I did my own research and came to the conclusion that it is indeed legal for me to own and operate a handgun with the same restrictions at a long gun.
However, being under 21, the only ways I could buy one would be to buy one second hand from a private seller, or to have it gifted to me buy a parent. I cannot buy one from any liscenced seller.
I had to dig forever and ever to come to my conclusion. My father called the BATF, and talked to an agent for a while. That agent wasn't even sure. The agent called my father back after thirty minutes of research, and did come to the conclusion that it is perfectly legal for me to own and operate a handgun, and perfectly legal for my father to buy one and give it directly to me.
Underage Handgun twenty-one Pistol Minor Gift
However, most people don't know this. My father works for the Department of Corrections, so he is constantly around guards and LEOs. None of them thought it would have been legal. The ATF Agent told my dad that if I ever got caught with the pistol or used it in self defense before I turned 21, that I'd be taken to jail. And, he said, by the time they contacted the lawyers and agents and my father to prove that I owned it legally, I'd likely have already spent the night in jail. Thus, the risk isn't really worth it, to me at least.
However, my dad did promise that if (when) new AWBs start coming around, that he'd buy and hold on to that PT92 17+1 until I am 21, so I don't end up stuck with some watered-down version, heh.
Hope this helps you guys out. Oh, and I am in Oklahoma.
