Federal Gun Regulations

Firearms in the Northeastern Commonwealth are treated much differently than in the United States of America. Firearms are not considered a right, but a privilege, as no "amendment" related to firearms guaranteed their usage as a way to prevent unregulated militias and bad actors from utilizing them. Firearms are still very common and prevalent in the Northeastern Commonwealth, especially up North, but gun violence is no where near as high as the United States and most of the country agrees with strict gun regulations and background checks.

As Stated, up North, it is very common to find a lot of people carrying pistols. In Amherst especially, rifle ownership for hunting and pistol ownership is considerably high. In Sophia's River, firearms are not permitted to be opened carry and must be concealed. Find more specific information relating to Sophia's River ordinance codes in the SR Ordinances section of this website. Below you can find the general principles of how gun ownership and oversight works in the Northeastern Commonwealth.

This is the National Registry of Firearm Owners.

Licensing For Firearms

A person must obtain a Federal Firearms License before they may:

Purchase a firearm.
Possess a firearm.
Import or export firearms.
Acquire ammunition.
Receive a firearm through inheritance (subject to temporary exemptions).

Applicants shall:

Be at least 18 years of age.
Pass a federal background investigation.
Complete an approved firearms safety course.
Pass a written and practical examination.
Meet mental fitness standards.
Not be prohibited under federal law.

Licenses that may be acquired include:

General Firearms License
Hunting Firearms License
Sporting Firearms License
Collector License
Professional Security Licence (Must be 21 years or older).
Dealer or Manufacturer Licence (Must be 21 years or older).

Administration of Firearms

Registration and administration of firearms is overseen by the Federal Firearms Registry, a department under the Bureau of Homeland Security. They are responsible for maintaining and keeping track of gun ownership through maintaining the National Registry of Firearm Owners. This registry tells law enforcement and the federal government who currently owns firearms, who can't own firearms, and who is allowed to sell firearms.

Licenses are acquired and handed out on behalf of the Federal Firearms Registry by certified and licenses gunstores. These gunstores run background checks, check licenses, and qualify a person for ownership of a firearm. There are less than 200 licensed gun stores in the entire country, each with access to the National Registry of Firearm Owners, as they are the ones responsible for updating the registry as firearms are purchases and licensed out.

The Federal Firearms Registry may:

Issue licenses for firearms (from the behalf of gunstores), and issue licenses for certified gunstores.
Suspend or revoke licenses.
Conduct compliance inspections with agents from the FFR.
Maintain the National Registry of Firearm Owners.
Establish technical safety standards.
Issue administrative directives and regulations consistent with federal law.

How Firearms Are Registered & Monitored

All firearms shall be registered with the Federal Firearms Registry.

Registration shall include:

Registered owner.
Serial number.
Manufacturer.
Model.
Caliber.
Classification.
Transfer history.

Owners shall report:

Loss.
Theft.
Destruction.
Permanent export.
Transfers.

Restricted Locations

Firearms are prohibited within:

Government buildings.
Courts.
Correctional institutions.
Schools and universities.
Childcare facilities.
Airports or Transit Facilities
Public demonstrations.
Polling stations.
Public transit security zones.
Any location designated by federal law or local ordinances.

General Principles

Firearm ownership is subject to federal regulation and licensing.
Possession of a firearm without lawful authorization is prohibited.
Individuals must demonstrate suitability, competence, and legal eligibility before obtaining firearms.
Firearms are registered to licensed owners.
Provinces may impose additional restrictions but may not authorize conduct prohibited under federal law.
It is illegal to purchase a firearm from a dealer that is not authorized at a federal level.
At any time if an officer of the law requests to see a gun license, you must.

Possess a firearm without a valid licence.
Possess an unregistered firearm.
Alter or remove a serial number.
Purchase a firearm using false information.
Provide a firearm to an unauthorized person.
Carry a firearm while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Recklessly discharge a firearm.
Possess prohibited firearms.
Manufacture firearms without authorization.
Import or export firearms unlawfully.
Fail to report the loss or theft of a firearm.
Store firearms contrary to federal safety standards.

Antiquing & Surplussing

For any ammunition or firearms to be considered permitted for surplus, they must meet these standards:

Production of the product was over 10 years ago.
All surplus firearms have disabled interior firing pins/clips/components and disabled parts are coated in a bright neon component. At the bottom of any magazine includes the surplus number in the same neon component.
All surplus firearms or ammunition were not involved in any crimes.
Gunstores may not sell directly to surplus stores.
Any surplus explosives are disabled.
Any surplus gear does not hold anything labeled classified, top secret, etc. General possession of these objects is a criminal offense.
Any surplus outfits can not be currently in service by the Commonwealth Armed Forces or Commonwealth Agencies.

Antiques are considered antiques when they have reached 50+ years old.

Selling a non antique as an antique is a criminal offense and can lead to location shutdown or monetary penalties.

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