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Gun Shows

Gun shows are widely attended by Americans interested in firearms for defensive purposes, hunting, sports, recreation and historical significance.

In the 1990s, gun control supporters began claiming that criminals were commonly acquiring guns at shows. However, studies by the federal government have repeatedly shown that less than one percent of state prison inmates incarcerated for gun crimes acquired their guns at shows, while most acquired guns through theft, on the black market, or from family members or friends.

In the same period, gun control supporters began pushing federal legislation to require background checks on the relatively small number of people at shows who buy guns from people who are not dealers. Now, they demand a background check for any sale, trade, gift or other transfer of any firearm, anywhere, to anyone—in some cases, including family members or friends.

NRA opposes expansion of the background check system, because criminals easily get guns by other means and because expanding the background check requirement would be a step toward transforming the background check system into a national gun registry.

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Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Florida: Leon County wants dealers to help implement gun control

The Leon County Commission is trying to pressure gun dealers into helping to implement a proposed gun control ...

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Friday, October 25, 2013

Michael Bloomberg's Super PAC is attacking Ken Cuccinelli on guns with misleading images

A Washington Post fact checker issues a rating of three Pinocchios to Bloomberg's ad attacking Cucinnelli for not ...

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Friday, October 25, 2013

Bloomberg Sticks His Nose into Virginia Politics and Earns Three Pinocchios

Apparently, having billions of dollars in disposal income and being the mayor of America's most populous city (and ...

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Monday, September 9, 2013

California: Bill headed to Brown would limit arena gun shows

Legislation that would require local approval for gun shows to be held at the state owned arena that ...

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Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Vice President Biden: Gun Control ‘Fight Is Far From Over’

Six months after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, some of the victims’ families are heading to Capitol ...

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Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Maine: Bill would criminalize traditional gun shows

A gun-control bill calling for background checks at gun shows has been temporarily set aside.The bill scheduled for ...

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Friday, May 3, 2013

Maine committee endorses criminalizing some private transfers

By close votes Thursday, a legislative committee supported expanding mandatory background checks on gun show purchases and rejected ...

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Friday, March 22, 2013

Minnesota: House vote on background checks at gun shows

A Minnesota House panel on Thursday approved background checks for firearm sales at gun shows, but the measure ...

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Thursday, March 21, 2013

Minnesota: House drops bill criminalizing all private transfers, keeps gun show restrictions

The farthest reaching gun control bill in the Minnesota House, which would have expanded background checks to nearly ...

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Monday, March 18, 2013

New Mexico: Senate approves gun show check bill

A proposal to require criminal background checks of more people who buy firearms at gun shows has cleared ...

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NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.