Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
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Brady State Gun Law Scorecard
Wisconsin Scorecard

10 out of 100 points

Wisconsin has weak gun laws that help feed the illegal gun market and allow the sale of guns without background checks, according to the Brady Campaign.  In the organization’s 2009 state scorecards released for all 50 states, Wisconsin earned just 10 points out of a total of 100. 

According to government figures, Wisconsin also has the eleventh highest percentage of crime guns recovered that were originally purchased within the state.  The Brady Campaign relates this “homegrown” gun violence to the lack of gun laws in the state and nationally.

Curb Firearm Trafficking (Maximum 35 points)

Gun Dealer Regulations (Maximum 12 Points)

  • Category Possible
    Points     Wisconsin
    Points
  • State license required 2 0
  • Record keeping and retention 2 2
  • Report records to the state, and state retains records 2 0
  • Mandatory theft reporting of all firearms 2 0
  • At least 1 store security precaution required 2 0
  • Inspections by police allowed 2 0
  • Total 12 2

Limit Bulk Purchases (Maximum 10 Points)

  • Category Possible
    Points     Wisconsin
    Points
  • One handgun per month, no exceptions 10 OR One handgun per month, 1 exception 6 OR One handgun per month, 2 or more exceptions 3 0

    •  

Crime Gun Identification (Maximum 10 Points)

  • Category Possible
    Points     Wisconsin
    Points
  • Ballistic Fingerprinting 5 0
  • Require microstamping on semi-auto handguns 5 0
  • Total 10 0

Report Lost/Stolen Guns (Maximum 3 Points)

  • Category Possible
    Points     Wisconsin
    Points
  • Mandatory reporting by firearm owners 3 0

    •  

Strengthen Brady Background Checks (Maximum 27 points)

Universal Background Checks (Maximum 17 Points)

  • Category Possible
    Points     Wisconsin
    Points
  • All Firearms 17 OR Handguns Only 10 0

    •  

Permit to Purchase (Maximum 8 Points)

  • Category Possible
    Points     Wisconsin
    Points
  • Fingerprinting required 2 0
  • Safety training/testing required 2 0
  • Extend three-day limit for background checks 2 0
  • Permit process involves law enforcement 2 0
  • Total 8 0

Closed Gun Show Loophole** (Maximum 7 Points)

  • Category Possible
    Points     Wisconsin
    Points
  • Background check on all firearms for each purchase 7 OR Background check on handguns only for each purchase 5 OR Background check on long guns only for each purchase 4 OR Permit for all firearms, no background check per purchase 3 OR Permit for handguns, no background check per purchase 2 OR Permit for long guns, no background check per purchase 1 0

    •  

  • ** States with universal background checks on all firearms not eligible for gun show loophole points

Ammunition Regulations (Maximum 2 Points)

  • Category Possible
    Points     Wisconsin
    Points
  • Ammunition Purchaser Records Kept/Vendor License Required 1 0
  • Ammo Brady Check/Permit Requied to purchase 1 0

    •  

Child Safety (Maximum 20 points)

Childproof Handguns (Maximum 7 Points)

  • Category Possible
    Points     Wisconsin
    Points
  • Only authorized users are able to operate new handguns 7 0

    •  

Child Safety Locks (Maximum 6 Points)

  • Category Possible
    Points     Wisconsin
    Points
  • Integrated locks sold on all handguns 3 0
  • External locks sold with all handguns 2 0
  • Standards on all external locks 1 0
  • Total 6 0

Child Access Prevention (Maximum 5 Points)

  • Category Possible
    Points     Wisconsin
    Points
  • Ages 16/17 and under 5 OR Ages 14/15 and under 3 OR Ages 13 and under 2 2

    •  

Juvenile Handgun Purchases (Maximum 2 Points)

  • Category Possible
    Points     Wisconsin
    Points
  • Must be 21 2 0

    •  

Ban Military Style Assault Weapons (Maximum 10 points)

Assault Weapons Ban (Maximum 5 Points)

  • Category Possible
    Points     Wisconsin
    Points
  • 1 feature test 5 OR 2 feature test 3 OR 2 feature test on assault pistols only 1 0

    •  

Large Capacity Magazine Ban (Maximum 5 Points)

  • Category Possible
    Points     Wisconsin
    Points
  • 10 rounds or less 5 OR 15 rounds or less 3 0

    •  

Guns in Public Places and Local Control (Maximum 8 points)

No Guns in Workplace (Maximum 2 Points)

  • Category Possible
    Points     Wisconsin
    Points
  • Employers not forced to allow firearms on premises 2 2

    •  

No Guns on College Campuses (Maximum 2 Points)

  • Category Possible
    Points     Wisconsin
    Points
  • Colleges are not forced to allow firearms on campus 2 2

    •  

Not A CCW Shall Issue State (Maximum 2 Points)

  • Category Possible
    Points     Wisconsin
    Points
  • Law enforcement discretion when issuing CCW permits 2 2

    •  

No State Preemption (Maximum 2 Points)

  • Category Possible
    Points     Wisconsin
    Points
  • Local control of firearm regulation 2 OR Some local control of regulations 1 0

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