Local gun store says proposed executive action redundant

Jim Hill has watched his classes for concealed carry weapon permits grow each month for the last several years at Targetmasters on North Rangeline Street. Hill said they sometimes see a bump in sales after a politician, mainly President Barack Obama, gives a speech about passing more laws for regulating the sales of guns.

While Hill hasn’t seen the bump yet, President Obama gave an emotional speech Tuesday afternoon announcing his plan for an executive order to expand background checks. That includes requiring individuals selling privately at gun shows, and some online services, to attain a federal license – similar to that owned by Targetmasters and other gun stores. The order would also start the hiring process of more than 200 FBI agents to conduct around-the-clock background checks for gun purchases.

“All of us need to demand governors and legislators and businesses do their part to make our communities safer,” the president said.

Hill, though, said extending the licensing to online providers would be redundant. Already, a gun purchaser must order the gun sent to a licensed store, and then must pass a federal background check to buy the gun, Hill said. While private individuals at gun shows do not need to perform a background check before selling a gun there, Hill said nearly all guns have a paper trail when they exchange hands.

“The feds are going to contact the manufacturer, find out who the distributor was, find out who the dealer was, then they call the dealer, then we have to go and pull the paperwork and tell them who bought it,” Hill said. ” So all guns are traceable.

“They have yet to give any information on any gun bought at a gun show being used in a mass shooting or other crimes, per se,” Hill said.

Hill said the time it takes to conduct a background check often varies. When gun sales pick up in the country, Hill said he can wait up to an hour to get a hold of someone. He said he would support any measure that improves efficiency in that regard.

President Obama criticized Missouri for repealing its permit to purchase law in 2007.

“Meanwhile since Missouri repealed a law requiring comprehensive background checks and purchase permits, gun deaths have increased to almost 50% higher than the national average. One study found unsurprisingly that criminals in Missouri now have easier access to guns.”

The president may face legal issues when the executive orders are put to paper, including the extrapolation of the legal definition of a gun dealer.