Table 3

State gun laws (2000) pertaining to possession/use and sales of BB/pellet guns

State of residence	BB/pellet gun defined as firearm or dangerous weapon	General possession/use of BB/pellet gun by minors	Selling of BB/pellet guns to minors	Possession/use of BB/pellet guns in and around schools	Parent/guardian responsible for knowing illegal possession of firearm by minor	Parent/guardian responsible for proper storage of firearm
*Law refers to the illegal possession/use of weapons on educational premises; BB/pellet guns not specifically mentioned, but implied.
†Law refers to the illegal possession/use of a handgun only on educational premises.
‡For California , law only applies in Oakland; for Massachusetts, law refers to possession in a motor vehicle; for Ohio, these laws only apply in Cincinnati.
§Law refers to the illegal possession/use of weapons on educational premises; BB/pellet guns specifically mentioned.
¶BB/pellet guns are considered firearms if they exceed a muzzle velocity of 700 fps.
**Law only refers to the illegal possession/use of a firearm and/or deadly weapon on educational premises.
††BB/pellet guns are deemed dangerous weapons; in North Carolina, they are deemed dangerous firearms in some counties.
Data source: State laws and published ordinances (2000)—firearms, 22nd edition, Department of the Treasury, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/statelaws/22edition.htm).
AL				X*
AK				X*
AZ				X*	X
AR				X†
CA		X (<18 years)	X (<18 years)	X*	X‡
CO				X*
CT				X*	X	X
DE		X (<16 years)	X (<16 years)	X§
DC					X
FL		X (<16 years)			X
GA				X*	X
HI						X
ID		X* (<12 years)	X* (<18 years)	X*
IL	X¶			X**		X
IN				X**
IA				X*		X
KS				X*
KY					X
LA				X*
ME	X	X (<16 years)	X (<16 years)		X
MD				X*
MA		X (<18 years)‡	X (<18 years)	X*		X
MI	X	X (<18 years)	X (<18 years)	X§	X
MN		X (<14 years)	X (<18 years)	X§
MS				X§	X
MO				X*
MT				X*	X
NE				X**
NV	X			X§
NH		X (<18 years)	X (<18 years)	X§
NJ	X	X (<18 years)	X (<18 years)	X§	X	X
NM				X*
NY		X (<16 years)	X (<16 years)	X§
NC	X††	X (<12 years)	X (<12 years)	X§	X	X
ND	X††
OH		X (<18 years)‡	X (<18 years)‡	X*	X‡	X‡
OK	X††	X (<18 years)	X (<18 years)	X*	X
OR				X*
PA		X (<18 years)	X (<18 years)
RI	X	X (<18 years)	X (<18 years)	X§	X	X
SC				X*
SD				X§
TN				X*	X
TX				X*	X	X
UT	X††	X (<14 years)		X*	X
VT			X (<16 years)	X*
VA				X*
WA				X§
WV				X**
WI	X††	X (<18 years)		X§
WY
Total No of states	11	18	16	43	19	10