New Guy (Question about getting a gun. Need help)

[SG808]

Hey guys,

I'm brand new to the forum and to firearms (sort of. I've shot targets and stuff in Cambodia :P). I can't get into all the details but can still inform you what the situation is. First, I've never really been into guns at all and when I did use them I always felt a bit uneasy and extremely nervous around them. I guess thats the way to be cause it made me cautious and safe. Anyway, I recently just got out of a settlement which I won against a company I used to work for (bad bad guys :P) and since then I've been receiving death threats and even got chased into my house by two masked men and my four tires on my car were stabbed up. One of the guys I was against in the settlement was a supposed thug but I never paid much attention to that. He was a jerk. I'm rambling. So the police have been notified and I've gotte the reports and all that but there isn't much they can do since I don't know exactly who it is and don't have much evidence. They promised to patrol the area more but other than that there isn't much they can do. So, I'm feeling a bit uneasy now and I'm always looking around and stuff before I go out which isn't too fun :P Long story short, I live in MA which is really tough to get a license I'm learning but I've had a house up in NH since before I was born and I'm thinking of going up there for a little while just to get away from this tension. I really do feel I should have a gun for protection (which I don't feel I'll really need but want to feel safe should some problems arise) and I've been trying to get as much info as I can in how to get a gun. I guess it's pretty easy up there as it should be but wonder what I would have to do in order to legally have one. I think I can get a NH ID since I have a house up there but not really sure what else to do. Can anyone help me out and guide a new guy in the right direction? I've never done anything against the law so I don't have any record at all. I most certainly would hate to get one if I tried to get a gun the wrong way as well. Anyway, any help would be appreciated and thank you in advance :)

[asaling]

First off Welcome.
Second as to type of gun... For in the home I would suggest a 12ga pump shotgun with a short but LEAGAL barrel. Get so practice loading, shooting and get comfortable shooting.
Research and follow your state laws, and get the trainging you need to apply for and aquire a "concealed Pistol Permit" for when you're out and about for your personal self protectoin.

Best of luck and stay safe.

[paulk]

The first step I would recommend is taking a good gun safety course, this will provide the training for safe handling of guns and how they operate. This will also make you much more comfortable around guns.

In order to purchase a handgun in MA, you must have a license to carry a firearm. You must be a US Citizen over 21 years of age in order to get the license, and must not have certain kinds of convictions on your record. This if very difficult to get in MA.

New Hampshire doesn’t require you to have a license or a permit to buy or own guns, with one exception: if you buy a handgun (not a rifle or shotgun) from a private party — as opposed to a licensed dealer — then by state law (RSA 159:10 and RSA 159:14) you must either have a License to Carry or be “personally known” to the seller.

I don't recommend purchasing a gun in NH and bringing into MA.

This is just a guide you should always check with your local law enforcement agency.
Good luck.

[SG808]

Thanks for the replies guys. I appreciate it. Yeah, I have no intention whatsoever of bringing the gun from NH into MA. I'll be staying up in NH for a little while until hopefully the police has caught these guys or wait until maybe they give up. I will be leaving the gun in NH though. Will I be able to get a gun in NH with a MA id? or will I need to get a NH id? Getting a NH id isn't a problem at all. Is that all I need when I go to the dealer? Yeah, I've already looked up a place where I can take safety classes and shoot a little. I also have a gunsafe already on the way to my NH house. I thought about getting a shotgun but I think I might prefer a good pistol. I also would love to get a rifle if I can. Just to shoot at the range. Not a hunting rifle. Never hunted before. I think I'm hooked now hehehe :)

[S&WM&P40]

Seeing as how you are a MA resident you will have to show your MA ID with a mailing addres(NO PO BOXES) you must also show your MA FID card. You will also not be able to take the handgun with you. Being a MA resident it will have to be sent to a FFL in your state. That means the handgun you wish to buy must be on the MA list of approved firearms. I would just wait and move up here for the time needed to be come a resident(three months). Then apply for a NH driver license once you have that. All you need to do is walk into any gun store and pick out the firearm you wish to buy pay for it and wait 10-30 mins for the Fed background check. Then if you are wishing to carry concealed fill out the paper work and drop it off at the police station. After it's approved you pay for it and your good for four years. What town/county are you going to be statying in?

[SG808]

Hey. Do I need to live there for 3 months straight if I have a house up there? I've been going up there at least twice a month since I was young. I figured I could get a NH id no problem. It's Hampton Beach, NH. Can't remember county name though. I'm going to be moving up there anyway tomorrow and will be there a while. Doesn't feel too safe here after all the recent events (Milton MA. An otherwise safe place to live).

[S&WM&P40]

[QUOTE=SG808;175785]Hey. Do I need to live there for 3 months straight if I have a house up there? I've been going up there at least twice a month since I was young. I figured I could get a NH id no problem. It's Hampton Beach, NH. Can't remember county name though. I'm going to be moving up there anyway tomorrow and will be there a while. Doesn't feel too safe here after all the recent events (Milton MA. An otherwise safe place to live)

residency requirement

RSA:21:6 Resident; Inhabitant. – A resident or inhabitant or both of this state and of any city, town or other political subdivision of this state shall be a person who is domiciled or has a place of abode or both in this state and in any city, town or other political subdivision of this state, and who has, through all of his actions, demonstrated a current intent to designate that place of abode as his principal place of physical presence for the indefinite future to the exclusion of all others.

RSA 259:23 Domicile. – "Domicile'' shall mean a natural person taking up residence in a town or city within the state and includes but is not limited to occupying a primary place of habitation, placing children in a public school within the state, accepting gainful employment, or being a registered voter liable for a resident tax, provided, however, that no person shall be considered to be domiciled in this state who simultaneously claims residence in any other state for any of the purposes indicated above. In the case of other than a natural person, domicile shall also apply in the case of vehicles principally garaged or kept on the premises of a firm or corporation with a place of business within the state.

You must surrender your current driver license form the state from which you have moved.


http://www.nh.gov/safety/divisions/d...ms/dsmv450.pdf

Owning a house up here and coming up here every month or so does not make a NH resident.

[NavyLCDR]

Owning a house up here and coming up here every month or so does not make a NH resident.

For the purposes of firearms transactions it DOES.

27 CFR 478.11:

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations:

State of residence. The State in which an individual resides. An individual resides in a State if he or she is present in a State with the intention of making a home in that State. If an individual is on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces, the individual's State of residence is the State in which his or her permanent duty station is located. An alien who is legally in the United States shall be considered to be a resident of a State only if the alien is residing in the State and has resided in the State for a period of at least 90 days prior to the date of sale or delivery of a firearm. The following are examples that illustrate this definition:

Example 1. A maintains a home in State X. A travels to State Y on a hunting, fishing, business, or other type of trip. A does not become a resident of State Y by reason of such trip.

Example 2. A is a U.S. citizen and maintains a home in State X and a home in State Y. A resides in State X except for weekends or the summer months of the year and in State Y for the weekends or the summer months of the year. During the time that A actually resides in State X, A is a resident of State X, and during the time that A actually resides in State Y, A is a resident of State Y.

Sounds to me like SG808's "State X" is MA and "State Y" is NH. When buying a handgun in NH, he would list NH as his state of residence on the form 4473, the FFL would place his MA driver's license info in block 20a of the form 4473. The FFL would place some other form of documentation in block 20b of the form 4473 to show the current NH residence address.

http://www.atf.gov/forms/download/atf-f-4473.pdf

Please read the instructions to block 20b on the form 4473 located on page 5 of the form.

[Hubs]

Since you live in MA, I would focus on getting MA permit first. From what you have said, you have a very good reason to be issued a permit: harassment and possibly your life due to extenuating circumstances. Check your local PD for guidelines and to see if they would consider issuing you a permit. Good luck!

[ClearSightTactical]

SG808,

You have a unique situation that requires thoughtful preparation. Where there have been threats you are at an elevated risk compared to many others. When there are threats, especially those involving masked men chasing you, I think its time to fast track.

Here is a great resource for MA laws. LINK

You say you've received a settlement, by that I assume it was a financial benefit for settling out of court, you sound like you are well off financially. If I were you I would get the absolute best training available.

I'm not familiar with MA law so I have 0 advice there.

Training recommendations:
Fundamental training from a certified NRA instructor. If you click the instructor link it will take you to a page where you can search for classes in your area.

Magpul Dynamics, Gunsite, Frontsight, Combat Focus Shooting etc for advanced manipulation skills, or an NRA instructor who runs a combat program (separate from fundamental) rather than a marksmanship program.

Front sight seems to offer the quickest program, and has classes all the time in Las Vegas, NV. They also have gun rentals, and even have a program where you can get a "free" gun + the course for I believe $1,400 +/- I've never attended but have heard great things. Personally, I fancy Magpul Dynamics but that may not be your cup of tea...

Massad Ayoob Group "MAG-20" course for legal side of self defense.

In my opinion owning, carrying, and relying on a firearm for self defense is not an occasional "if I need it, it is there". To me its a lifestyle, and requires a commitment to maintain your skills, and classes which include time, money and effort to further develop your skills.