Anyone know the gun laws in South Carolina?

[Lurks Often]

9. There is Federal and state law gun laws

Purchase of a firearm from a FFL (Federal Firearms License) dealer is governed by Federal law

Here is the form from the ATF with all the dis-qualifiers listed: https://www.atf.gov/file/61446/download

SC state law on private sales is roughly as follows: South Carolina law prohibits knowingly selling, offering to sell, delivering, leasing, renting, bartering, exchanging, or transporting for sale into the state any handgun to a person prohibited from possessing handguns under South Carolina law

But no background check is required.

My own guess is when all the details come out, he probably bought the gun from a FFL and either had no prior criminal history or no criminal record of any significance.

I will also make the guess that there were warnings signs that were either ignored or kicked down the road for someone else to deal with.