A September 2010 study by Mayors Against Illegal Guns found that 30% of guns confiscated from crime scenes across the country in 2009 originated with out-of-state gun dealers.
The study found a strong association between a state’s gun laws and the state’s propensity to export guns used in crimes. Among the states with the worst record of exporting these guns were Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Mississippi, Virginia, and West Virginia. All of these states have weak gun laws and exported guns “at more than seven times the rate of the 10 states with the lowest crime gun export rates.” These six states generally do not require (1) background checks for handgun sales at gun shows, (2) state inspection of gun dealers, (3) handgun permits, or (4) that reports of lost or stolen firearms be made to police. They also do not grant law enforcement officials discretion to approve or deny permits.
