Waiting periods, etc in different States

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ToxicSteel

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Hello, all. In an attempt to consider places where I would and wouldn't want to move to, I (of course) want to consider firearms and political climate when deciding.

So I went to packing.org and checked out the states that do and do not "shall-issue" permits. But that got me thinking... getting a permit isn't all there is to firearms ownership! So if anyone would be so kind as to either (1) point me to a website that would answer the following questions about different states, or (2) answer the questions for your home state, I would greatly appreciate it!!!

(1) Is there a waiting period to purchase? Is it for everyone? How long is it?
(2) Is there an open carry law in your state? Is it commonly practiced?
(3) What is the general political climate when related to firearms (including shooting on your own land, hunting, etc)?

Thanks folks... coming from PA but living very close to NJ, I know that those imaginary political boundaries really affect gun ownership!

Steve
 
Michigan


1) No wateing but you do need a permit to buy ( Get it at your local PD at no cost to you ) if you dont allready have a CCW



2) Michigan does allow open carry but citys and countys can govern over it on weather or not they will allow it.:scrutiny:



3) I would rate michigan at a pucker factor of ten right now due to the fact that new CCW laws are only about 4 years old and their still trying to make changes to them.


All and all michigan kind of sucks if you dont know the easy way to get through all the BS
 
Washington State - they are "shall issue":

1: No waiting period if you have a concealed pistol license, otherwise it's 5 days (I think, maybe it was 7)

2: Open carry is not commonly practiced, but it is (somewhat) legal. There is a law prohibiting open carry "in a manner that warrants alarm". The only case law regarding this is a man who was walking quickly with his head down with an ak-47 who was ultimately convicted. I'd say if you chose to open carry here, you may or may not face questions from the police, but I seriously doubt you would wind up with a conviction. I've been considering open carrying here for a while now. And counties can't ban it themselves. I've never seen someone open carrying here other than LEO and security guards.

3: Washington is referred to as eastern Washington (more rural) and wester Washington (more urban), which are separated by the Cascade mountains. I live in western Washington which is quite a socialist climate. The people here aren't particularly anti or pro... guns just aren't much of an issue at all in western Washington and you rarely hear people discussing them either way or read editorials about them in the papers. Overall, it's a pretty good place for a gun owner. I think the Brady Bunch rating is D-.

By the way, there are about 225,000 current CPL's in Washington, which is 5% of the adult population. They don't require any training, but do require fingerprints, a fee, background check including involuntary visits to mental hospitals, and they take 30 days to send it. It's valid for 5 years. And CPL licenses are not public record, you can only find out how many are issued - not who has them.

Washington's laws are called RCW (revised code of Washington):
RCW re: open carry: http://www.leg.wa.gov/RCW/index.cfm?section=9.41.270&fuseaction=section
RCW's re: firearms: http://www.leg.wa.gov/RCW/index.cfm?fuseaction=chapterdigest&chapter=9.41
 
Hawaii answers....

Here are the answers for Hawaii....

(1) Is there a waiting period to purchase? Is it for everyone? How long is it?

For long guns you obtain a Permit to Acquire which is good for one year then you renew it. It takes two weeks to process but that only holds you up for the first one because you would then time your renewal submission to ensure there is no gap in the coverage. With that there is no other waiting period for long guns. You still have to go register the long gun at the main police station within three days of purchase.

For handguns: First you need to take the Hunter's Ed course or a sanctioned handgun safety course. Then you find the gun you want to buy, give the seller the money, seller retains gun. You then take the info down to the main police station, fill out the paperwork for a Permit to Acquire, go away and wait for two weeks, go back to the main police station, pick up the approved Permit to Acquire, take that to the seller, pick up your handgun, then finally take the handgun and the paperwork back to the main police station to register your firearm. The process and the inherent two week wait (with the three trips to the main police station) has to happen every single time you purchase a handgun.

(2) Is there an open carry law in your state? Is it commonly practiced?

You're kidding right? There are only a certain number of authorized places you can be in transit between to even have any of your firearms off your property (and then they need to be unloaded, cased, and as remote from you as possible and still be inside your vehicle).

(3) What is the general political climate when related to firearms (including shooting on your own land, hunting, etc)?

Hunters are generally well regarded, quite a few areas for hunting (pigs, turkey, deer, sheep, various birds) on the various islands.

Use of firearms for personal protection seems to be an idea that appalls the powers that be. The unbelieveably difficult process for acquiring a handgun coupled with the fact that the main shooting range does not support practicing defensive shooting gives one the distinct impression that we should all be good sheep dependant on the authorized authorities for protection.

Sorry, great place to live if you surf; not so great if you believe in the "shall not be infringed" part of the consititution.

migoi
 
Fla
1)
3 day wait for handguns unless you have a CCW permit.
I have also been told, but have not confirmed it, that you are also exempt from the wait if you already own a handgun and can show proof.
Since I almost always buy with layaway I've never felt the need to test the theory, which I suspedt is not true anyway.

2)
Open carry is a misdemeaner, unless going to , coming form or engaged in hunting or fishing

3)
Guns are a part of life for locals and long termers. New transplants generally bring their predjudices with them.
Most local LE are pro gun or at least not rabidly anti.
If your property is outside the city limits and is large enough to accomodate safe shooting there generally is no problem.

My views come from experience in the Orlando area other areas may have different personalities.
 
For California:

1) There is a waiting period of 10 days. Felons do not apply since they cant buy firearms.

2) Open carry is not legal here. Big surprise. Quick way to go to jail is to open carry.

3) Next to Massachusetts, this place is the next anti-gun state in this country. Shooting on your own land leads to arrest since its firing a firearms within city grounds. Its getting worse here in California.
 
Virginia:
1) no waiting period
2) open carry statewide
3) generally gun friendly, there is a one gun a month law, but there has always been a backdoor around this and now a CCW gets you around this law also.
 
Black Majik - are you sure about open carry for CA? I was under the impression that open carry was only illegal in large (200,000+ person) cities.
 
Vermont:

No wait...Bought a pistol on a 1/2 hour lunch break.
Open carry, conceled carry, no permit needed
Shoot in your backyard in the country, some city limit restrictions.
 
Ohio

No waiting period, no other purchase restrictions, no statewide bans, some of the big cities have restrictions on mag capacity and types of guns.

Open carry is legal, maybe practiced in rural areas but I've never seen it in the suburbs where I spend most of my time. If I open carried in my city I'm about 100% sure I'd be arrested.

Climate where I live, suburbs of cleveland, is pretty anti-gun. Most of the state is rural and probably more friendly. CCW law just went to affect in april, it has some serious problems and there is alot of misinformation going around. Hopefully things will settle down a bit over the next year or so.
 
Massachusetts:

(1) Is there a waiting period to purchase? Is it for everyone? How long is it?

No waiting period, but a license is required to purchase. Getting the license can be difficult or easy, depending on the town/city you live in.

(2) Is there an open carry law in your state? Is it commonly practiced?

Open carry is not allowed, firearms MUST be concealed.

(3) What is the general political climate when related to firearms (including shooting on your own land, hunting, etc)?

General climate is highly dependent on where you live.

Shooting on your own land is ok, if you have enough land. You must be at least 500 feet (I think) from any dwelling or have permission from the owners. Not positive about the distance, I don't have it in front of me. Some towns have bylaws that forbid discharge of firearms withing town limits, unless in self-defense.
 
New York

1. No waiting period. No nics check either if you have your handgun permit.

2. NY is concealed carry only. No open carry allowed. Handgun permits aren't terribly hard to obtain either, it's not shall issue. But if you fill out the paperwork and get some references, in 6 months you too can carry a pistola!

3. Firearms climate is friendly. IF you own land, shoot on it to your hearts content. If you're in a village or town somewhere, i'd not go about discharging your firearms about the local coffee shop. Common sense applies there I suppose. Hunting is great. More deer than we can deal with. Lots of open space in NY though, and generally, people don't gawk and stare and weapons in disbelief. Overall it's a pretty good state for gun owerns, just steer clear of the city and you'll be fine.
 
Eastern Washington State,

As stated above, Eastern and Western Washington are a lot like 2 different states.

(1) Is there a waiting period to purchase? Is it for everyone? How long is it?

5 days for a handgun unless you have a CPL. I believe you can get a rifle on the same day, though I have purchased all of my rifles in Idaho.

(2) Is there an open carry law in your state? Is it commonly practiced?

Open carry is technically legal, though the general rule of thumb is don't carry within city limits... In some of the smaller towns in Eastern Washington, most people open carry. This has created some interesting culture clashes when people from a small town in eastern Washington head to the Seattle or Spokane areas. I don't have a handgun at the moment, but in a couple of months I plan on open carrying while hiking... Quite a few people do that. You also may not have a loaded fire-arm in your car unless it is on your person.

(3) What is the general political climate when related to firearms (including shooting on your own land, hunting, etc)?

The political climate in E Washington is pretty much pro gun. I believe it is legal to shoot almost anywhere outside of city limits where you have a safe backdrop... though I am a range member and pretty much just do my shooting there. On an average day I probably see 4 people CCing and I live in a college town, so you have to figure it's less than average here.
 
South Carolina is well on it's way to doing away with gun laws and just recognizing federal law. We have repealed many laws lately and are working on some others. We are easily one of the better gun friendly states, but don't move here because we are filling up with old yankees as it is.

:D
 
(1) Is there a waiting period to purchase? Is it for everyone? How long is it?
(2) Is there an open carry law in your state? Is it commonly practiced?
(3) What is the general political climate when related to firearms (including shooting on your own land, hunting, etc)?
Click to expand...

Illinois. You could do worse (MA, CA, NJ, NYC), but you can sure do better.

1) Waiting period, 1 day for long guns, 3 days for handguns. This is despite the fact that we have an "instant check" system that is, in fact, pretty close to instant.

2) Open carry? No. Concealed Carry? No, unless you want to do "Six seconds to safety", which is a quirk in Illinois' gun transportation law.

3) Gun climate? Outside of Daleyland, it's OK. Our state senator says that the input he gets on gun issues is overwhelmingly pro-gun.
 
Last edited:
Written by Bad Words
Black Majik - are you sure about open carry for CA? I was under the impression that open carry was only illegal in large (200,000+ person) cities.
Click to expand...
You have it very nearly right. Open Carry is legal in COUNTIES of under 200,000.

I know there is at least one such county, Modoc. There may be another. It is hard to find an acre in California with fewer than 200,000... finding such a county is nearly miraculous.
 
Alaska:
Show up at gun store with money.
No NICS check for those with CHLs.
CHLs optional since VT style concealed carry law went into effect.
Recognition of CHLs from all states.
Visitors to state can also carry openly or concealed same as residents.
No restrictions on aquisition other than those covered under federal law.
Class III friendly.
Open carry allowed and practiced as a matter of routine in rural areas. Less common in urban areas.
Statutes cover misuse only.
Guns in vehicle loaded/unloaded, concealed/plainview not an issue. Just make sure you tell the nice trooper if ya get pulled over.
Guns not a political issue here. RKBA in AK Constitution clearly enumerates individual right.
Word of advice though, stay the hayel away from Denali NP and the Nazi Park Circus.
But you don't want to come up here anyway, it's way too cold.
 
"Illinois. You could do worse (MA, CA, NJ, NYC), but you can sure do better."

Let's see: You cannot carry AT ALL. I can. You have a mandatory waiting period, while I do not. I can have machine guns, you cannot.

How is Illinois better than MA? :confused:
 
Arizona
(1) Is there a waiting period to purchase? Is it for everyone? How long is it?
Click to expand...
About 15 minutes for the instacheck, or none if you have an AZ CCW.
(2) Is there an open carry law in your state? Is it commonly practiced?
Click to expand...
Yes, and oh, yeah!
(3) What is the general political climate when related to firearms (including shooting on your own land, hunting, etc)?
Click to expand...
Shoot at least 1/4 mile from an occupied structure. Shoot whatever you own as long as it's legal.
No restriction on homeland defense rifles, magazine limits, purchase per month, how many you can carry on you Shall-Issue CCW permit, no ammo restrictions, pre-emption law, recognize several out of state permits, AZ permit is both resident and non-residect....etc. AND, not all of AZ is hot....
 
1) none
2) yes
3) ccl cost 10$ and is good for 4 years if that answers your question.

NH
 
3) I would rate michigan at a pucker factor of ten right now due to the fact that new CCW laws are only about 4 years old and their still trying to make changes to them.

All and all michigan kind of sucks if you dont know the easy way to get through all the BS
Click to expand...

I would have to disagree. I do live in the country, so my version may be a bit different. Here is my take on MI:

(1) Is there a waiting period to purchase? Is it for everyone? How long is it?
Again, need a permit. When I got mine, it took about 5 min. But, it did cost me $5 (the max they can charge, IIRC). No waiting period or permit needed to purchase if you have a CCW, don't quote me on this, but I still believe that you must send the purchase information to the state police and obtain a permit for the pistol.

(2) Is there an open carry law in your state? Is it commonly practiced?
Quite common in the woods (again, in the country). Not uncommon, not common either, in small rural towns. Don't think it would go over well in Detroit.

(3) What is the general political climate when related to firearms (including shooting on your own land, hunting, etc)?
Very good in the country, and in my opinion, better the farther north you go. I regularly shot on my own land (80 acres, half field, half woods), hunted on my own land. Most of the people around me don't hunt or shoot, but are supportive of you hunting and shooting. Now, I've moved up to the Keweenaw peninsula, the little tip coming off the top of the UP, and my college provides me storage for my guns.

Like I said, a little differrent perspective. This was from growing up in Midland, a conservative town of educated wealthy people. Don't know if darkmind actually lives in Grand Rapids, or around, but that could have a siginificant impact on his or her view, as well.

Maybe it would be good for everyone to share their opinion, even if your state is already listed. Going from Detroit to Seney will bring about a large change in attitudes, so I suspect that the same holds true for other states, too.

Edited: No waiting or permits on long guns, only handguns. Also, no NFA goodies in MI :mad:. Understandable, somewhat, since the law was written before the NFA was around, but I wish they would change it back.
 
Well here ya go for NJ:

1. Waiting periods......technically no.....reality OOOOOH yes.
For rifles and shotguns you need a Firearms ID Card which by law is supposed to take no longer than 30 days to aquire, but that has NEVER happened ANYWHERE. You need to submit $49 to the FBI for a fingerprint check, $5 to the state for the FID card, 2 fingerprint cards, mental health records release, and two references. Mine took 14 months to come back and that was AFTER I had been through the police academy. Once you have your FID rifles and shotguns are not a problem as you can buy as many as you want and the card is good for life. Well almost....unless you move....then you need to get a new one issued. If it's been past 10 years since your got it get ready to go through the whoooooooole process AGAIN.

Handguns you get to go through that process with the rifles everytime in order to get a Permit to Purchase. Most towns after you have gone through the process once will not require fingerprints anymore and the time for a permit can range from a few days to a few weeks to god knows how long.

2. You wanna carry what?? A gun?? In NJ??? Surely you jest. No open carry, concealed carry, standing on your head carry, dragging a safe behind you carry......nada.....don't even think about asking.

3. Political climate pretty much sucks big time. Big anti-gun bias through most of the state. Down in south jersey where I am it's not AS bad and there are a LOT of hunters around, of which I am not one of so I still get looked at funny. Most of the people around my neighborhood are gun owners, though it's not really talked about all that much. There's not really any place to shoot in Jersey other than an organized range, and even though state statutes allow target practice in the state forrest and other areas it's really not a good idea as you're just asking for trouble.

Throw in the state assault weapons ban, smart gun law, ammo log, and the fact that we produced Sen. Frank Lautenturd you have just about one of THE worst states when it comes to gun rights in the union.
:banghead:
 
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