Giving a gun as a gift? There are rules to follow

It’s the season of giving, and if you want to give the gift of firepower, there are a few regulations in the state of Oregon. The laws here aren’t as strict here as they are elsewhere in the country, but there are still a few things to keep in mind before pulling the trigger on a firearm purchase.

If you’re buying a gun for a friend, they’ll have to come in with you. The transferee will get a background check, which can be done within the hour. The person buying the gun in this case does not have to submit to a check, since he or she won’t be the one using it.

“It doesn’t matter to us who pays for it,” said Redmond Black Rifle Colfax Tactical owner Larry Myers. The law doesn’t care who actually does the purchase, but the person who actually takes possession of that firearm will indeed have to pass a background check.”

But if you’re buying for an immediate family member, that person doesn’t need to be there. The list of immediate family members is long – it includes spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, first cousins, nieces, and nephews.

It’s up to the person buying and then transferring the gun to be honest about anything that wouldn’t let the transferee own a firearm.

“It is legal for an individual who is all right to do the transfer to come in, purchase the firearm, and gift it to someone else,” explained Myers. “As long as that person has no restrictions or pending litigations against them.”

Checks are also not necessary for buying a gun for a member of the armed forces.