Over the past couple months, I’ve been trying to get a legal gun in the District. I always knew this would be a challenge, but I had no idea how time-consuming it would be to complete all 17 steps the city requires. I’m not even halfway done.
My quest started in October at the D.C. Gun Registry at the police department. I met with Officer Brown, who put piles of paper on the desk between us. “Here’s everything you need to know,” she said, pointing to a stack about a quarter-inch thick.
I asked where I could buy the gun. “You can go to any licensed dealer in another state - or on the Internet,” she said. “Then give this form to Charles Sykes downstairs, and he’ll go pick it up for you and transfer it.” I glanced through the registration packet and saw no reference to Mr. Sykes or transferring a gun. So I figured while I was there, I should track down this man, who seemed to play a key role.
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That day, I went home and started poring through the 22-page registration packet. Overwhelmed by the confusing forms and instructions, I started with the eligibility form. After answering the nine questions and feeling that I’d accomplished something, I noticed that it required a signature by a notary public. At this rate, I would be an owner of a legal handgun about the same time I’d be eligible for Social Security.
Next, I read the section about the requirement to take a gun-safety class from a D.C.-certified instructor.
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To help me find a certified instructor, the city provided two pages listing 47 random names and phone numbers. The list did not give an instructor’s address, background information, website or certification.
I decided to call all of them.
On the bottom of the police phone list, it says, “Revised on September 9, 2009.” This two-year lag was apparent when seven of the 47 numbers I called were out of service. More than half of my calls - 27 - went straight to voicemail. From all this effort, I quickly learned that the instructors were not allowed to teach the course in the District.
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Training certificate in hand, my preliminary tasks are completed. Now I must decide which handgun to buy. I’ve narrowed it down to four full-sized 9 mm semiautomatics that I’ve been able to handle well and shoot accurately. Once I complete this purchase, I will have 13 more steps to go before the city will allow me to protect myself.
A Right Delayed is a Right Denied
will simply set up a different restrictive process and go merrily about their way.
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Originally Posted by Louis VI the Fat
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