So my co-worker just got his CCW, and asked me to help him purchase his first handgun. The guy is 55 and his eyes are terrible, so when it Came time for him to do the 4473 I say next to him and read him the questions since he couldn’t see it without his glasses (which he forgot at home).

The store clerk immediately got irritated that I was reading him the paperwork despite the fact that we both had CCW lisences. He said something about “the law is strict that the purchaser of the firearm cannot have anyone else involved with the 4473 and there is a 10 year prison scentence if the ATF found out I was helping him with the Work.”

The kid seemed really butt hurt and short about it, but I have never had any issue like this before, and I have guided others through the process in the past. It’s not like I was telling him to falsify anything on the page, he just is blind as a bat without his glasses.

Just reading the form for him isn't remotely like filling it out for him.   And the font on those forms is tiny. I have to use the magnifier app on my phone all the time to read them.

Hell, many times I've seen gun shop employees explaining the form to first time buyers. Nothing wrong with that.

You can read it verbatim, just not interpret it for him.

So I can’t be like, “here it is asking if you are Hispanic or not, this is the No box.”

You can assist in the capacity of the Americans with Disability act, but you cannot do anything to sway his answer in one way or another, if you read him one of the questions and he does not understand, then you should ask for clarification from the person behind the counter in which he/she is suppose to explain what the question is trying to determine.  When I sell a gun and someone has a question, I always explain what it is asking so they can answer the question as it pertains to themselves.  If you both have CCW, I don't quite understand what the clerk had a problem with?

There are no legal penalties for reading a form to another who has difficulty in their sight, but they need to confirm they understand what is being read to him so that they can answer for themself.

The American with Disabilities act requires that anybody asking for assistance, be provided assistance in completing government forms so that they can understand the statement/question and then answer in a clear and concise manner that pertains to them and them only.  Difficulty in sight is not a reason for denial and requiring assistance in filling out a form is not a reason for denial,  Being blind does not disqualify you from purchasing a gun as long as you meet all the requirements of the government background check.

Now a FFL can refuse sale for most any reason at all, but it sounds like the counter person in this case has not been informed correctly by his upper management of how to properly handle a legal transaction of this nature.

The clerk needs more training.

Kid was probably new and did not understand the straw purchase rule.

Heck, I forgot my reading glasses and my LGS read everyone of the questions to me.

He should have asked the clerk to read him the questions then.

Clerk is typical ignorant gun store douchebag.

Instructions, How do they work?

1st paragraph of Section A in 4473.

Not only can someone else read them, someone else can also write the answers for him too.

Have him bring his glasses and find another gun store.

I have so many customers forget their reading glasses that I'm about ready to buy a couple pairs of those generic reading glasses to keep behind my desk for them to use

<-------been doing that for about six years. I get 'em at the $1 store.