can WA residents buy guns in AK?

[jeepster]

im leaving for alaska in a few weeks, and origionally thought about bringing a gun with me, but realized how much of a pain that might be...

i am thinking if i end up needing one, or if i find one i cant live with out, ill just buy one up there... great idea!!

i tried to go a google search on the laws of buying a gun while in a different state, but there is just so much crap out on the internet these days, its hard to find what you are looking for... i hate the internet sometimes, i even went to the atf website and read thier faq section... but i just found a ton of mumbo jumbo

if i walked into a gun shop in alaska, put some cash on the counter, could i walk out with a firearm? what about handguns?

thanks
-Erik

[high country]

Long guns, yes. Handguns...no. its no hassle to take guns, unless handguns. If flying....no issue. If driving, its a nominal fee (was $50.00 when I went last) to get through Canada. I took 5 with no questions.

[jeepster]

hey thanks man

is it a solid no for handguns, or is it just a real pain in the arse?

[JimmyHoffa]

If flying it is okay to take a handgun.  They make you check it in at the desk with your luggage and inspect it to see it isn't loaded.  Then put a sticker on your luggage.  An issue would occur if you were to land in Canada (say the airplane had issues).  Then it would have to be declared (I think semi-auto shotguns/rifles too) to the Canandian authorities and they deal with you.  You could just ship it to an FFL up there and back, but handguns have to be shipped overnight--$$$.

[jeepster]

what about buying a handgun up north?

[Special T]

I've flown with hand guns... not to AK  but it wasn't a big deal.... I was more worried about it getting ripped off than anything else. Seattle is HORIBLE for that... So i flew out of Portland to Arkansas

[Biggerhammer]

I've flown with hand guns... not to AK  but it wasn't a big deal.... I was more worried about it getting ripped off than anything else. Seattle is HORIBLE for that... So i flew out of Portland to Arkansas

Ha! I got hosed when I landed in Seattle once. Didn't insure 120 lbs of Bairdi crab legs and POOF!!. Gone, no explanation.

[jeepster]

hmm... you guys just gave me an idea for a new thread

[wraithen]

SeaTac tried to steal a flight helmet from me once. Traveling on military orders and everything and they even inspected the hard case when I dropped it off and they sealed it. It wasn't on the baggage claim in Dothan so I called delta. They said it was left in atlanta because the last scan was departing seatac. 6 days later they "discovered" it in seattle. Turns out when you start screaming about thousands of dollars of military equipment things start getting checked into. I HATE the TSA. Biggest bunch of crooks ever!

[Special T]

If you can fly direct out of Bellingham it would be much better i would think.

[jeepster]

yeah but.... what about buying a hand gun in alaska tho?

[wraithen]

Are you going up there for a little while? If you can prove some type of residency you probably won't have a problem buying a handgun.

[Biggerhammer]

yeah but.... what about buying a hand gun in alaska tho?

I lived up there for some time, lots of guns. You can purchase a handgun pretty much anywhere. Paper, classifieds. In the Safeway parking lot in Kodiak, the bar. You name it, guns a plenty.

[CAMPMEAT]

UPS your handgun up to Alaska, when coming back to Washington, UPS it back home. Simple.

[lee]

yeah but.... what about buying a hand gun in alaska tho?

I lived up there for some time, lots of guns. You can purchase a handgun pretty much anywhere. Paper, classifieds. In the Safeway parking lot in Kodiak, the bar. You name it, guns a plenty.

Be careful!!!!! Knowing it's illegal, buying a handgun (private sale) in another state makes you a felon. Just like selling a firearm to someone (knowing they can't legally buy it) makes the seller a felon.

[Blacktail Sniper]

I would give these folks a try.  Send an email and ask them.

   http://www.dps.state.ak.us/ast/

[Fishnclifff]

SeaTac tried to steal a flight helmet from me once. Traveling on military orders and everything and they even inspected the hard case when I dropped it off and they sealed it. It wasn't on the baggage claim in Dothan so I called delta. They said it was left in atlanta because the last scan was departing seatac. 6 days later they "discovered" it in seattle. Turns out when you start screaming about thousands of dollars of military equipment things start getting checked into. I HATE the TSA. Biggest bunch of crooks ever!

Wasn't the TSA, it was the airlines. They load and unload you're luggage.
TSA inspects it and gives it to the airlines.

[Fishnclifff]

If flying it is okay to take a handgun.  They make you check it in at the desk with your luggage and inspect it to see it isn't loaded.  Then put a sticker on your luggage.  An issue would occur if you were to land in Canada (say the airplane had issues).  Then it would have to be declared (I think semi-auto shotguns/rifles too) to the Canandian authorities and they deal with you.  You could just ship it to an FFL up there and back, but handguns have to be shipped overnight--$$$.

You put you're  unloaded handgun in a locked case, declare it with you're checked baggage and it goes on the plane with you.
There are no stickers or special markings on luggage any more.
Place the case in your luggage and put the TSA locks on the zippers.
Remember, the airlines will not insure firearms for some stupid reason.

[Special T]

Don't they put some kind of special tag inside the case with the gun that says its unloaded? I'm guessing it shows up on the x ray machine

[Fishnclifff]

Don't they put some kind of special tag inside the case with the gun that says its unloaded? I'm guessing it shows up on the x ray machine

Nope. Just means it was inspected where it originated.
When you declare it with the airlines, your bag goes to TSA, they inspect it and okay it. You are more than welcome to stand there and watch them.
They put the inspection slip in the bag and lock it up.
I did it for years as a TSO and my wife still does it.

[brokenvet]

Here is what I found on the net about purchasing firearms out of state. 

How Can I Buy a Gun From Another State?

This is looking at the flip side of the previous question:

    (B3) May an unlicensed person obtain a firearm from an out-of-State
    source if he arranges to obtain the firearm through a licensed dealer in his own State?

    A person not licensed under the GCA and not prohibited from acquiring
    firearms may order a firearm from an out-of-State source and obtain the
    firearm if an arrangement is made with a licensed dealer in the
    purchaser's  State of residence for the purchaser to obtain the firearm
    from the dealer.

    [18 U.S.C 922(a)(3) and (5), 922(b)(3), 27 CFR 178.29]

Again, only one dealer is needed.  Also note that you don't have to have the dealer "buy" the firearm for you, you can make all the financial and sales arraignments yourself, tell the seller who will be handling the transfer for you.  Only the transfer must be performed by the FFL holder.

On the same subject, an (apparently?) little known fact.  "I'm in another state of which I'm not a resident -- I can't buy a gun, can I?"  Yes you can:

    (B2) From whom may an unlicensed person acquire a firearm under the
    GCA?

    A person may only buy a firearm within his own State except that he may buy a rifle or shotgun, in person, at a  licensee's premises in any State, provided the sale complies with State laws applicable in the State of sale and  the State where the purchaser resides.

    [18 U.S.C 922(a)(3) and (5), 922(b)(3), 27 CFR 178.29]

So, you can buy a shotgun or rifle in any state, it just has to be in person (and legal in that state and yours).

http://chris.cc/interstate.htm