Question about registration in Arizona

Question
I live in Arizona. I bought a handgun from a friend for protection of my home. I have tried to find a registration form for my weapon, but am having trouble locating one. Can you help me?

Answer
Jessica,

You don't need to register your firearm.  Face to face transactions between residents of the same state are not regulated by Arizona or Federal law.  I would suggest that you ask your friend for a bill of sale that records the name and address of the buyer and seller and also the model and serial number of the gun being transferred.  This would protect both of you in the event the gun was stolen and used in commission of a crime.

If you don't know your 'friend' personally, I'd also get a xerox copy of their drivers license as another record of the transaction.

If you haven't had any firearms training, I would strongly recommend that you attend some basic firearms training and make sure that you understand the laws relating to firearms ownership and when you can legally use a firearm for self defense.  Since you live in Arizona, I'd recommend the Arizona Concealed Weapons permit class.  They are offered by a variety of companies in AZ.  If you are in the Phoenix area, my company, APDI offers such training.  You can take a look at our website at:  www.armedpersonaldefense.com for more info.

Best regards,

Doug