Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

US Court Says 18-20 Year Olds Have Right To Buy Handguns

US Court Says 18-20 Year Olds Have Right To Buy Handguns

While Americans under the age of 21 cannot currently purchase a handgun from a federally licensed dealer, they can buy a rifle or shotgun.
A US District Court judge has declared unconstitutional federal laws banning handgun sales by licensed dealers to people under 21 years of age, saying anyone over 18 should have that right.

Judge Robert Payne of the Eastern District of Virginia issued the ruling in a case filed by four men who were over the age of 18 but under the age of 21 when they wanted to buy handguns.

Federal law prohibits licensed gun dealers from selling handguns to persons under the age of 21, although parents can buy them for their children or they can purchase them themselves in private sales or at gun shows.

While Americans under the age of 21 cannot currently purchase a handgun from a federally licensed dealer, they can buy a rifle or shotgun.

In his opinion on Wednesday, Payne cited a recent Supreme Court decision that expanded the rights of gun owners and the Second Amendment to the US Constitution, which states that "the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

"The Court finds that the right to purchase a gun falls within the Second Amendment's plain text," he said.

"No federal appellate court, much less the Supreme Court, has squarely determined that the Second Amendment's rights vest at age 21," he said.

Payne noted that the voting age in the United States is 18 and that is also the age for enlistment in the military.

The drinking age is 21 and Congress has raised the age to purchase tobacco to 21, he said.

But unlike the Second Amendment, the judge wrote, "there is no similar constitutional right to consume alcohol or to use tobacco."

Everytown Law, a gun violence prevention organization, denounced the judge's ruling.

"Not only are guns the leading cause of death for US kids and teens, but research shows us that 18- to 20-year-olds commit gun homicides at triple the rate of adults 21 years and older," Janet Carter, senior director of issues and appeals at Everytown Law, said in a statement.

"The Court's ruling will undoubtedly put lives at risk," Carter said. "It must be reversed."

The case may eventually wind up in the Supreme Court, which has swung firmly to the right since former Republican president Donald Trump named three justices.

It comes amid a spate of mass shootings in the United States and efforts by the administration of President Joe Biden to persuade Congress to ban semi-automatic rifles frequently used in the attacks.

In 2021, more than 47,000 people were killed by guns in the United States, including suicides, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
×