Bassbob
Emissary
then does this mean when I bought my son a hunting rifle when he was 12 it was illegal.
I don't think so since a 12 year old can't fill out the necessary paperwork. Technically the gun would probably belong to you anyway until he came of age.
The vague part about this is that it isn't illegal to sell or give a gun to someone. It is illegal to sell one to a person who you know is prohibited. There is no time specified, so if you bought a gun and then a week later sold it to your buddy that is NOT illegal. They have to prove you bought the gun with the intent of giving or selling it to someone else. And if that someone else isn't a prohibited person it's a moot point anyway.