text: The Fed. Govt is not allowed to have ANY form of registration for guns and gun owners, thank goodness and thank the NRA. However, F*cked up states like CA and NY do require registration IF you are EVEN allowed to purchase a firearm. \nYou did not specify what state you are in, so it is difficult to answer your question of whether or not you can purchase a firearm in another state and keep it in another, you need to edit your question and be specific.\n I do, however, understand your plight. I'm from CA and when I returned from my enlistment, I was infuriated I could not purchase a firearm with out waiting for weeks for a 'cool down' period and paying outrageous fees. So I got a job where I was allowed to carry a gun and used that everywhere I went. But it's hard to go around irrational laws this way so not everyone can do this. I also understand the concern of having to register your guns with ANYONE. People like some of the other answerer's immediately think you are up to no good when you wanna PURCHASE a firearm but forget that personal protection is not guaranteed by the police, only yourself. \nYou can purchase a firearm in a surrounding state like Arizona and even 'open' carry it without a permit in THAT state, but you have to list a residential address in that state and you cannot transport the firearm back to CA, where I THINK  you are from, without listing it in that state,(CA). I can be of more help if you are more specific in your state.