D.C. residents still cannot buy guns

A gun rights supporter demonstrated outside the Supreme Court in Washington last month after the court ruled that Americans have a constitutional right to keep guns in their homes. (Jose Luis Magana/Associated Press)

WASHINGTON - Days after the Supreme Court ruled that residents of the nation's capital can keep handguns at home for self-defense, George Harley walked out of a Maryland gun shop disheartened, his goal of legally having a gun to protect his family put on hold.

Since before Harley, 30, was born, the District of Columbia has restricted residents' ownership of handguns. After the Supreme Court's ruling was handed down late last month, Harley was one of several dozen Washington residents who went to the Atlantic Guns shop in Silver Spring, Md., just over the District line, to ask about buying a gun.

They were all told the same thing: Go home.

"Presently, there's no change to anything," said Stephen Schneider, owner of Atlantic Guns. "There's no procedure in place for them to purchase a handgun because regulations haven't been written."

Mayor Adrian M. Fenty of Washington has vowed to have the strictest gun laws possible, and the city's plans for the registration process - which is expected to be released in about two weeks - is being closely watched.

Last week, District of Columbia council member Phil Mendelson introduced legislation to put the city in compliance with the Supreme Court ruling by allowing residents to have handguns in their homes for self-defense.

Even after clear guidelines are completed, it is unclear how long it will take for Washingtonians to have handguns legally in their homes.

The federal ban on the transport of firearms across state lines means that gun shops outside the District of Columbia could sell to a city resident, but the buyer could not leave the store with a weapon. The seller would have to transfer the gun to a federally licensed dealer in Washington, and the buyer would pick it up there.

There are no federally licensed gun shops in the District of Columbia. Nor does there appear to be a rush by gun dealers to open a shop in the city.