Denied Pistol Purchase

[One in the pipe]

Scenario: My adopted teen (from China) wants a 22 revolver.

I drove to our local gun store to buy a 22 revolve with my adopted teen (btw, he doesn't look like me because I'm a white guy).

Salesman asks, "Are you gift it to him?"

I say, "Well eventually, sure."

Salesman then says he cannot sell it to me.

What went wrong? Did the salesman think I was buying it for some random person? (I only realized on the drive home that he probably didn't think he was my son.)

My intent was to buy the gun so my son can shoot it, and when he gets older (turns 21), sure I'll gift it to him.

I intend to go back tomorrow and buy the pistol and if questions are asked, the purchase is for me. (I'm not intending to make a straw purchase.)

[dummykid]

he probably doesn't know he is your son, and I don't think california law states you can't gift/Intrafamilial transfer it to your adopted son.

[saudadeii]

Question 21a of the 4473 "Warning: You are not the actual transferee/buyer if you are acquiring the firearm(s) on behalf of another person. If you are
not the actual transferee/buyer, the licensee cannot transfer the firearm(s) to you."

Your response made this appear to be the case.

[JTROKS]

Why make things complicated? Just buy the pistol for yourself and then gift it to your son when he’s 21. Wait, that’s what you’ll do next… never mind.

[Oceanbob]

[mdr110]

Even though its good intention but store employee will take the wrong way. Excuse my language but STFU in front of an FFL as suggested just buy the gun and transfer when his is 21. Once employee thinks your intentions you could be marked at the FFL. In CA guns are dedicated control by the FFL. My friend had a similar incident as yours so I know.

[Thegeneral69]

Just like law enforcement, auditors, etc. never give more information than needed.

[SkyHawk]

NEVER BLAB YOUR INTENTIONS OR ANY DOUBTFUL STUFF TO A $17 per hour counter jockey.

It’s your fault.

THIS ^^

Unless you have a good working relationship with the FFL, nothing good will come from you appearing to be buying a gun for someone else. So don't give off that vibe. Better that you do not go in with anyone else when buying a gun even when you are doing everything by the book and no laws will be broken by purchasing a gun as a gift

just buy the gun and transfer when his is 21.

No need to wait until 21, you can gift your child a handgun at 18 in CA

[Tim padilla]

Straw purchase situation is what the counter guy thought?

[Dan_Eastvale]

Especially if a person is asking his kid which one he likes in front of the employee

[One in the pipe]

Thank you all for the responses.

You are all right. I've never had my kid with me when I bough guns before (even the kid size 22 rifle I bought awhile ago).

Next time I'm going by myself to buy.

[Milsurp1]

[ar15barrels]

Scenario: My adopted teen (from China) wants a 22 revolver.

I drove to our local gun store to buy a 22 revolve with my adopted teen (btw, he doesn't look like me because I'm a white guy).

Salesman asks, "Are you gift it to him?"

I say, "Well eventually, sure."

Salesman then says he cannot sell it to me.

What went wrong? Did the salesman think I was buying it for some random person? (I only realized on the drive home that he probably didn't think he was my son.)

My intent was to buy the gun so my son can shoot it, and when he gets older (turns 21), sure I'll gift it to him.

I intend to go back tomorrow and buy the pistol and if questions are asked, the purchase is for me. (I'm not intending to make a straw purchase.)

What you explained to the counter person is that you are making a straw purchase.
Thats why you were denied.
The timeline is not important, be it days/weeks or years or decades.
If you are purchasing for someone else, it's a straw purchase.

[RandyD]

That gun store employee just bestowed upon himself one atta-boy FFL point for denying in his mind a straw purchase. A little extra inquiry by him would have revealed that the intended purchase was legitimate.

[TomReloaded]

That gun store employee just bestowed upon himself one atta-boy FFL point for denying in his mind a straw purchase. A little extra inquiry by him would have revealed that the intended purchase was legitimate.

I think its still a straw purchase, even with the details provided. Especially with them actually.

Prohibited person (under age) wants a handgun. Non prohibited person wants to buy the handgun for them, so its a straw purchase.

"Im going to let my kid shoot my handgun, supervised" = totally legal.

"Im buying a handgun for my underage kid" = felony straw purchase.