Abstract: North Carolina’s permit to purchase law
(P2P) law requires permission from the sheriff to purchase a handgun
after he has decided the applicant is of “good moral character” and may
lawfully possess a pistol. The P2P law is an historical leftover from a
different era, adopted for perhaps racist reasons, and to help enforce a
restrictive concealed carry statute that is no longer part of North
Carolina law.
In my opinion, the law really acts like a tax on people without concealed carry licenses. If you have a concealed carry license, you don't need the pistol permit (or permit to purchase).
ReplyDeleteMinnesota has had a purchase permit law since the mid seventies, but it's always been non-discretionary. And it's free.
ReplyDeleteWhen you buy a handgun or assault weapon from a licensed dealer, in Minnesota, you either need to show a purchase permit, a carry permit, or file a report of transfer with your local police department, and wait five days for the background check to complete, prior to taking possession. In addition to the NICS check.
You are not required to show a permit when performing a private sale, but if you do not and the buyer commits an act of violence within one year, you are guilty of a gross misdemeanor.
Because of this, and because we're generally law-abiding sorts who don't want to sell to criminals, everyone I know who occasionally engages in private transfers insists upon seeing a carry permit.
Having the permitting system in place doesn't bother me, since it is non-discretionary and it is useful in arguing against universal background checks.
The NC law is obsolete because a concealed carry permit achieves the same result.
ReplyDelete