A US federal appeals court judge on Tuesday declared unconstitutional a longstanding law banning handgun sales to people under 21 years of age, saying anyone over 18 should have that right.

Judge Julius Richardson, who was appointed to the appeals court in Richmond, Virginia by former president Donald Trump, based his ruling on the fact that 18 year-olds have the constitutional right to vote, and that when the Constitution was crafted they were required to join local militia with their own guns.

For that reason, Richardson said, the Constitution's Second Amendment granting the right to bear arms extends to 18 year olds.

"Our nation's most cherished constitutional rights vest no later than 18," he wrote in his decision.

"And the Second Amendment's right to keep and bear arms is no different."

The ruling overturned a law dating to 1968 that banned licensed gun dealers from selling handguns to people under 21. The US Congress at the time reasoned that young adults committed more crimes than older ones.

It could lead to a challenge on gun rights going to the Supreme Court, which has swung firmly to the right since Trump named three justices after taking office in 2017.

The case arose from a complaint by a woman, horse-trainer Natalia Marshall, who was 18 when she tried to buy a handgun for protection from her abusive ex-boyfriend.

The ruling came amid a surge in gun violence, with many youths involved in the scores of shootings every week in cities across the country.

Richardson acknowledged the high crime levels, writing that there was no evidence that the 1968 prohibition has led to any meaningful or measurable positive effects.

"We appreciate the seriousness of gun violence in this country and applaud Congress's laudable desire to curb senseless violence," wrote Richardson.

"But we also recognize that the Second Amendment embodies a fundamental, pre-existing right that enables 'the people' to preserve their own life, liberty, and property."

Richardson had the support of a second judge in the case, while the third dissented, arguing that the original legislation was constitutional and well-founded, and did not prevent 18-year-olds from acquiring guns.

Real pistol that looks like Lego toy sparks controvery in US
Washington (AFP) July 13, 2021 - A US gun maker has triggered controversy by selling a kit that makes a real Glock pistol look like a children's Lego toy gun, at a time when hundreds of kids are falling victim to shootings.

The Danish manufacturer of the building blocks has sent the Utah-based company, Culper Precision, a demand to stop producing the red, blue and yellow covering for handguns.

"Our organization reached out to Lego, which then sent a cease and desist letter to the reckless gun maker," said Shannon Watts, founder of the group Moms Demand Action, which advocates for stricter gun controls.

The colorful brick design gives the semi-automatic weapon a strong resemblance to a Lego toy. The gun maker was marketing it as a "Block19" which sold for between $549 and $765.

"Here's one of those childhood dreams come to life," said Culper Precision in an advert for the gun on Instagram posted on June 24.

"Guns are fun. Shooting is fun. 30 rounds full auto is fun," the company said on its website.

Watts, who stressed that "unintentional shootings have risen by 30 percent in the past year," told the Washington Post her first reaction upon seeing the gun was that it was "sick and children would die."

She said that in 2021 there had been more than 165 accidental shootings by children in the US, according to the organization Everytown. Last year 142 people died as a result of accidental discharges by children or minors, the same group said.

Culper Precision's CEO Brandon Scott confirmed to the Washington Post that he had received Lego's formal notice and said the company had decided to comply, after having sold fewer than 20 of the items.

The controversy comes at a time when President Joe Biden has made the fight against the "epidemic" of gun violence one of his priorities.

The Democratic president presented measures in June to limit the circulation of firearms at the federal level, but Congress is deeply divided on the issue and the Democrats are struggling to push legislation through.

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