Gun ownership procedure in other states

[FourteenMiles]

In my state of Massachusetts to own a gun, even a bolt action rifle, you need to get a FOID (firearms owners identification). To get this you needs to take a simple class and than apply with the chief of police in your resident town. Or you could take a CCL class and apply for both your CCL and FOID in one go, which is more worthwhile obviously. What really sucks is they can impose restriction on your permit such as no high capacity magazines.

What are other states like? Can an adult who has never owned or even handled a gun just walk into a sporting goods store and buy all they want after a back round check? But then they can't carry a handgun until they get a CCL right? And Arizona, Alaska, and Vermont you don't even need a CCL to carry a handgun?

 

[rromeo]

No, I think your state is the worst, or at least in the top three. New York, New Jersey, or Massachusetts suck.

 

[KodiakBeer]

Can an adult who has never owned or even handled a gun just walk into a sporting goods store and buy all they want after a back round check? But then they can't carry a handgun until they get a CCL right? And Arizona and Vermont you don't even need a CCL to carry a handgun?

That's pretty much the picture in most states. Of course, you don't need to do a background check if you buy from a private individual. Add Alaska to the states that don't require a CCL.

 

[Lucky Derby]

In some other states you don't need a CCW CHL or whatever to carry it, as long as you don't conceal it.
I don't know that Mass is the worst but in the top 5
NY, NJ, IL, MA & CA.

 

[armoredman]

AZ laws are easy to explain to you. Everything you can't do, we can. Move on out, lots of room.

 

[Cosmoline]

In most states you can also do face-to-face, resident-to-resident intrastate transactions without a background check. They're very common up here in AK. Firearms are almost a form of currency.

 

[phoglund]

Montana has no restrictions on purchase other than the usual no felony or domestic abuse convictions, mental competence etc. Open carry legal and concealed carry legal without permit outside of incorporated towns and cities. Concealed weapons permit is shall issue. No capacity issues or restrictions.

Paul

 

[Sam1911]

In most states, if you walk into a gun shop and find a gun you like you fill out the form 4473 and they call the NICS to run you name to see if you're a prohibited person. In 5 minutes, you walk out with the gun.

In most states, if you find someone who wants to sell a gun -- and both of you live in the same state -- he/she can sell it to you without any paperwork whatsoever. In fact, it is generally even legal to buy a gun from someone in the same state and have them mail it directly to you without you ever having met -- though this isn't an extremely common practice.

In most states, it is perfectly legal for you to own a machine gun, silencer, short-barreled rifle, short-barreled shotgun, or other NFA-regulated item -- so long as you're following federal law on the matter.

In a great many states, you may lawfully carry a loaded firearm on your person without any permit/license as long as you don't conceal it.

In a great many states, if you want to apply for a concealed carry permit/license, the issuing authority MUST issue it to you if they don't know of any prohibiting conditions. (Some states allow carrying almost everywhere, with a permit, some have a surprising array of restrictions... you have to check the state laws ahead of time.)

In three states, you can carry concealed without any permit/license at all.

Now ... every state has their own hodge-podge of which degrees of freedom they recognize for which issue, so you have to do a little homework to find out what a specific state does or doesn't allow, but that's easy:

www.nra-ila.org
www.handgunlaw.us
www.opencarry.org
etc.

 

[xcgates]

Here in Texas I walked into a store, saw they had a firearms section, asked the employee behind the counter what were the requirements for buying a pistol. He asked if I was military (I am), and all I needed was either residency, or a copy of my orders and ID card. Then the normal short background check, pay the nice cashier, and walk on out.

Nice change of pace from NY, I might add. No government permit needed to by a gun here, thank you very much.

In NY, I might be a bit mixed up, but as I recall, you need a pistol permit to fire or buy a pistol, which can have restrictions on it.

 

[swiftak]

New Hampshire is the complete opposite of Ma. I, however will not invite you to move up here as we just went over 1 million and are above our carrying capacity.

 

[Alec]

I live in New Jersey and we have an FID card system. There's no required class to take, but you need to go to your police department to fill out two forms. Then you schedule a fingerprinting appointment (this used to be done locally but is now done by a third-party digital fingerprinting company in most towns) and bring back proof it was completed.

There is a state police background investigation, mental health records search and the PD starts a local check on you where they contact the two references you provided. Some people have reported their place of employment being contacted as well (that info is required on the form).

After you get approved, you can pick up the FID card and/or pistol permit. One permit allows you to buy one pistol. They expire in 3 months but you can only buy one pistol a month in NJ. Extensions can be filed on the pistol permits (up to 6 months, if I recall correctly). Each time you want more pistol permits you need to go through the process again, minus the fingerprinting.

From what I've heard the average turnaround for the initial process is 4 months with new pistol permit turnaround being slightly shorter.

Applying for CCW in NJ is a very, very bad idea. You WILL be rejected and thereafter will need to check the "yes" box for the rest of your life when asked if you have ever been denied a permit. You'd have to explain the circumstances under which you were denied (perhaps "I lived in a state that rejects CCW permits without a hefty bribe" is sufficient).

Purchasing a firearm requires a bunch of paperwork and the NJ NICS check.

It's interesting that you say "even a bolt action"-- in NJ, there is no distinction made for action type or even for black powder. A bolt action .22lr with a 17 round tube is considered an assault rifle, and is illegal.

Pardon me if I sound bitter, but quite frankly I am. NJ firearm owners are treated like criminals.

 

[KodiakBeer]

I live in New Jersey and we have an FID card system.

People with Navy or Coast Guard backgrounds will be shocked and horrified to hear about this!

 

[Igloodude]

New Hampshire is the complete opposite of Ma. I, however will not invite you to move up here as we just went over 1 million and are above our carrying capacity.

Indeed. I'd recommend Vermont, which is right next door and just about equally nice.

 

[Texas Gun Person]

Texas you can just walk into a store, go up and point to any pistol. Then wait a few minutes for a background check, and walk out with your new gun a fire minutes later. All they ask for is a drivers license.


A license is required to carry a concealed handgun.

 

[Tom488]

A bolt action .22lr with a 17 round tube is considered an assault rifle, and is illegal.

No, it isn't. An "assault firearm" in NJ has to be a semi-auto.

 

[CapnMac]

A license is required to carry a concealed handgun.

Actually, Texas allows you to carry handguns in your car as long as they are concealed, CHL or not. Longarms can generally be carried openly in a vehicle.

There is a weird gray spot for open carry during "normal outdoor activities," which used to mean you could take a K-22 with you fishing, or side arm while pig hunting or the like. Except, the CHL positively states that you must be concealed at all times. Otherwise no open carry in Texas at all. Except on private property. Or in a business with the express permission of the owner.

 

[nalioth]

Longarms can generally be carried openly in a vehicle.

There is no "generally" about it. You can carry a long long however you like (keeping in mind the firearms restrictions [not in a bar, voting place, etc])

Texas does not restrict long gun carriage (in a vehicle, loaded, on your back, unloaded, on your bicycle, magazine in, in your little red wagon, magazine out, etc).

 

[NavyLCDR]

Can an adult who has never owned or even handled a gun just walk into a sporting goods store and buy all they want after a background check?

Yep. It's called freedom. You should try it sometime; be careful,though, it is known to be extremely addictive to those that indulge in it on a regular basis!

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Texas you can just walk into a store, go up and point to any pistol. Then wait a few minutes for a background check, and walk out with your new gun a fire minutes later. All they ask for is a drivers license.

WOW! Only a DL to purchase a firearm! My gunshop demands cash!

 

[cadillacmike]

Derby has the top (worst) 5 states.

If I had to rank then they would be:

1 NJ - WORST
2 MA - VERY restrictive - and i used to live there, but at least you can get a permit.
3 NY - NYC is just as bad as NJ, not state-wide consistency and i used to live there too
4 CA - stupid wait of rifles, again no state-wide consistency
5 IL - Chicago / cook CTY ruins it for the rest of the state I don't think they allow concaled carry either, but not as stupid as NJ.

If I'm ever selling ammunition, i usually state no sales to NJ, MA, CA, NY, DC or cook cty IL, so those are definitely the worst 5.

Here in FL, no permit needed for anytrhinfg except the Fed full auto megadollar stuff.
3 day wait on a handgun if you do not have a concealed weapon permit.
generally no open carry allowedunless to / from the range. but you can stuff anything in your trunk and not be in violation of concealed law (if you don't have a permit.

Only a few states do not allow concealed carry (see worst 5 above). Wisconson, interestingly does not allow concealed carry, but has nearly unrestricted open carry - gov was quited as saying "you want to carry a gun in WI, carry it on your hip" It's the opposite of NJ / IL and WI borders on IL...

Notice how the worst 5 are all 'blue" states, with some of the highest crime rates (got to add DC to the worst 5 even though its not a state). just ridliculous.....

Worst 5 have some of the highest taxes and highest cost of living as well....... Why do you think I left - took a $20K pay cut but still came out ahead.

 

[Alec]

No, it isn't. An "assault firearm" in NJ has to be a semi-auto.

I stand corrected. While there is a 15 round limit regardless it would not be considered an assault weapon. Thanks for keeping me on my toes.

 

[Shadow 7D]

My state is absolutely Horrible, you go the the store, pay your money *may take a while due to dickering, fill out the federal form.

Get the ammo, load the gun, throw it in the back and take off.
Gotta love the Vermont carry law

 

[LemmyCaution]

Indeed. I'd recommend Vermont, which is right next door and just about equally nice.

Yeah, except there's nowhere to live here, since all the wealthy folks from MA, NY and NJ bought all the houses for summer homes. Nor are there any jobs, save for mowing the lawns of said summer homes, or helping wealthy tourists onto the ski lift in the winter.

Of course, if you're independently wealthy already, you can move up here and spend all your time making the place just like the one you left.

Anecdotally, I've seen FTF transfers done to settle bar tabs here. Firearms are a form of currency in VT (and, yes, it's perfectly legal here to walk into a bar with a ratchet at your waist and tip back a few. I wouldn't recommend shooting anyone after that, but it is legal.)

 

[armoredman]

Why not, I traded a revolver for a security deposit at my apartment.
To the OP, one thing, you said AZ doesn't need a concealed carry license to carry concealed, no, we don't but we never needed any type of permit/license/mommy-may-I to carry openly, either. I know a couple of MA former residents here - one works at my favorite pawn shop, and loves carrying his new 1911.

 

[oneounceload]

When I lived in NV, the drugstore sold guns and reloading supplies. It also had a full liquor department- you could go in, buy a gun, ammo, go to the back part, pick up a bottle of Jack, then head over to the pharmacy and get your mood meds - all in one trip!

They even let you advertise your guns for sale on the paper with no restrictions...........Carson City even has a free public shooting park - they only asked you not to use incendiary in the summer due to fire concerns