Any DC firearm registrations since Heller?

[Moo 2 Drvr]

Has anyone tried to obtain a DC firearms registration since the Heller decision by the DC Circuit? If so, I would appreciate your thoughts on how the police responded to the request and whether you have actually gotten an approval.

I am considering applying for one for a shotgun so as to beat the rush, assuming Heller is decided in our favor, but I am concerned about a possible de facto moratorium on registration until the decision is rendered.

 

[tinygnat219]

buying a shotgun or rifle and registering it has never been illegal in DC. It's the handgun that has been.
Go ahead and go for it. Gilberts Small Arms Range is your closest choice in VA.

 

[RDak]

It's my understandiing the law is still in effect.

 

[Airman193SOS]

The law has been stayed pending the decision. Besides, are allowed to own a longarm, but God help you if they catch you with it unlocked, assembled and loaded.

 

[Moo 2 Drvr]

I understand that registering long guns has been legal since 1976. However, I have heard from several sources that the MPD is now slow walking the registration process, even for long guns. Thus my question.

 

[Len S]

With the big event rapidly approaching I wonder if any of the legal scholars among us will be able to tell which way things are going to go based on the oral arguments. Is this even a possibility?


Len

 

[ctdonath]

It's generally accepted (AFAIK) that oral arguments give no indication of how the case will go. The two parties blather their already-submitted talking points for a few minutes, and then some judges ask very specific questions about whatever was unclear in the briefs, which may have little or nothing to do with how the case is ruled on.

Of course, the blogosphere will examine every word in detail and proclaim forknowledge of the outcome.

Oral arguments is just a last chance to tidy up loose ends.

 

[Lichter]

It's generally accepted (AFAIK) that oral arguments give no indication of how the case will go

That's right. The case is decided on the briefs, the judges already have their minds made up, the arguments won't change anything

 

[AirForceShooter]

The game is figuring out how the Justices will vote based on their questions.
That's the fun part.

AFS

 

[LawBot5000]

Yeah, for example, if kennedy or ginsburg starts asking really pointed questions about which federal gun laws strict scrutiny will really threaten, that would be worth noting.

 

[txgho1911]

SG oral time may be spent with a shovel. They started a nice hole with that brief they submitted.

 

[lefteye]

Oral arguments can be very important. You can highlight the key strong points of your position and the key flaws in your opponent's position. You can answer questions from the justices to reinforce your position and attack flaws in your opponent's position. You can detect the interest of an individual justice based on questions from that justice and adapt your responses and further argument to persuade that justice your position is correct on the matters of concern to that justice.

 

[Vang]

If you ask me, the only part of the oral arguments that matter is whatever the Solicitor General says. All of the justices know what they think the 2nd amendment means, the only thing left is how best to make a political compromise. For that, the SG matters but nobody else does. Even then, I can't imagine anyone's political calculus will be much changed, and it's possible a few justices (perhaps some of the "conservative" justices minus Roberts) will ignore the political calculus altogether, but who knows.

 

[ilbob]

Gilberts Small Arms Range is your closest choice in VA.

A DC resident would not be able to buy a handgun from a VA dealer.

 

[tinygnat219]

Ilbob,

Sorry meant to clarify earlier, never got around to it. Rifles and shotguns CAN be purchased in VA.

 

[GlowinPontiac]

if the handgun ban is overturned couldn't DC simply ban gun stores within its limits therefore preventing anyone living there from being able to purchase a hangun?

 

[OMGWTFBBQ]

if the handgun ban is overturned couldn't DC simply ban gun stores within its limits therefore preventing anyone living there from being able to purchase a hangun?

Yes, but I don't think they could ban people from having FFLs(IIRC, FFL holders are actually exempt from the handgun ban as it is now), so buying from an out of state dealer, shipping it to an FFL holder in DC, and then getting the transfer done there would still be an option.

As for MPD dragging their feet on approving the long gun purchase, I wouldn't be surprised, and there really isn't anything you can do, save getting a lawyer to speed it up.

 

[Moo 2 Drvr]

I went down to MPD Firearms yesterday to register a shotgun. No problem. Business is very slow for them apparently. The two officers working there were professional. The rumors concerning MPD that I had heard did not seem to be true. Could be blind men and elephant problem. Maybe I just caught them on a good day.