Gun Dealer Reform
Gun Dealer Reform
What is the problem?
Laws on how gun stores conduct their business have not been strengthened since the 1960s. Congress should pass comprehensive gun dealer reform.
Gun dealer reform should include requiring updated best practices for store security, record keeping, training, and ensuring that gun dealers who violate the law and endanger public safety can be swiftly held accountable. In addition, the federal agency that regulates gun dealers, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), needs the resources and authority to protect the public.
Myth & Fact
Myth
There is nothing a gun dealer can do to stop a criminal from getting a gun.
Fact
Laws requiring record keeping, videotaping and store security, and regular inspection can help make sure gun dealers are not susceptible to straw purchasers or gun traffickers. Intrastate gun trafficking was 64% lower in places with strong gun dealer regulations and oversight.
Featured Resources

Unchecked: An Investigation of the Online Firearm Marketplace
The online firearm marketplace has emerged as a growing market for anonymous gun purchases through websites such as Armslist.

Gun Law Navigator
The Gun Law Navigator is the largest historical database of modern U.S. gun laws.

Stolen Guns Pose a Tremendous Risk to Public Safety
Thousands of guns are stolen every year and often wind up at crime scenes. Stolen guns pose a tremendous risk to public safety.
All Resources
Gun Dealer Reform
All Resources
Update Background Check Laws
Updating federal and state laws to require background checks on all gun sales is a common-sense way to keep guns out of the wrong hands.
Fact Sheet
Untraceable: The Rising Specter of Ghost Guns
Ghost guns are do-it-yourself, homemade guns made from easy-to-get, unregulated building blocks.
Report
Business As Usual
History of a Loophole Americans suffer from an extraordinary rate of gun violence, 20 times higher than nations with comparable levels of economic development…
Report