Online Gun Sales | Video

Alex Hagan | 1/2/2013

For years, there`s been a requirement that anyone wanting to buy a gun at a store has to go through a background check. It`s designed to keep guns out of the wrong hands. North Dakota law requires store owners to perform a background check on anyone coming in to their store to buy a gun. However, there are ways to buy a firearm without that check.

Jamie Brecht has been a gun owner for many years and is also a member of the National Rifle Association. He says he only uses his semi-automatic weapons for hunting. In light of recent events, there is now talk of banning some of the weapons Brecht owns.

"It`s a great all-around weapon and some people just don`t like the looks of them and don`t think you should have them," he said.

Brecht has sold many guns to different people. He says even with a background check, you never know what that person is capable of and gun laws should not be changed. "I think they`re just fine. North Dakota is the state with the fewest gun laws but our homicide rate, crime rate is near the bottom all the time."

However, the question is, are guns too easy to obtain in North Dakota? All gun shops are required to perform a background check, but firearms can also be purchased online without a background check. Just get on Bis-Man Online and search rifles or guns.

Brecht has sold many guns online. He says it`s perfectly fine. "If they`re a known felon or been convicted of domestic violence, if you know that personally, then you can`t sell them the gun and you`re a criminal for selling them the gun as well."

Bismarck`s police department has had plenty of incidents in the past where convicted felons have been caught with firearms. Deputy Chief Randy Ziegler says recent events has them concerned about online sales. "Guns falling into the wrong hands. That`s one thing where I wish we could close some of the, I guess, loopholes, for lack of a better term."

However, he says online gun purchases have not been an issue in past years. "Law abiding citizens do have the right to have those type of weapons until they are outlawed by our legislators and our lawmakers."

Brecht stands by his position that it is the person that shoots someone not the gun. "Strictly up to the seller who you`re going to sell it. I can say no to anybody who comes here who would want to buy a firearm from us or them."

Anything from semi-automatic weapons to handguns can be found on the website.

In December, almost 2.8 million background checks were carried out to purchase firearms. That was 700,000 more than in November.

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