Q&A: Private gun sales

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From The News-Sun (Kendallville):

Q: A private individual wants to advertise the sale of a shotgun under sporting goods. Is there any reason why newspapers should not take ads from private individuals for firearms for sale? 

A: It’s not illegal to advertise the sale of a gun by a private individual, but some newspapers have made a policy decision not to advertise such items.

The reason is that in a private sale there is no requirement for the gun owner to conduct a background check to make sure that purchasers are eligible to buy guns – that they’re not felons, for example.

The policy decision is up to individual newspapers.

Contact Steve Key, HSPA executive director and general counsel, with media law questions at skey@hspa.com or (317) 624-4427.