with me to a follow-on assignment in another state. You’re claiming that’s a federal crime?

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

It used to be a federal crime (1968 GCL)to buy any gun in one state if you live in another. Now you can buy a rifle or shotgun in one state if you live in another provided the state you live in allows such firearms.

It is still illegal to buy Handguns in one state if you live in a different state.

[gusty]

What the poster is trying to say is that it is illegal to buy a gun in one state, when you live in another without the services of an FFL. Your case seems to be you lived in the same state you bought the gun in, then you moved to another state, taking your gun with you. That is legal.

[Zeppo]

When you were on active duty stationed in a certain state, weren’t you living in that state for some period of time? Wouldn’t that make you a resident of that state for the purpose of the laws, and then when you moved elsewhere there should have been no issue.

But then IANAL (but I did once have concurrent residence in two different states and was able to buy firearms in both states).

[Gandalf_The_Gray]

While on active duty stationed in one state I purchased a rifle and took it with me to a follow-on assignment in another state. You’re claiming that’s a federal crime?

Assuming that the rifle purchased was not capable of fully automatic fire and had a barrel length meeting the minimum requirement, as long as the rifle remained in your possession you are OK. Giving it away (to a relative) or swapping it (at a gun show) is not clearly defined. If you were to sell your rifle in your new state of residency it could be considered a 'straw man purchase' unless you happened to be a licensed firearms dealer.

Regards,
GtG

[Wonder Warthog]

"While on active duty stationed in one state I purchased a rifle and took it with me to a follow-on assignment in another state. You’re claiming that’s a federal crime?"

No. But if you had been stationed in (for example) Virginia, and drove to (for example) Kentucky, bought a gun, and then drove back to Virginia, it would have been.

As I understand it, the way it works is that you MUST go to a licensed firearms dealer in Kentucky, have him ship the gun to a licensed dealer in Virginia, and you pick it up there. Don't know which of the FFL's has to do the background check, but one must happen.

Now, I think the above is totally stupid, but legislators pass a lot of totally stupid laws.