1. A person must be 18 years of age to purchase a long gun that includes rifles and shotguns. A photo ID and a background check is required by any NC gun shop before transferring this weapon to a buyer. If a person is 21 or older, and has a NC Conceal & Carry permit, then no additional background check is required.
2. A person must be 21 years of age or older to purchase a handgun. In order to purchase a handgun, the NC resident must have a photo ID and a NC Purchase Permit or NC Conceal Carry permit.
3. A person who holds a Conceal & Carry permit from another state may legally carry concealed in NC but cannot purchase and leave with the handgun in NC.
4. A person who is 18 through 20 years of age may obtain a purchase permit from their sheriff's office to purchase or receive a handgun from a private person such as a family member. These permits are not valid to purchase from a licensed FFL gun dealer.
5. A person on vacation may purchase a handgun and it will be shipped to a gun dealer in their state for pickup.
6. Any person may ship a firearm as long as a copy of their photo ID is included in the box and it MUST be received by an FFL. It is against the law in all states to ship firearms to a private person.
7. Both a NC purchase permit and conceal carry permit are good for 5 years. A conceal carry permit is renewed every 5 years for a fee. If the conceal carry has not expired, no additional classes are required.
8. A NC purchase permit can not exceed 5 dollars in cost and there is no limit to the number of permits a person can get.
9. Before travelling out of state with a firearm, make sure you know every state's laws that you will travel through. Call local gun shops in those states.
10. Firearms must be locked and out of reach of children and any one who is not allowed to access them.
11. 99% of all firearms are semi-automatic which means one pull of a trigger per bullet.
12. Full auto weapons require extensive paperwork, fees and background checks. Full auto weapons are very expensive.
13. It is legal to hunt in Pender County with a suppressed firearm.
14. A silencer or suppressor does not make the gun 100% quiet but does dampen the noise.
15. A person may not fire a firearm within city limits and should check with their local county for firearm regulations.
Ten Rules of Safe Gun Handling
1. Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and away from people. Never point your gun at anything you don't intend to shoot.
2. Firearms should be unloaded when not in use. Always make sure the magazine is out of the gun and no live round is in the chamber.
3. Don't rely on your gun's "safety". Always treat a gun as if it could fire at anytime.
4. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it. A pile of dirt or clay will not let a bullet travel through. A wooden target will not stop a bullet.
5. Use correct ammunition. Avoid reloaded ammo unless you personally know where it came from and trust that person.
6. If your gun fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, handle with great care! Keep gun pointed at a safe direction and unload firearm.
7. Always wear eye and ear protection when shooting.
8. Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before shooting.
9. Clean your gun and inspect it regularly.
10. Learn all you can about the functions of your firearm and check for manufacturer recalls.