I've bought two handguns in my life. I traded in the first to buy my second. Here in Virginia, all you need to do is buy a gun, fill out a form, and show the guy behind the counter your Driver's License to prove you live where you said you did on the form. They will hold your gun at the store while the background check is made. After a period of four or five days you can return to the store and if your background check didn't reveal any problems, then you can take your gun home.
