President Obama caused a lot of riff raff and hoopla when he recently announced that he was making an executive order to enforce background checks at gun shows and online gun stores. This announcement instantly made everyone with a Facebook page an expert on gun control. To clear some things up here’s how to buy a gun in Oklahoma as well as an overview of some Oklahoma gun laws.
How to buy a gun in Oklahoma
To buy a gun in Oklahoma from a legally licensed dealer there are a few requirements.
You must be 21
You must be able to prove your residency in Oklahoma
Fill out a 4473 form
Pass a background check from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS)
You must be able to prove citizenship in the United States
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The 4473 form is furnished by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It asks for personal information like height, weight and address. Information about the make and model of the gun is also listed on this form. Lying on this form is a felony crime and can get you five years in jail. Dealers must keep the 4473 form for 20 years.
NICS
Once the 4473 form is completed the seller will run your information through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). This system checks almost 60 million criminal court records and checks to make sure you don’t have any felony convictions, protective orders filed against you, active criminal warrants, or violations of immigration law.
Citizenship
Finally the seller will verify your citizenship with Homeland Security. If everything checks out, the purchase will be completed.
Common Gun Crimes
That’s the right way to buy a gun in Oklahoma, but there are still plenty of ways to get in trouble with guns in Oklahoma. Here’s a quick list of common gun related charges and penalties.
- Bringing a gun into a bar is punishable by up to two years in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.
- Possession of a gun at a school is punishable by up to two years in jail and a fine of up to $5,000.
- Possession of gun while under the influence is punishable by ten days to six months in jail, a fine of $50 to $500, or both.
- If you’re a convicted felon, possessing a gun is punishable by one to ten years in prison.
- Having armor-piercing bullets has a penalty of two to ten years in prison.
- Not telling an officer that you are armed will get you a $100 fine.
If you’ve been charged with a weapons charge in Oklahoma call Jacqui Ford to protect your rights and your future.
