Shooting with a non-licensed person

[Search]

Hi,

My wife and I are new to gun ownership. I have shot before, though not particularly extensively, and she has not. She is behind me in the registration process, and probably a couple of months away from getting a license. I'm not sure that I understand the laws - if I am supervising, then a guest could use any firearm I legally own at a target range. I think this includes handguns, despite a provision I heard about preventing non-licensed people from even handling handguns at gun stores...?

What defines supervision? Could we use lanes next to each other at the same time, or would one of us need to wait while the other shoots? I am guessing the answer will be 'wait,' but if someone knows otherwise...

"Exemptions from the FID and licensing requirements:
1. The temporary holding or firing of a handgun under the supervision of a person with a license to carry, or the holding or firing of a rifle or shotgun under the supervision of a person with a FID or “where such holding or firing is for a lawful purpose”."
Source:http://www.nraila.org/statelawpdfs/MASL.pdf

Thanks very much!

 

[bigjim]

i know its definitly ok if you stand behind them or are watching/ helping them while they shoot im takeing one of my freinds shooting for the first time soon with a .22 and she is excited about it.

i think its allright if they are in the next lane too i have done that alot with my cousin and mother when we go as they have ltc and i dont and nobody has said anything about it being wrong

 

[whatluck]

It is not illegal for an unlicensed person to handle a gun in a gun store. And for everyone's safety, supervision means DIRECT SUPERVISION, as in the firearm is still always under your control. When I bring guests we only shoot one gun at a time.

 

[MACGYVR]

The issue is that by showing you and letting you handle the gun, the store is technically in the act of selling that gun to you and you are unlicensed.
A troll in the store could turn the store in for it. So most stores play it safe and do the checks.

This usually is just with handguns as many stores have rifles/shotguns just sitting on racks that you can handle and nobody ever checks your FID/LTC.

 

[Search]

That makes sense!

To all of you - thanks.

 

[BradM]

In store I think the real issue is that they just don't want people coming in and wasting their time, and I can't blame them a bit with how busy they all normally are. Letting you look at something != selling it to you.

 

[MisterHappy]

In store I think the real issue is that they just don't want people coming in and wasting their time, and I can't blame them a bit with how busy they all normally are. Letting you look at something != selling it to you.

"Transferring" should have been used as the term, not "selling."

If a gun is transferred for "training" purposes, that's cool. If this were not the case, at a LTC course, none of the students could handle the guns!

 

[HooVooLoo]

What MisterHappy said.

 

[jdubois]

Could we use lanes next to each other at the same time?

Yes, of course. As long as you're physically present, you're fine. Just remember that anything an unlicensed person does with your gun is your responsibility.

The issue is that by showing you and letting you handle the gun, the store is technically in the act of selling that gun to you and you are unlicensed.
A troll in the store could turn the store in for it. So most stores play it safe and do the checks.

That's just silly. Letting you handle a gun is not in any way an act of 'selling that gun'. § 129C(m) most definitely covers handling of a gun by a non-licensed individual for the purposes of examination at a gun dealer. Stores check your FID/LTC because they don't want to waste their time with non-license holders and/or because they're paranoid. There are plenty of stores who do not hold those opinions and will let unlicensed individuals handle their guns.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Stores check your FID/LTC because they don't want to waste their time with non-license holders and/or because they're paranoid.

The last I checked (before they stopped selling handguns) the Sports Authority was so paranoid that they had to retain possession of your LTC while you examined a firearm in order to prevent you bolting for the door with it.

 

[jdubois]

The last I checked (before they stopped selling handguns) the Sports Authority was so paranoid that they had to retain possession of your LTC while you examined a firearm in order to prevent you bolting for the door with it.

Dick's always makes me laugh with their own useless additions to the pile of paperwork and the 'walk you to the register' behavior.

 

[HooVooLoo]

Dick's always makes me laugh with their own useless additions to the pile of paperwork and the 'walk you to the register' behavior.

Of course, makes perfect sense! They don't want you walking away from the counter with the box of ammo to blackmarket it to the 10-yo waiting in the shadows of the golf section.