Buying firearms or firearm parts for the first time is an exciting milestone in one’s life. Although, that’s not all there is to it. To make the most out of this exhilarating phase, there are many important things you need to keep in mind when buying a firearm or its parts.
Gun laws possess various laws both Federal and state levels thus, when you own a firearm, a lot of responsibilities come along. Possessing or transferring firearm ammunition is regulated under Federal law whereas ammunition merchandise is regulated at state level.
You need to carefully understand the regulations of owning a firearm and its accessories.
To help you make a more informed decision, here are four basic rules you need to keep in mind when buying firearm parts :
Things You Need To Know When Buying Firearm Parts
1. GET YOUR HOMEWORK DONE BEFORE VISITING THE GUN SHOP
Before visiting the firearm shop, you should know your needs or what type of firearm or firearm accessories you need.
You may look for firearms such as –
Handguns/ Pistols
Small firearms with shorter barrels but with great accuracy. It can withstand a lot of pressure due to the rifling within its thick barrel. Perfect for self-defense and range shooting.
Shotguns
Guns with long barrels having a smooth bore which makes ammunition to spin. Due to the thin barrel it cannot withstand much pressure. Perfect for bird hunting and skeet shooting.
Rifles
These firearms have long-rifles barrels with thick walls to stand up to high pressure. Rifle firearms are more accurate and can fire bullets for longer distances. Perfect for both hunting and sport shooting.
Semi-Automatic Rifles
Semi-automatic rifles self-load and automatically repeat the new round of cycle after each shot.
Which Gun Accessory To Buy.
Once you finalize the firearm, you may also need to research about the best accessories to be considered. Lot of people spend considerable time finalizing the firearm they wish to own but very few people give their firearm accessories much thought. Accessories should match the type of firearm you buy.
As a shooter, firearm accessories can make a huge difference making you more precise. Whether you are looking for lever action accessories, rifle accessories or any gun accessory; you should know which the best gun accessories for your needs are.
Here are a few gun accessory options, for your reference :
The shoulder holster
A good shoulder holster helps the shooter to access the firearm easily by keeping the pistol secured against the shooter’s body.
Before buying a holster, consider these points :
- Will the holster be a good fit for you and your gun?
- Whether you want a vertical, horizontal or 45- degree holster?
- Can you adjust the holster easily?
Scopes –
Regardless of the type of firearm you use, scope is considered as a valuable accessory. You should choose scope as per the gun usage. For instance, hunting scopes should have variable power and enough magnification to focus on desired shooting distance, and they should also be shockproof and weather-proof.
In case of a target shooter, the scope should be high- powered, and suitable for shooting targets at great distances. Though they weigh relatively more, they are quite powerful.
Gun Oil and Gun Cleaning Kits –
Gun oils and cleaning kits are a must-have accessory, no matter which firearm you have. The two major elements that make your gun work in good condition are cleaning and oiling.
If you plan to use your gun for a long duration, then timely cleaning and oiling of firearms is pivotal. It has been widely advised to clean your firearms after each use.
Two main types of gun cleaning kits are available, one is a portable kit for quick field cleaning and the other is a robust kit for post-deep cleaning.
These kits help you keep your firearm free of dirt, gun powder and oil.
Gun Sling –
Getting a gun sling makes it very convenient for shooters to steady themselves for long-distance shots. Mainly, there are two kinds of gun slings : the basic sling and the high-quality sling.
Basic slings work better for light use or range shooting, whereas high-quality slings made from neoprene or any other synthetics suit better for harsh environments, making them ideal for hunters.
Gun Safe –
Whether big or small, handling firearms and its parts can be dangerous. Which is why, locking them up and using gun safes is crucial and the arms should only be used by licensed operators.
More importantly, you need to decide whether you want a Key-locked gun safe, Combination-locked gun safe or a Biometric gun safe. Good quality gun safes prevent children, or any other unauthorized person from using the gun.
Such key safety measures help in not just keeping children safe from unmonitored arms, but also is a step towards educating them about gun usage and safety.
Before purchasing the ideal gun safe for your needs, keep in mind :
- Safe’s capacity
- Security features
- Thickness of safe’s shell
- If there are there any concealed hinges
- Is it a single construction?
- Can it be mounted?
- Are there any removable shelves?
There are various other gun accessories like pistol light, laser sight, muzzle brake and much more which shooters can choose from, as per their needs.
2. OBTAIN THE RIGHT LICENSES –
Getting a federal license is very important, even if you wish to buy firearm parts.
Whether it’s essential firearm parts like scopes, silencers and laser guides or an attachment for an assault rifle, a federal license is mandatory. So before you go ahead with firearm parts purchase make sure you have the federal license for it.
Some gun accessories like targets, holders, holsters do not need any license and can be purchased easily.
3. CHECK FOR ANY DEFECTS –
Most firearm parts and accessories don’t necessarily come clean, or even properly lubricated from the manufacturing units. Which is why, most parts still come intact with a good amount of internal grease and buildup.
Once you receive your gun accessories, make sure you do a thorough check on these aspects, and give them a good cleaning. Further, take note if your accessories seem to look bent, bulged or not of the standard shape/size that they’re supposed to be in. There’s a good chance that they actually might be defective. In that case, immediately contact the gun shop where you bought the parts from and get them replaced.
4. FOLLOW THE LAW –
This one goes without saying. Both federal and state level laws control the ammunition market. According to the federal law’s basic regulations, gun ammunition and handgun ammunition is prohibited to people under the age of 18 and 21 respectively, whereas according to state law – firearm accessories vary from state to state.This means that the ownership and sale of firearms may differ from state to state. Make sure you are thorough with both the laws (federal and state) before buying any firearm or its accessories.
There are various states who have adopted limitations on the transfer, ownership or sale of armor-piercing cartridges. In fact, according to state law, a magazine (an essential gun part) faces limitations based on its size. There are some states where 10-15 bullets per magazine are only allowed, whereas in some states there are no limitations on the amount of ammunition.
In order to understand both federal and state law nicely, do your research and reading on Federal government laws and your state limitations on gun accessories and gun parts.
WRAPPING UP
Buying gun and rifle accessories is a major decision, and one needs to put in a good amount of thought and research before making a purchase decision. Hopefully, the pointers we’ve listed above will help you make an informed decision – the next time you’re out to buy firearm parts!
