Montana gun law could pit state, federal agencies

Montana is using the issue of gun control to pick a fight with the federal government. In a new law, "The state is asserting that guns manufactured in Montana and sold in Montana to people who intend to keep their weapons in Montana are exempt from federal gun registration, background check and dealer-licensing rules because no state lines are crossed," reports The Associated Press.

The impact of the law could be limited, since Montana " is home to just a few specialty gun makers, known for high-end hunting rifles and replicas of Old West weapons, and because their out-of-state sales would automatically trigger federal control," AP reports. But the larger ramification could be a showdown over how far the federal government's regulatory authority extends.

While similar measures have also been introduced in Texas and Alaska, critics say the measure could hurt efforts to curb gun violence in other parts of the country. (Read more)