Virginia Gun Owners Forum - VGOF

The question is pretty straightfoward. I have a co-worker who will be going to the NRA range with a friend and asked if he could borrow one of my guns. I told him sure as long as it is legal. My question is: Are their any legal problems with this? He has a security clearence and I am sure he is not a fellon.

Thanks

I lend my rifles out to friends quite regularly, I am not aware of any law prohibiting it. I could, however, be wrong.

It doesn't sound like its illegal to me since we have no permitting laws per se, you would likely have an issue with liability if something happened and he or someone else were to be injured in some sort of accident or worse...I would think.

In this state it is no problem to lend a weapon out. Where I came from you could go to jail for lending a weapon out. The great state of NEW JERSEY also known as the arm pit of the world.
Bill

Thanks everyone I appreciate the quick response.

David

I just loaned a couple of pistols to a friend this afternoon.

As long as the guns don't have tax stamps, you can loan them out at will (provided they're also a VA resident and you have no reason to believe they're prohibited).

If I were going to lend a gun to a friend I would treat it as a transaction and at least ask the question "can you legally posses a firearm in the state of VA." That way you are covered in the event they cannot.

A word of caution regarding security clearances. Just because someone has one doesnt necessarily mean they have a clean record. Security clearances are granted by the requesting agency after they review the background investigation results. If you work for the Army then the Army makes the final determination. You can have a record and still hold a clearance. It all depends on circumstance, time since the offense, and how you have conducted yourself since then. And of course how the agency you work for views you and the information in your background...there is one law on the books that I am aware of and it prohibits any agency from granting a clearance for offenses with one year or more jail time regardless of time served...so you could have someone named on an order of protection or a record for domestic violence which would preclude them from being able to buy a gun yet they hold a clearance...just food for thought...