COuld someone summarize gun laws, crimes rates for Hawaii and Puerto Rico?

You might dig around in here: http://www.fbi.gov/ucr.htm

Don't know if they have the geographical breakout you're looking for.

I went to PR last Fall, accompanying my wife to a professional meeting. There was *way* too much wrought iron and razor wire being used to deter forced entries for me to feel safe there. This wasn't just in San Juan, either, but extended way out in the boonies.

I don't plan on going back.
 
Oleg, I grew up in HI, and being "into" guns, I know 'most' of the current gun laws there. I can't help with the crime rates, other than to say crime does exist, and violent crime is not uncommon, although much lower than most any other state with as dense a population. As far as the laws though, what do you want to know?
-John
 
Basically, if I were new to the state and wanted to know how to buy a shotgun, a pistol, a revolver, an autoloading rifle and machine gun, also how to get a CHL. Based on those I could have a basic understanding of how (un)friendly the laws are.
 
I read somewhere there's only one CHL in Hawaii. He's an armorer/gunsmith who works with one of the police departments. Good luck with that.
 
Okay, here's the deal, forget CCW/CHL for now (although there is actually a proposal for a "shall issue" type CCW in the works - don't hold yer breath though). As for firearms purchase, for long guns, you must apply at the Police station in downtown Honolulu (for Oahu anyway, I'm not sure about the other islands). I don't recall the cost (if any) but they take a picture of you, and fingerprints, and issue you a Long gun permit that is good for an unlimited number of longuns to be purchase and is good for one year. Upon purchase, you present your permit and complete the paperwork. You wait the required period (14-days if I remember correctly) then you can pick it up. Once you have picked it up, you then must return to the downtown police station to register the gun. They inspect it, check the serial number, and issue you a small paper certificate that must be kept with the gun at all times. Sucks huh? Wait till I tell you about handguns. For hanfguns, the drill is almost the same, except that you must apply for a permit to purchase for EACH handgun. Once you have paid for the gun and finished the paperwork, then you go to the station and apply for the permit. Once you have the permit, you return to the dealer (after the waiting period) and present the permit. Now you can take possesion of the handgun, but must again return to the police department (again, only the one downtown) and register it. Again, you will receive a small paper registration card that must be kept with the gun at all times. There is currently legislation being considered that would require this process to be repeated EVERY YEAR for EACH firearm (long gun AND handgun) owned. Now they also have some pretty wierd gun-related laws. handgun magazines with a capacity in excess of 10 rounds are illegal to posses - regardless of date of manufacture, etc. Before the '94 ban, gun dealers were having to install permanent "blocks" in glock magazines and the like to limit them to 10 rounds. Here's where this gets tricky - A pistol magazine is ANY magazine that fits ANY pistol in existance. AR-15 magazines are considered "pistol magazines" even if you are using them in a rifle simply because a pistol EXISTS that will accept the mags. As such, all AR-type mags MUST be blocked to accept no more than 10 rounds, regardless of date of manufacture. "Assault Pistols" are also illegal to posess so you can register an Uzi carbine with a 16" barrel and collapsable stock, but you can NOT register an UZI pistol. Their definition of "Assault Pistol" is based on "eveil features" like the CA law, but also has an unloaded wight limit. If I remember right, the Desert Eagle was either labeled an assault pistol due to wieght, or was just shy of the mark, but I think you see what I mean. In any case, this was the general idea when I left in '95. My parents were still there until '99 and nothing (major) had changed, but if anyone has any more recent info, by all means chime in. BTW, my dad is a sworn HPD officer and even that only gets him out of the background check - he still has to go through the waiting period and registration system. It's a nice place to visit, but I glad I don't live there anymore. Hope this helped.
-John
 
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