Technically, if you buy a handgun third-party, you only have to be 18, primarily because "The Man" can't trace person-to-person exchanges. I've never done one, but did get lucky enough to "inherit" or be "gifted" two handguns of my own (neither of which would make for good CCW, one because of caliber, the other because of size). But a large gun is better than no gun at all. But, being only 18, that's not a poblem, since all I can do it carry open, which I've yet to try (no holster).