WASHINGTON (AP) — There is a legal avenue to try to get any gun you want somewhere in the U.S., thanks to the maze of gun statutes across the country and the lack of certain federal laws.
That undermines gun-control efforts in communities with tougher gun laws — and pushes advocates of tighter controls to seek a federal standard.
Gun rights proponents say enforcing all existing laws makes more sense than passing new ones.
An Associated Press analysis found that there are thousands of laws, rules and regulations at the local, county, state and federal levels.
A 2011 compilation of state gun laws by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives shows that laws and rules vary by state, and even within states.
©2013 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
