Federal law bans their importation into the US, but allows domestic production and sales of these same weapons. To close this loophole, seven states have passed their own laws banning commercial sale of junk guns. When the buyer of a gun is acting on behalf of a prohibited purchaser , such as a convicted felon, a juvenile, or a domestic violence offender. The straw purchaser passes the background check, buys the gun, and gives or sells it to the prohibited person. This allows someone who would have not passed the background check to circumvent the law and obtain a firearm.
Straw purchases are an important avenue for guns to move from the legal to the illegal market.
Once a gun leaves the dealer's premises, federal law does not require any record of subsequent sales. To close this loophole, some states have implemented firearm registration, which holds the first purchaser accountable for the gun. See also Registration . Trafficking The illegal movement of weapons from one locality to another, exploiting the lack of uniformity in gun laws. Traffickers buy firearms legally in places where gun sales are not regulated, then transport and sell them illegally in places with more restrictive laws.