What are your rights to own a firearm?

Answer 1

It depends on what you mean. In the U.S. any person who is of legal age who is not a felon and has no misdemeanors for domestic violence can legally purchase a firearm. There are a few minor state restrictions to that in a few states.

Answer 2

Under U.S. federal law, the "policy" is not clear. The Second Amendment to the Constitution says the people have the right to keep and bear arms and that this right shall not even be infringed upon (much less eliminated).

But in practice, Congress has passed many laws affecting guns and ammunition. Not just the sale and transport of them, but even making certain locations off-limits, and declaring certain kinds of people ineligible to possess any kind of gun or ammo. And certain types of guns are more heavily regulated than others, such as imported "assault weapons" or any kind of machinegun, silencer, cannon, or short-barreled rifle or short-barreled shotgun.

As a general rule, a law-abiding American can buy a rifle shotgun (or pistol in most states) from a federal gun dealer after filling out a federal registration form (#4473), showing ID, and going through an "instant" background check. People in most places can transport unloaded guns in their vehicles without a permit, to transport them to and from the shooting range or hunting fields. Federal law does not address the legality of carrying a loaded pistol on your body, in your car, or within easy reach, but each state has their own laws on this subject.