Federal appeals court upholds interstate handgun purchase bans

By Chris Eger

A three-judge panel of the U.S. 5th Circuit last week ruled the federal law prohibiting handgun sales to out-of-state residents is in the public interest.
The legal challenge came from a couple from Washington, D.C. who tried to buy handguns from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Texas but could not due to federal law adopted in the 1960s.
Together with a Texas FFL holder, the couple joined with gun rights advocates in taking the government on, arguing that since the advent of the National Instant Check System it makes no sense to perpetuate a ban on interstate transfers of handguns. The court disagreed with that concept, holding that handguns often have additional regulatory pitfalls in many states, and that gun dealers can’t be expected to be familiar with those in distant areas.
“There are more than 123,000 FFLs nationwide,” wrote Circuit Judge Priscilla Owen for the majority. “It is unrealistic to expect that each of them can become and remain knowledgeable about the handgun laws of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, and the local laws within the 50 states.”
The plaintiffs in the suit included Frederic Mance Jr., a Texas FFL, and gun buyers Andrew and Tracey Hanson, of Washington,

Source: Guns.com