I went and had my new handgun (safety inspected) at the sherrifs office today where the only thing they check is the serial number, and they gave me my green safety inpection card. I asked the clerk if I even needed to keep the card or toss it and she told me that whenever I had my handgun I had to carry the card with me or the cops or DNR could take my gun until they figured out it was mine. Do I have to do that? What does my inpection card have to do with this? I was just wonderin if anyone from MI knows whats up with this and if I really have to do that. The lady who does the inspections is not very bright. When I brought my 9mm there I had the empty clip in the gun and the slide was closed and she just grabbed the gun and set it on her desk with the barrel pointing rite at her guts while she wrote down the serial number. She never ckecked to see if it was loaded or safety off. I hope she just doesnt know what shes talking about with that card. Sorry for my first post being so long but I figured I could find the answer on The High Road.
MI Handguns
- Thread starter JB
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Sorry JB, but that's the way it is around here. The "safety inspection" is in all reality a defacto registration, despite what they choose to call it. Most folks even refer to your green card as the registration, although the state denies it vehemently. Just don't leave home without it. And never borrow a friends pistol, they won't just be holding your pistol, you will join it, for and extended period of time.
straightShot
Member
Nothing in the Michigan law states that you have to carry your card with you. If someone can show otherwise, please post it. I'd like to see it.
That being said, it doesn't hurt to carry the registration card, or a copy, however. This allows you to prove ownership immediately. This way, you can show that it's yours, not stolen, and a law enforcement type who thinks that you must carry a card won't take your firearm for a few days to the station for a visit.
Unfortunately, some law enforcement officials think that you are required to carry the card with you whenever you have your firearm in your possession. If you carry a card or a copy, you may eliminate the hassle of having your firearm being taken by an unknowledgeable cop.
That being said, it doesn't hurt to carry the registration card, or a copy, however. This allows you to prove ownership immediately. This way, you can show that it's yours, not stolen, and a law enforcement type who thinks that you must carry a card won't take your firearm for a few days to the station for a visit.
Unfortunately, some law enforcement officials think that you are required to carry the card with you whenever you have your firearm in your possession. If you carry a card or a copy, you may eliminate the hassle of having your firearm being taken by an unknowledgeable cop.
Standing Wolf
Member in memoriam
That was the so-called "safety" part of the so-called "inspection." She was obviously much more interested in the registration part that's not called that.
41mag
Member
You'll want to laminate the card too.The cheap paper your regis...oops
.Your SAFETY INSPECTION CERTIFICATE is printed on will fall apart pretty quick if it goes into the wallet.Then you have to go back & beg for another.
Welcome,BTW!
.Your SAFETY INSPECTION CERTIFICATE is printed on will fall apart pretty quick if it goes into the wallet.Then you have to go back & beg for another.Welcome,BTW!
GigaBuist
Member
Dunno what you mean by "quickly" but I've had a green card in my wallet for 3 years now as of tomorrow.
Hey, those cards DID do something good. Yesterday was my 3 year aniversary for buying my first gun. Bought Saturday, safety ispected Monday which was 6/11. I'd better write this down somewhere before I forget again
Hey, those cards DID do something good. Yesterday was my 3 year aniversary for buying my first gun. Bought Saturday, safety ispected Monday which was 6/11. I'd better write this down somewhere before I forget again
Jason Demond
Member
I was tempted not to Register the last gun I bought, but I did. I hate the idea of them knowing what I have.
I hate the idea of them knowing what I have.41mag
Member
Jason,you raise an interesting point.I wonder what would happen if you were to take your purchase permit to the dealer & they filled out their paperwork(kept their copy) but didn't take the handgun back to the PD to register the gun?I wonder if anyone here has ever let a permit go beyond the 10 day limit .Did the dept.call to check up on it?It seems un-likely that they would.Do dealers get audited by the state police?It seems to me that,unless physically checked by a leo,you could get away with keeping the gun without registering it.At least until you got caught.
Giga Buist,perhaps I'm just harder on the wallet than you.
Jason,on the purchase permit application where it asks how many handguns you have registered in MI?Be creative. They don't seem to check.
Giga Buist,perhaps I'm just harder on the wallet than you.
Jason,on the purchase permit application where it asks how many handguns you have registered in MI?Be creative.
They don't seem to check.GigaBuist
Member
I've probably bought 5 or 6 purchase permits that I never used up in the past few years. Whenever I buy one that I know I'll use I get 2 just in case I get the inkling to buy something else while I'm in the shop. I'll sometimes get one before a gun show and never use it (last time I couldn't find a Kel Tec Sub 2000 -- and it requires a handgun purchase permithere). They don't call and check up on you.
In fact I've taken purchased guns back to a Kent County department other than the one I got the purchase permit from. It's legal, but I found out the last time that they basically have to re-do the purchase permit and carry over all the info. In effect the purchase permit that's on file with the PD as being used isn't the sme one that I bought the handgun with. So in effect there's probably 7 or so dangling permits out there that never got used up by me.
The applications I've taken never ask me how many handguns I already own. They just ask if I've had a purchase permit before and skip the whole application/test process entirely. I plunk down $5 for each one and I'm out the door like nothing.
They also have no record of sale really. I know a fellow that purchased and traded so many handguns his local PD finally looked up his local file (he only lived in the state for a year or two at the time) and they informed him that he had more handguns on file than anybody else in Kent County.
In fact I've taken purchased guns back to a Kent County department other than the one I got the purchase permit from. It's legal, but I found out the last time that they basically have to re-do the purchase permit and carry over all the info. In effect the purchase permit that's on file with the PD as being used isn't the sme one that I bought the handgun with. So in effect there's probably 7 or so dangling permits out there that never got used up by me.
The applications I've taken never ask me how many handguns I already own. They just ask if I've had a purchase permit before and skip the whole application/test process entirely. I plunk down $5 for each one and I'm out the door like nothing.
They also have no record of sale really. I know a fellow that purchased and traded so many handguns his local PD finally looked up his local file (he only lived in the state for a year or two at the time) and they informed him that he had more handguns on file than anybody else in Kent County.
Literal state laws, just as any laws, have only about 25% to do with any legality issues. The other 75% comes from case law. Case law is always more important then the actual literal laws because that whats judges and DA's go by.
Example: You will find absolutely no right to privacy in the US consitution. It has been established through case law. There is an implied right.
Could be the same with your cards. Do some reasearch before you post something so misleading.
There is also nothing in Michigan case law that says you must have the green card in your possession when you have the gun.
Now, it might be a good idea to have it, but I've misplaced a couple of green cards (there somewhere, I just don't know where off hand), including one for one of my carry guns, and I just don't sweat it when I have the gun and not the card. At worst, if an officer has to run a check on the gun and LEIN is down, he'll probably take it until LEIN comes up later or I can prove ownerhip some other way. Since I've never had a officer run a check on any of my guns, I'm not too worried. If I ever have to use one defensively, I figure proving ownership without the green card with me will be the least of my problems.
Now, it might be a good idea to have it, but I've misplaced a couple of green cards (there somewhere, I just don't know where off hand), including one for one of my carry guns, and I just don't sweat it when I have the gun and not the card. At worst, if an officer has to run a check on the gun and LEIN is down, he'll probably take it until LEIN comes up later or I can prove ownerhip some other way. Since I've never had a officer run a check on any of my guns, I'm not too worried. If I ever have to use one defensively, I figure proving ownership without the green card with me will be the least of my problems.
straightShot
Member
Research? Misleading?
I didn't mislead anyone.
If a police officer thinks that you don't own a firearm or would like to check on the spot, he has the option of tying into LEIN, the Law Enforcement Information Network. LEIN can pull from many different databases.
To say that I've posted carelessly without doing my homework (reasearch(sic)) and misled anyone is baseless.
CannibalCrowley
Member
straightShot you're correct about no legally having to carry your green card. When I was first interested in getting a pistol I looked through MCRGO's website (before it became the mess it is today) and they stated that there is no law saying that you have to carry it and nobody has ever been prosecuted because he didn't have it on him.
However, they also said that one should carry it because most LEOs believe that it's against the law not to carry it. In fact, when I got my pistol inspected she called it a registration several times and even told me that it was illegal to not carry the registration. It's good to know that our LEOs know the law so well
However, they also said that one should carry it because most LEOs believe that it's against the law not to carry it. In fact, when I got my pistol inspected she called it a registration several times and even told me that it was illegal to not carry the registration. It's good to know that our LEOs know the law so well
I went to the little sherrifs sub station north of sparta, they had so much anti gun pamphlets there. The people there just seem to think that cops are the only ones who need a handgun. One of the pamphlets I looked at said that if you carry a handgun because you fear for you safety that your kids are gonna think that the world is so dangerous and there gonna try to get a gun so they can protect themselves. They had all kinds of useless crap in them.
The only thing ive ever seen about having a handgun with you was that you had to be going to a range to shoot or have a valid hunting license and be on your way to hunting. And all the other stuff about in a case etc. So Im going camping this weekend can I bring my new buckmark with me? I have a valid hunting license and woodchuck season is open. Or maybe I want to hunt skunks or opposums there open season to!
The only thing ive ever seen about having a handgun with you was that you had to be going to a range to shoot or have a valid hunting license and be on your way to hunting. And all the other stuff about in a case etc. So Im going camping this weekend can I bring my new buckmark with me? I have a valid hunting license and woodchuck season is open. Or maybe I want to hunt skunks or opposums there open season to!
Stand_Watie
Member
Ha, ha! look here
http://www.michigan.gov/msp/0,1607,7-123-1591_3503_4654-10953--,00.html
I was looking for an answer to your question and found something that amused me, now even the Michigan state police are using the term "registered" and "registration" to refer to the "safety inspection".
http://www.michigan.gov/msp/0,1607,7-123-1591_3503_4654-10953--,00.html
I was looking for an answer to your question and found something that amused me, now even the Michigan state police are using the term "registered" and "registration" to refer to the "safety inspection".
If you have a CPL, you don't need a purchase permit at all. For private sales, you can print and use this form:
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/ri-060_6454_7.pdf
A related site:
http://www.michigan.gov/msp/0,1607,7-123-1591_3503_4654-16241--,00.html
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/ri-060_6454_7.pdf
A related site:
http://www.michigan.gov/msp/0,1607,7-123-1591_3503_4654-16241--,00.html
Mixlesplick
Member
"If you have a CPL, you don't need a purchase permit at all."
In Michigan the FFL dealer still has to do the FBI check even if the purchaser has a CPL. I got tired of being told to wait three days after the dealer did the FBI check. Now I just go down to the PD and show my CPL and they give me the purchase permit on the spot. I guess it just wouldn't be right if I didn't have to jump through some hoops.
:banghead: :banghead:
It makes no sense that the Michigan CPL can replace the Michigan purchase permit and the purchase permit can replace the FBI check but the CPL cannot replace the FBI check.
In Michigan the FFL dealer still has to do the FBI check even if the purchaser has a CPL. I got tired of being told to wait three days after the dealer did the FBI check. Now I just go down to the PD and show my CPL and they give me the purchase permit on the spot. I guess it just wouldn't be right if I didn't have to jump through some hoops.
:banghead: :banghead:
It makes no sense that the Michigan CPL can replace the Michigan purchase permit and the purchase permit can replace the FBI check but the CPL cannot replace the FBI check.
My ex-LEO CCW instructor said in no uncertain terms that he never carries his green cards on him. In fact he said he didn't even know where some of his certificates were! His suggestion which I agreed with is to lock them up and leave them there. If you're CCW and the police pull you over for example and they want to "run the number" they'll do so to prove it's yours (or at least, that it's not stolen) and you'll be fine.
I also view the green cards as registrations. Sucks but if you want to be a law abiding citizen in these current times what are you to do?
I also view the green cards as registrations. Sucks but if you want to be a law abiding citizen in these current times what are you to do?
Declaration Day
Member
I find it hilarious that they even try to disguise handgun registration as a safety inspection. If it were truly a safety inspection, they'd manually cycle the action, check the operation of the safety devices and maybe even take it and fire a few rounds at their range.
I remember buying my first handgun here in MI. The safety inspection consisted of a check of the serial number, then a visual once-over of the gun. The compliment "Nice pistol" was paid to me, and I was off with my new, "safety inspected" gun!
I remember buying my first handgun here in MI. The safety inspection consisted of a check of the serial number, then a visual once-over of the gun. The compliment "Nice pistol" was paid to me, and I was off with my new, "safety inspected" gun!
Jason Demond
Member
You don't have to register C&R handguns in MI, if you don't plan on shooting it. So says the lady at the Sheriffs office, FWIW.
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