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Iowa’s brand-new gun law is raising eyebrows – and serious legal questions.
Starting Tuesday, 18- to 20-year-olds will be allowed to legally carry firearms in Iowa. Sounds like a Second Amendment win, right?
But here’s the catch: federal law still prohibits licensed dealers from selling handguns to anyone under 21. So while young adults can carry, they can’t legally buy from a gun shop.
Gun shop owner Kemlin Hart told KCRG-TV9 he supports the law in principle but worries it could land well-meaning families in hot water.
“How do we handle if a father comes in and buys his son or daughter a firearm? Is that a straw purchase?” Hart asked.
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Under federal law, buying a gun for someone who isn’t legally allowed to buy it themselves can carry up to 15 years in prison.
The new Iowa law allows parents or immediate family members to gift or sell guns to 18- to 20-year-olds. But Hart says the gray area remains: how long must someone own a gun before gifting it to avoid a straw purchase charge?
“There’s more in the bill for face value for politicians than anything else,” Hart said bluntly.
At the end of the day, this well-intended law could create confusion for families and gun dealers alike.
While Iowa’s new gun law is empowering young adults – is it also setting citizens up for unintended straw purchase violations?
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is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who’d rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he’s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he’s deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there’s a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry’s got an opinion—and it’s probably backed up with both facts and field experience.
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The federal law is clear: It is a felony to purchase a firearm intended for someone other than the purchaser. It does not matter if the intended recipient can legally purchase a firearm or not. That is another matter. On the other hand, it is perfectly legal to purchase a firearm that is intended as a “gift” for someone else. It is the responsibility of the giftor to insure that the recipient of the gift can legally possess that firearm. All state laws must be followed. Stay safe. j
As other have opined over the years, a lot goes on in the human brain between the ages of 16 to 21, even well into their thirties. We’re “suppose” to know the difference between right and wrong by the time we’re 8 years old. Teenagers ESPECIALLY make a lot of really bad decisions between 16 to 18. In my opinion, and I say this as a former gun dealer, unless a teen has military training, or extensive firearm safety training and can prove it, the law mandating 18 to 21 for long gun purchases-only should stay in effect. The last thing anyone wants is to be around a bunch of hot-headed teenagers pumped up on testosterone carrying a concealed weapon.
Tough call… If the average human brain doesn’t fully mature till around 25… Why are we able to drive at 16, considered an adult at 18 and legal to drink at 21? Food for thought…
parents have a right to arm them but the commie left will use this against them