# Delaware Permit to Purchase Gun Law and the effect it would have had for Hunter Biden **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 9, 2024, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delaware-permit-to-purchase-gun-law-and-the-effect-it-would-have-had-for-hunter-biden/1002670 "2024-06-09T13:44:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2024, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delaware-permit-to-purchase-gun-law-and-the-effect-it-would-have-had-for-hunter-biden/1002670/1 "2024-06-09T13:44:01Z")
On May 16, 2024, Delaware enacted a permit to purchase gun law requiring prior training and a sworn statement before the current purchase process can take place. See: [Delaware’s New Handgun Purchaser Licensing Law](https://publichealth.jhu.edu/center-for-gun-violence-solutions/2024/delawares-new-handgun-purchaser-licensing-law-advocacy-makes-a-difference) The enacted law: [AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11, TITLE 24, AND TITLE 29 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DEADLY WEAPONS](https://legis.delaware.gov/json/BillDetail/GeneratePdfDocument?legislationId=130284&legislationTypeId=6&docTypeId=2&legislationName=SS1forSB2) This will save lives while still allowing civil Delawareans to buy a gun. And I think it would have probably prevented Hunter Biden from getting in the situation that led to his trial now underway in Wilmington. Whether the Supreme Court will strike this law down is a question. I hope not. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2024, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delaware-permit-to-purchase-gun-law-and-the-effect-it-would-have-had-for-hunter-biden/1002670/2 "2024-06-09T13:45:44Z")
Do you want this thread on the new Law or Hunter Biden? By including Hunter in the OP, I believe you’ve built in a hijack. Please let me know quickly. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2024, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delaware-permit-to-purchase-gun-law-and-the-effect-it-would-have-had-for-hunter-biden/1002670/5 "2024-06-09T13:56:43Z")
It is the solution to the Hunter Biden issue, so I am confused what to say. I put it in Great Debates because discussing why Hunter was indicted seems not allowed unless I say it was because the prosecutor is a Republican, and I do not think that. However, I would say – Great Debates – because the issue is much bigger than the President’s son. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2024, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delaware-permit-to-purchase-gun-law-and-the-effect-it-would-have-had-for-hunter-biden/1002670/6 "2024-06-09T13:58:36Z")
I will change the title to make it clear this is about Hunter then. Done. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2024, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delaware-permit-to-purchase-gun-law-and-the-effect-it-would-have-had-for-hunter-biden/1002670/7 "2024-06-09T15:06:18Z")
I’ve been skeptical of gun training requirements before on grounds that the instructors tend to be pro-gun and might favor use of guns as a conflict resolution tool, rather than as a last resort. Plus I’ve seen advertisements, from commercial instructors in other states, of 100 percent pass rates. Delaware does not seem to require a pass/fail examination. While I do not like that, they might have legal reasons there. And they did set down these reasonable-to-me training requirements: > [@](#): > > a. Instruction regarding knowledge and safe handling of firearms. > b. Instruction regarding safe storage of firearms and child safety. > c. Instruction regarding knowledge and safe handling of ammunition. > d. Instruction regarding safe storage of ammunition and child safety. > e. Instruction regarding safe firearms shooting fundamentals. > f. Live fire shooting exercises conducted on a range, including the expenditure of a minimum of 100 rounds of ammunition. > g. Identification of ways to develop and maintain firearm shooting skills. > h. Instruction regarding federal and state laws pertaining to the lawful purchase, ownership, > transportation, use, and possession of firearms. > i. Instruction regarding the laws of this State pertaining to the use of deadly force. > j. Instruction regarding techniques for avoiding a criminal attack and how to manage a violent > confrontation, including conflict resolution. > k. Instruction regarding suicide prevention. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2024, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delaware-permit-to-purchase-gun-law-and-the-effect-it-would-have-had-for-hunter-biden/1002670/8 "2024-06-09T15:11:54Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > the instructors tend to be pro-gun and might favor use of guns as a conflict resolution tool, rather than as a last resort. Is that based on your experience or guesswork because my experience is the opposite. Gun instructors tend to believe that pulling your gun is the last resort because you have put yourself in a situation that you may be taking someone’s life. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2024, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delaware-permit-to-purchase-gun-law-and-the-effect-it-would-have-had-for-hunter-biden/1002670/9 "2024-06-09T15:19:32Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Gun instructors tend to believe that pulling your gun is the last resort because you have put yourself in a situation that you may be taking someone’s life. I was just going to say, anecdotally, I’ve always been told that “most of the gun class is warning you of what can happen if you use your gun.” Myself, I don’t own a firearm and haven’t taken any such classes. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delaware-permit-to-purchase-gun-law-and-the-effect-it-would-have-had-for-hunter-biden/1002670/10 "2024-06-10T01:19:04Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > > [@PhillyGuy](#): > > > > the instructors tend to be pro-gun and might favor use of guns as a conflict resolution tool, rather than as a last resort. > > Is that based on your experience or guesswork because my experience is the opposite. I cannot find professional journalists, unassociated with the gun industry, writing about such classes. That makes it hard to evaluate varying comments you see on the internet. For something on the negative side, see: [took concealed carry class](https://www.reddit.com/r/liberalgunowners/comments/himywa/took_concealed_carry_course_please_educate/) > [@](#): > > I knew we were in for a treat when he tried to justify the recent deaths of black men and gave examples…smh. > > The class was basically him pretending to be John Wick. Jumping and rolling around, LARPing as if you’re going to get 5 headshots like a aimbot while being exposed. Giving lessons on how to use a knife in one hand and a gun in the other..akimbo style. It was the most dangerous, cringiest shit I’ve ever seen. A class like the above is illegal under the new Delaware law. Good. Regarding the general idea of the classes being weak, I recall that there used to be many web advertisements for 100 percent pass rate classes. I find few now because of states that have eliminated concealed carry training requirements, including [Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming](https://publichealth.jhu.edu/center-for-gun-violence-solutions/2023/study-finds-that-dropping-training-requirement-to-obtain-concealed-carry-permit-leads-to-significant-increase-in-gun-assaults) and [Texas.](https://www.texastribune.org/2021/06/16/texas-constitutional-carry-greg-abbott/) Here are some such ads still out there: [Maryland Advertisement](https://www.google.com/search?q=firearms+class+%22pass+rate%22&oq=firearms+class+%22pass+rate%22&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRigATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigAdIBCTE0MTc0ajBqNKgCALACAQ&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8) > [@](#): > > 1,200+. classes taught; 10,000+. hours trained; 10+. years of experience; 99.6%. pass rate [Texas Advertisement](https://texascarryacademy.com/) > [@](#): > > Our online LTC course is self paced and designed to be the easiest to navigate. We have a 100% pass rate Unfortunately, the Delaware law does not require any sort of completion test for the training. This does risk that the next Hunter Biden will pay no attention in class, and then purchase a gun. Perhaps this weakness has something to do with their strategy for getting the new law past SCOTUS – now I’m totally guessing. Contrast with the pass rate for driver’s tests. [Estimates are a 35% to 55% [written test] failure rate for most states](https://www.dmvcheatsheets.com/articles/the-dmv-written-test-whats-your-states-pass-rate) And: [Delaware residents had the worst [driver’s test] performance rate in the country on the skills portion of the test, with only 41% of people passing . . . ](https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2024/05/02/de-drivers-highest-rates-of-failure-on-drivers-license-tests/73510073007/) Almost all eventually pass, but they are signaled to take driving rules seriously. Guns are roughly as deadly as motor vehicles, and should have comparable required training IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delaware-permit-to-purchase-gun-law-and-the-effect-it-would-have-had-for-hunter-biden/1002670/11 "2024-06-12T19:52:10Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > It is the solution to the Hunter Biden issue, so I am confused what to say. How is it a solution to the Hunter Biden problem? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delaware-permit-to-purchase-gun-law-and-the-effect-it-would-have-had-for-hunter-biden/1002670/12 "2024-06-12T20:24:17Z")
Before that, even: Precisely what is the Hunter Biden problem that this purports to be a solution to? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delaware-permit-to-purchase-gun-law-and-the-effect-it-would-have-had-for-hunter-biden/1002670/13 "2024-06-12T20:38:42Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Precisely what is the Hunter Biden problem that this purports to be a solution to? Good point. People lying on forms? The first income tax form was in 1914. The Brits had the Stamp tax on us before 1776. Lying on forms is common and worldwide. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delaware-permit-to-purchase-gun-law-and-the-effect-it-would-have-had-for-hunter-biden/1002670/14 "2024-06-12T20:42:37Z")
And have we just sat on our hands that whole time, furrowing our brows in a vain attempt to understand the situation? Or did we improve those systems to make it harder to lie on forms? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delaware-permit-to-purchase-gun-law-and-the-effect-it-would-have-had-for-hunter-biden/1002670/15 "2024-06-12T20:48:48Z")
Yes, we now have a better background check, which checks the _real_ issues- felony convictions, having a judge declare mental incompetency, and convictions for partner abuse. There is no way to check for current drug use- unless convicted for a felony., Those drug questions are a sham. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delaware-permit-to-purchase-gun-law-and-the-effect-it-would-have-had-for-hunter-biden/1002670/16 "2024-06-12T23:57:11Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Before that, even: Precisely what is the Hunter Biden problem that this purports to be a solution to? The problem of impulsively signing a falsified 4473 and then getting a handgun despite being an irresponsible lawbreaker. Under the Delaware law, a future Hunter has to sit through a class where the law regarding who can buy a gun is detailed. Then he has to sign a sworn statement that he is allowed to buy a gun. And then he still has to go through the 4473 process. And I believe these steps are likely to occur on separate days. This would give more opportunity for him to reconsider, or for Hallie having stepped in before he actually possessed the gun. Seeing how Hallie stepped in and threw the gun in the dumpster, I think it is realistic to hope she would have stepped earlier, given a longer process. Or knowing that getting a gun in Delaware is a PITA, Hunter might not have even tried. And it still is not as much of a PITA as driver licensing. Guarantee? No, there will always be crime. But the Delaware law is going to stop a lot of impulsive crime, if SCOTUS allows it. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delaware-permit-to-purchase-gun-law-and-the-effect-it-would-have-had-for-hunter-biden/1002670/17 "2024-06-13T00:09:17Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > There is no way to check for current drug use- unless convicted for a felony., As the Delaware law is written, this is mostly correct. Knowing that eye problems are common, in Pennsylvania [we require medical certification](https://www.dot.state.pa.us/public/dvspubsforms/BDL/BDL%20Medical-Protected/DL-102.pdf) before you can get a driver’s license. Then after age 45 there is, in my state, random retesting. If we ever get back to having a Supreme Court that pays attention to the 2nd amendment being about the militia, there should and could be a medical drug test for the state permit to purchase, no more onerous than the driver’s licensing requiremrnt. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2024, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delaware-permit-to-purchase-gun-law-and-the-effect-it-would-have-had-for-hunter-biden/1002670/18 "2024-06-13T01:36:14Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Under the Delaware law, a future Hunter has to sit through a class where the law regarding who can buy a gun is detailed. Then he has to sign a sworn statement that he is allowed to buy a gun. And then he still has to go through the 4473 process. The 4473 is a sworn statement. > [@PhillyGuy](#): > > there should and could be a medical drug test for the state permit to purchase, And note that eye exam is a one time test, not every time you buy a car. Okay, sure, then a medical drug test for a drivers licence. And a drug test for a Doctor’s license, and a lawyers license , and so forth. How about one to vote? or get aid? Maybe one for Social Security. 🙄 I dont give a good goddamn is someone has been smoking pot and wants to drive buy a gun or whatever- as long as he isnt under the influence when driving or shooting