Great line from Bill Clinton

[AtheistCrusader]

49. Online sales require it for across state lines. State laws vary otherwise.

Essentially, sales on new firearms are all checked. Sales on used firearms from people in the business of selling firearms are all checked, gun show or no.

Only private transfers (between individuals, wherein the seller does not cross a threshold of (X) guns per month, as set by the BATFE) are not required to have background checks.

And even then, some states require it on private transfers, and some state's gun show organizers require it even though state and federal law does not. (Washington Arms Collectors is an example)


Universal checks would help, but the USDoJ has done studies on where criminals get their guns, and LAWFUL private transfers are not the primary, or even a double-digit-percentage-point source. Universal REGISTRATION is required to combat the most common sources of crime guns, which is political plutonium. No one will touch it. (I support universal Registration, but it is so incredibly politically unlikely, I might as well be wishing for a pet unicorn)