firearm registration in tn

[sneederbilt]

I purchased a lil. 380 last year from a buddy of mine. I had him give me a bill of sale when I bought it. He told me I needed to go to the sherriffs Dept and register it. The Leo I talked to informed me that TN was a state that didn't require u to register ur handguns if bought from a private person. I since bought a few more pistols from a dealer. All of them are registered. Can someone tell me what's the difference?

[Babarock]

INALB - There is no requirement to register a handgun or longgun in Tennessee. Permit to carry - yes but that is a different question.

[Fallguy]

The ones you bought from the dealer are not "registered" either. There is simply a record of your purchase. I'm not sure of the details (perhaps someone else can explain more) but eventually that record is simply a piece of paper on file in the dealers book and I think after so many years it is destroyed.

[Rhino]

ATF Form 4473s are maintained for a minimum of 20 years, but they are kept by the dealer. They are not given to the state.

[Fallguy]

ATF Form 4473s are maintained for a minimum of 20 years, but they are kept by the dealer. They are not given to the state.

Thanks, I was thinking it was 20 years, but wasn't 100% sure.

But as he says they are not given to the state, so there is no way for a LEO on the street to run the Serial # of a firearm and see who the owner is...at least not in TN.

[sneederbilt]

Thanks guys....

[BigSlick]

In TN the SN# check is to see if the gun has been reported stolen. The serial number from any gun can be traced through the manufacturer to see which dealer received and it. From there the police can request the records from the dealer which would have the name of who purchased it.

[Fallguy]

In TN the SN# check is to see if the gun has been reported stolen. The serial number from any gun can be traced through the manufacturer to see which dealer received and it. From there the police can request the records from the dealer which would have the name of who purchased it.

True, but that is not "registration" and the original purchaser may have sold it in a private sale to someone else and them to someone and so on and so on a hundred times with no paperwork.

[apac84]

I've often had this same question since I purchased a pistol from my father a few years ago. We wrote out a bill of sale just in case but was recently wondering if I could carry a 2nd hand gun with my permit. Mainly ramifications of the scenario in which I would have to defend myself with said gun.

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[Fallguy]

You can carry as many handguns as you'd like with your carry permit.