The Laws
The federal Brady Law requires that federally licensed firearms dealers (FFLs) conduct background checks on gun sales.
The Brady Law does not apply to gun sales within Minnesota from private sellers.
Minnesota requires individuals to obtain a permit to purchase a handgun, but only FFLs are required to view those permits before selling a gun. (Although, in some cases, private sellers may suffer a penalty if the buyer was a prohibited purchaser and commits a crime within a year using that gun.)
Minnesota requires identification be shown when a private seller sells a gun to a stranger. However, there is no penalty imposed on the seller for breaking that law.
Minnesota does not require records to be kept of private sales of guns.
Gun Shows & Newspaper Ads
Many gun shows in Minnesota have some sellers who are not federally licensed dealers.
Many Minnesota newspapers accept classified ads for private gun sales.
Implications
Anyone in Minnesota who is prohibited from purchasing a firearm (i.e. teenagers, felons, domestic abusers, etc.) can easily go to a gun show or look through classified ads and purchase a gun without being asked for ID or undergoing a background check. These guns can be resold on the streets and become very difficult to trace.