Man arrested for 2x4 labeled "High Powered Rifle"
Background checks, keeping guns from mentaly ill, young people(illegal to buy a gun under 18 in most places), and violent offenders is an infringment on the second ammendment as it has no provisions for these things. These however are perfectly reasonable infringments. Just like I have freedom of speech until I start slandering others. Or freedom of religon until I decide on raping children in my cult or some other such dispicable behaivor.
PA- Background check done beforehand buy the buyer seems like a great idea to me.
On convenient background checks. In the mid 90's, in Illinois, I worked the sporting goods department. To sell a gun we called a number to the state police and gave the buyers info. A short time later (within min) a call back was recieved with an authorisation #, or a rejection. I thought this was very reasonable and minimaly intrusive. I can't see why every state could not do this. It would be ideal (I think) for private sales .
About backgroundcheck fees- The problem I have with this is our gov. has a history of instating reasonable fees, only to later increase them to unreasonable rates to effectivly bypass the legislative system. I am specificaly thinking of FFL deals who had their rates increased in an effort to shut down all but high volume dealers.