Rifle Purchase by TN Property Owner But Non-Resident????

[Jeb48]

A friend of mine has a bought a house in TN and will be closing on it in a couple of months. He is moving from NY and wants to buy a rifle in TN before he has fully established his TN residency. The rifle is legal in TN but not in NY (lots of those). His question is after he has closed on the house so he can show property ownership in TN, can he buy a rifle that will stay in TN. He would still have his NY drivers license. I suggested just getting his TN drivers license but he will be living in both states for a while because of work and has reason not to give up his NY DL yet. 

So will an FFL transfer a legal rifle to a TN homeowner that is a resident of another state?

[Chucktshoes]

Residency is what matters. There are rare exceptions like folks stationed in the military can buy in their home of record and duty station location. 
 

I am always open to being corrected, but I don’t believe that it is legal for him to purchase and take possession of a firearm in Tennessee until he changes residency. 

Edited April 14, 2021 by Chucktshoes

[FUJIMO]

I'm pretty sure he has to have a tn dl to buy one through an ffl.....Yep, just typing what CTS just stated. Military has exceptions but he's SOL buying through an ffl. 

[MacGyver]

Actual residency is the requirement. 

[Lumber_Jack]

I thought you could buy long guns out of state?

[Chucktshoes]

You can. But the purchase must adhere to the laws of not just the state of purchase, but also the state of residency of the purchaser. 
 

 

[Jeb48]

Thanks for the input. Pretty much what I thought, but figured I should ask to be sure. 

My friend will be a good conservative addition to the state. He is even getting rid of some of his NYS compliant guns before moving to make room in his safes for after he gets down to a free state.