ds1973, I can do one better -- when I use to (past tense) live in NJ, this was the procedure ...<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI> Go to the your police station during regular business hours (but not during lunch time) and fill out an application for a purchase permit -- this means that you have to take time off from work and if you live outside of your home town, factor in additional time for travel.
<LI> Make an appointment to be fingerprinted.
<LI> Go in to your local police station during regular business hours (but not during lunch time) for your fingerprint appointment -- meaning that you have to take time off from work and if you live outside of your home town, factor in additional time for travel.
<LI> Wait for the fingerprints to clear the State Police records.
<LI> Make an appointment to be fingerprinted.
<LI> Go in to your local police station during regular business hours (but not during lunch time) for your fingerprint appointment -- meaning that you have to take time off from work and if you live outside of your home town, factor in additional time for travel.
<LI> Wait for the fingerprints to clear the FBI records.
<LI> Make an appointment to be fingerprinted.
<LI> Go in to your local police station during regular business hours (but not during lunch time) for your fingerprint appointment -- meaning that you have to take time off from work and if you live outside of your home town, factor in additional time for travel.
<LI> Wait for the fingerprints to clear the State mental hospital records.
<LI> Make an appointment to be fingerprinted.
<LI> Go in to your local police station during regular business hours (but not during lunch time) for your fingerprint appointment -- meaning that you have to take time off from work and if you live outside of your home town, factor in additional time for travel. (These prints are for the local police)
<LI> Bring in two references to your local police station during regular business hours (but not during lunch time) who can vouch for your character. This implies that not only do you have to take time off from work but you have to get two friends to also take time off from work.
<LI> Wait for all of this paperwork to clear the chief's desk for signature. In order to streamline the process, if you purchased a gun within the last year, your paperwork is filled toward the bother so that others can go ahead of you -- you're not really denied, just not processed.
<LI> A purchase permit to buy one gun is issued.
<LI> Take the purchase permit to a gunshop and buy a gun with NO WAITING PERIOD.
<LI> Gun shop keeps one copy of the purchase permit; you keep a copy; state police gets a copy and local police department who issued the purchase permit gets the fourth copy.</UL>If anything breaks down along the way, you start all over again.
<LI> Make an appointment to be fingerprinted.
<LI> Go in to your local police station during regular business hours (but not during lunch time) for your fingerprint appointment -- meaning that you have to take time off from work and if you live outside of your home town, factor in additional time for travel.
<LI> Wait for the fingerprints to clear the State Police records.
<LI> Make an appointment to be fingerprinted.
<LI> Go in to your local police station during regular business hours (but not during lunch time) for your fingerprint appointment -- meaning that you have to take time off from work and if you live outside of your home town, factor in additional time for travel.
<LI> Wait for the fingerprints to clear the FBI records.
<LI> Make an appointment to be fingerprinted.
<LI> Go in to your local police station during regular business hours (but not during lunch time) for your fingerprint appointment -- meaning that you have to take time off from work and if you live outside of your home town, factor in additional time for travel.
<LI> Wait for the fingerprints to clear the State mental hospital records.
<LI> Make an appointment to be fingerprinted.
<LI> Go in to your local police station during regular business hours (but not during lunch time) for your fingerprint appointment -- meaning that you have to take time off from work and if you live outside of your home town, factor in additional time for travel. (These prints are for the local police)
<LI> Bring in two references to your local police station during regular business hours (but not during lunch time) who can vouch for your character. This implies that not only do you have to take time off from work but you have to get two friends to also take time off from work.
<LI> Wait for all of this paperwork to clear the chief's desk for signature. In order to streamline the process, if you purchased a gun within the last year, your paperwork is filled toward the bother so that others can go ahead of you -- you're not really denied, just not processed.
<LI> A purchase permit to buy one gun is issued.
<LI> Take the purchase permit to a gunshop and buy a gun with NO WAITING PERIOD.
<LI> Gun shop keeps one copy of the purchase permit; you keep a copy; state police gets a copy and local police department who issued the purchase permit gets the fourth copy.</UL>If anything breaks down along the way, you start all over again.