Is it better to carry a registered gun?

If your state law requires that you register your firearms, then I'd definitely recommend that you carry one that's registered, and for similar reasons. However, I'd independently confirm that is indeed the case. Curious to know in what state you reside...?

Thankfully, Arkansas doesn't require the registration of your firearms - handguns or long guns. The only thing that I would ever be worried about is buying a previously owned firearm that was used in a crime, as you'd likely have no way of knowing.

It all depends on your state law. When I first got my CC the only handgun I had was my thunder .380. So that is what I was planing to carry. I got it when I was 18 for my bday so it was in my moms name. I asked the SO if I had to register it in my name. They said Alabama dose not require you to register your guns. And that a CC permit allowed you to have possession of a CCW. And that it has nothing to do with having ownership of a handgun. Just bc you don't own it on paper dose not mean you can't posses it.

But I would not carry a gun that I did not buy from a shop unless I knew the person extremely well and knew ware they got it.

Like ^^^^^ said. You could have a gun that was used in a crime.

You need to do some reading on your state laws- and they ARE different for each state.

Think you are in Michigan. MI requires any dealer to maintain a registry of handguns they sell. I see nothing that requires a gun OWNER to register a gun with anyone.

In MOST of the US, there is no requirement to "register" a firearm- despite what you would assume from watching any crime show on TV. Matter of fact, there is no agency to "register" a gun WITH.

If you have to USE a gun, what will matter is whether your USE of the gun was in keeping with state law. If it was not, whether the gun is on a registry somewhere, handloads or factory ammo, etc etc etc will not matter.

I live in ohio, we also are not required to register guns.
Well, I think I have good reason to go buy a new gun!!! Lol now to decide between Ruger LCR .38 or S&W bodyguard .38

Open carry is legal here in NC. But the definition of concealed is up to the officers discretion. I got my concealed carry permit so everything is black and white. Everyone I know who open carries has had a negative experience with law enforcement at some point. I strongly advise you to get a carry permit ASAP. Once a LEO sees that permit they seem to be more at ease. A permit is proof you are a good citizen who has never been in trouble.

John_Deer said:

Open carry is legal here in NC. But the definition of concealed is up to the officers discretion. I got my concealed carry permit so everything is black and white. Everyone I know who open carries has had a negative experience with law enforcement at some point. I strongly advise you to get a carry permit ASAP. Once a LEO sees that permit they seem to be more at ease.

A permit is proof you are a good citizen who has never been in trouble.

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That is debateable

Even in Illinois our guns don't have to be registered. You have to possess a Firearm Owners IDentification card to own guns but you don't need to register your guns individually.

winds-of-change said:

Even in Illinois our guns don't have to be registered. You have to possess a Firearm Owners IDentification card to own guns but you don't need to register your guns individually.

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WOW- Sorry to hear that
That something you apply for before owning/buying your first firearm?
Do you ever have to renew it?

That is "Big" brother government at its apex. The gun owner is registered not the gun. The government has a list of people names addresses next of kin that own weapons. That sounds very much like the gun laws passed in Germany after the Nazi party came into power.

girlsluvguns2 said:

I just applied for my CCW, I already have a gun that I was planning to carry, but it is not registered. My brother feels i should carry a registered gun, his theory is that If I end up in a situation that I had to use my gun it would look better if I needed to defend myself court.

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Who do you 'register' your gun with????
I have never lived anywhere I was required to register my gun!!!
I guess if you live where you must register your gun and you want to be 'legal' you had better carry a registered gun and save you from jail for not carrying a registered gun!

nitestalker said:

That is "Big" brother government at its apex. The gun owner is registered not the gun. The government has a list of people names addresses next of kin that own weapons. That sounds very much like the gun laws passed in Germany after the Nazi party came into power.

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The Nazis required gun registration to know if and what firearms where out there for confiscation.
Gun registration is still in effect in Germany. To own one, you have to belong to a club and participate regularly. No modifications without prior approval, and other restrictions.

HOSSFLY said:

WOW- Sorry to hear that
That something you apply for before owning/buying your first firearm?
Do you ever have to renew it?

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You must have a FOID card before you can buy a gun. Most gun shops will not let you even handle a gun without a fOID card, I'm sure to cover their butts. I believe it has to be renewed every 10 years. It cost $10.

It all depends on where you live. In Texas your not required to register any of your guns. All but one of mine are unregistered.

winds-of-change said:

You have to possess a Firearm Owners IDentification card to own guns.

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Ditto New Jersey!

You even have to have this type of card to buy a BB gun!

eldar

eldarbeast said:

Ditto New Jersey!

You have to have this type of card to buy a BB gun!

eldar

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Hahaha.......well, here in Illinois you can have all the BB, pellet, paintball guns your little heart desires without a FOID card. But don't give them any ideas.

Many years ago, maybe 30 yrs., Chicago required the registration of handguns. Serial numbers were required and a with a yearly renewal. Some years later Chicago banned the ownership of handguns, although those previously registerd were grandfathered in. Renewals were up to the owner, no notice of renewal was sent. If you were late or forgot, you could not keep the gun in Chicago. There was an alderman who forgot, but the city gave him an extension. After all, "that's the Chicago way".
Now, you can own if you take a basic firearms course, and no registration is required. Just the FOID as Winds mentioned.

I live in NJ and own a few BB guns and was never asked for my FOID card at any point. But you can't buy ammo either without the FOID card, which is a bit of a pain if you live in NJ and keep your FOID with your firearms (did that sound like that's happened to me before?).

Here in NC, and the rest of the US the shop you bought the gun from has to keep records of who bought guns for 20 years. There is a paper trail that would require a lot of effort but someone could track a gun from the factory, distribution networks and eventually to the original purchaser. If you registered the gun for warranty purposes or sent the gun in for repair the feds could subpoena those records. In the end most guns could be tracked down by an entity that has endless resources like the federal government.

JimRau said:

Who do you 'register' your gun with????
I have never lived anywhere I was required to register my gun!!!
I guess if you live where you must register your gun and you want to be 'legal' you had better carry a registered gun and save you from jail for not carrying a registered gun!

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I don't think there is anywhere (in ohio) to "go register " a gun that you already possess such as one purchased from a private collection. And as far as I can tell from reading the laws I can't see anywhere that requires that your CCW gun be registered. The question I brought up is if people thought if you would look better if the gun you had to use for personal defense was purchased through a gun shop for example in which you were required to have a back ground check done and the gun shop has the paperwork that you own that gun.