1st pistol buy, legal requirments?

[rockbass]

Hi all, looking to get a pistol for home defense. I work nights occasionally and I hate to leave my girl alone. What do I need to do for the state in order to purchase one?

[duckhunter382]

go to your local sheriffs office and show Id to get a purchase permit then you have to bring the permit to the gun seller and then take the gun and the paperwork back to the police for a safety inspection.

[LAN]

Rockbass;
If you intend to have your "girl" use it for self defense, she needs to have some firearms training. Many sportsman's clubs offer that kind of training. Not a bad idea for BOTH of you to take it.
It is also a very good idea to get something that will be comfortable for her to handle. I saw one woman at our club fire a .40 caliber -- the noise and recoil frightened her so much she dropped the weapon and ran out of the range.

[CMR]

Could get a shotgun instead......

[kitchue]

Here are a few FQAs cut and pasted questions/answers from MSP website that should help you get the ball rolling in the right direction and within the law:

3. How old do I have to be in order to have a pistol registered in my name in Michigan?

MCL 28.422 & 28.429 Eighteen (18) years of age. However, Federal law prohibits a federally licensed firearms dealer from selling a pistol to anyone under the age of twenty-one (21).

5. In Michigan, what is a License to Purchase and is one needed in every case where a pistol is acquired?

MCL 28.422 A License to Purchase is a license required prior to acquisition of a pistol by purchase or gift. The important part of the License to Purchase is the affidavit signed by the purchaser swearing to their own qualifications. A License to Purchase is not needed for anyone with a valid Concealed Pistol License, for firearms dealers purchasing from wholesalers, or for relics, curios, antiques, etc., not made for modern ammunition.

6. What are the steps necessary to purchase and legally possess a pistol in Michigan without a concealed pistol license?

MCL 28.422& MCL 28.429 The prospective purchaser must successfully pass (70% or more) a basic pistol safety questionnaire and obtain a License to Purchase, which is valid for 10 days, from the local law enforcement agency. The purchaser must sign a notarized sworn statement that they meet the Michigan qualifications to purchase/obtain a pistol. At the time of the purchase, the purchaser and the seller complete the form. The License to Purchase, along with the pistol, must be returned to the local law enforcement agency within 10 days to obtain a Safety Inspection Certificate (registration).

11. Does a person have to be a United States citizen in order to purchase a pistol?

Although MCL 28.422 states a person must be a citizen of the United States to purchase a pistol, the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled this as unconstitutional. Per Federal law, you must be a legal resident alien, having resided in this state for 90 days.

3. Is it okay if I loan my pistol to a friend?

MCL 28.432 An individual can carry, possess, use or transport a pistol belonging to another individual, if the pistol is properly licensed and inspected under the Act, and the individual carrying, possessing, using or transporting the pistol has obtained a license to carry a pistol concealed permit from Michigan.

[jjc155]

Could get a shotgun instead......

If the gun is for home defense only, a shot gun would be a great choice. 12ga loaded with #4Buck is what I have in my house (my 1187 alternates 2 rounds of #4buck, 2 slugs etc and has an extended 8 round tube, ghost ring sights, pistol grip tactical stock with extra ammo). #4 buck is less likely to blow through walls into other rooms but will more than do the trick in interior engagement distances.

Also as is stated above, that if you intend the gun for your girlfriend to have for protection while you are away, make sure that she is willing and able to use the gun if needed. If she is not willing/able to shoot/kill someone to protect herself, she has no business having a gun as it will only be a HUGE liability in the end. The gun would likely be taken from her and used possibly be used against her and/or others. You CANNOT rely on the mere sight of a gun scaring someone away, and there are NO warning shots in my opinion.

If she is genuinely capible of pulling the trigger when needed then game on. Get her some training and practice so that she is confident with what every firearm you choose to get.

If you are set on a hangun, you can not overlook the reliability of a revolver. There are less things to go wrong and less change of "limp wristing" it and causing a stoppage.

Just my 2 cents/Hope this helps,
J-

[M1Garand]

If the gun is for home defense only, a shot gun would be a great choice. 12ga loaded with #4Buck is what I have in my house (my 1187 alternates 2 rounds of #4buck, 2 slugs etc and has an extended 8 round tube, ghost ring sights, pistol grip tactical stock with extra ammo). #4 buck is less likely to blow through walls into other rooms but will more than do the trick in interior engagement distances.


Sounds like a nice set up. One thing though, obviously in a home, overpenetration is an issue and going into other rooms and you address this with the #4 buck (I've even seem some recommend larger birdshot for this reason) but what about your slugs? There's a strong possiblity they will enter other rooms...unless its for the dirtback hiding behind the wall or other object...:evil:

[kitchue]

I agree, a shot gun is a good defensive gun to have.

However, I just heard on Tom Gresham Guntalk, National Talk Radio Show (4-13-08 Part C 13:00) that 00 buckshot will go through a wall without any problem.

Tom and his crew did a test at GunSight and built 3 (2 interior, 1 exterior) walls representing the construction of a newly built home. This would be as if shooting through walls of a home.

They shot 3 different projectiles: a slug, 00 buck and #7.5 bird shot. Obviously, the slug went through all 3 walls. And so did the 00 buck. The 7.5 birdshot went through the first wall and peppered the second.

I know your loaded with #4 however, with 7.5 blasting a hole in a wall and stopping at the second one. I would have to take a guess that #4 would pass-threw the first and second. Possibly stopping at the third. The slug will pass all three.

They did video of the test and might be now available to review at personaldefense.tv

sean

[jjc155]

Yep slugs will go through the walls no problem. Thats why they are staggered with 2 round of #4 coming out first. Hopefully I dont need the slugs, but they are there incase bad guy hides behind the island in the kitchen (house is very open floor plan in the living areas). The slugs will either get them or get them moving again. Also to defeat body armor should bad guy be so equiped (which they occasionally area).

I tested the #4 buck out of this gun (also forgot to mention that while the barrel is legal, it is as short as it can get) and it did not penetrate (from across the room type distances) both sides of a test wall that was contructed the exact same way that the walls in my house are, so I am confident in this set up being safe.

My set up is set up this way based on the lay out of my house. All the bedrooms are at one end of the house with a long hallways to the other end of the house (where the likely entrances would occur). The long hallway would allow me to take a defensive postion at one end of the hall, with all bedrooms behind me, and being able to cover about 95% of the remaining house with out moving from this position. Bad guy would be in the Fatal funnel pretty much as long as I could see him. Lucked out in the design of the house as it ended up this way (not by my design).

Different house, I may have a different set up. My family has also been "trained" that should the need arise that they go to a designated safe area in the house.

Again this is what works for me, my house, my gun, my family. You need to set up your defensive strategy to work for you all.

Hope this helps,
J-

[BR549]

Rockbass, here's the link to the Michigan State Police site dealing with firearms. It sounds complicated, but really isn't. Just go to your local police department and obtain a permit to purchase. Take the approved permit to the gun shop to purchase a handgun. If you or your girl are not familiar with handguns, I would suggest a double action revolver because of simplicity, dependability, and ease of use.
http://www.michigan.gov/msp/0,1607,7-123-1591_3503_4654---,00.html