Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 13, 1994                   TAG: 9407150036
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

TRACING EFFORT SHOWS GUN PURCHASE LIMIT REDUCING ILLEGAL SALES

The law forces people who want to buy multiple handguns to undergo extensive background checks and explain why they want the guns. It took effect on July 1, 1993, and bans the purchase of more than one handgun within 30 days without a purchase-by-purchase approval from state police.

The latest gun-tracing report from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearm's Washington field division office showed that fewer handguns at District of Columbia crime scenes are traced to Virginia.

During the last six months of 1993, 29.8 percent of Washington's crime-related handguns were traced to Virginia, down from 33 percent for the same six-month period in 1992, according to the ATF report.

``From our investigation, we know the number of guns leaving the state has decreased significantly,'' said Capt. R. Lewis Vass, the state police records management officer.

The state also requires instant background checks on those purchasing handguns.

to ensure that convicted felons, those with a history of mental illness or those charged with violent crimes cannot buy the weapons.

During the last year, state police approved 100,790 handgun purchases and denied 540 after making the background checks, according to records at the agency's Firearms Transaction Center.

State police also considered 367 applications from people who wanted to buy handguns without waiting 30 days. They approved 313 applications and denied 53. A decision on the remaining application is pending.