Can I buy a gun for a child for hunting?

Q: Is it illegal to buy a gun for an underage person that's strictly for hunting? - Richard

A: "Well, Richard you're asking a question about firearms and it can seem confusing. The fact is there's federal firearms laws, there's state firearms laws, some cities have separate laws as well and it can be a little bit confusing. Bottom line is this. If a person is underage, in other words, under 18 and you wanted to provide or buy a, let's say a shotgun or a rifle for that child to use hunting, that's legals as long as you're the parent or guardian, that's the most simple way to say it. A parent or guardian can provide a rifle or shotgun to a juvenile to use for hunting, that is perfectly legal. It is not legal for someone outside that relationship, not a parent or guardian, to really be involved in that transaction and again, there's more to it, it's a little bit more complicated than that. I would refer you to either your local gun club that can have better information on that or the ATF website, but the bottom line is this and the best way to think of it is this, as long as a parent or guardian is allowing that juvenile to have access to that firearm it is generally legal." -- Bremerton Police Chief Steve Strachan