Re: Why didn't he just buy out of state?
It's not a matter of "buying", which is a whole other level of issues. (You cannot purchase a handgun from an out of state dealer, it has to be shipped to one in state to perform the necessary background checks)
This is a matter of carrying a handgun on your person in your day-to-day life. Some states take a "must issue" stance in which the state must issue the permit unless the background check fails. Some take a "may issue" stance in which the local LEO (Head Law Enforcement Office) can choose to approve or deny. In "may issue" jurisdictions, there's a lot of talk about the system being biased for those who are politically connected or willing to offer something "under the table" to get the permits approved.
And in the US, any firearm purchased from a federally licensed dealer must perform a background check (that involves querying a national crime database) to complete the transfer. A private party can sell a firearm to another private party, but if the seller is caught "in the business of selling firearms" they get hammered pretty severely.
This allows someone to sell a weapon they no longer want causally, without having to bear the expense of going through an FFL to complete the transaction. Since this would involve transferring the weapon to the FFL, who then has to document the weapon make, model, serial number, etc, and then that FFL transferring it again to another person, it creates a bunch of paperwork that the FFL is required to keep for 10 years.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
