need help..

[804blessedsoul]

others told me to go to the range and shoot variety of guns to see which suits me the best..that I will b doing...but my question is..is it better to buy a gun at a local gun shop or online?...online is cheaper maybe but its a gun...not every one online is honest...thank for the help

[herohog]

That depends. It is always good to establish a good relationship with a local shop, if you can. It helps the community, it keeps another supporter or the gun culture in business and they are there to help you when you need them. Sometimes, you can't do that. In that case, look on-line. If you can find what you want within a few dollars of the on-line price, I say buy local.

Having said that, I have bought on-line just here in the past few days. What I try to do is this: Start with your friends. Next go to your local dealer, then look on-line. Sometimes you do all three. Once you have found the best deal for you, you close it. Buying from friend and local dealers has you dealing with people you can go back to for support, not some stranger. Every Internet deal is a bit of a gamble. You have to be careful because you CAN get burned.

Look around and see what is available. Ask around about how they treat their customers and if they are knowledgeable. There is no simple easy answer I am afraid.

[804blessedsoul]

thanks...that helped a lot and make a lot of since..is there a lot of paper involved in a gun purchase?

[804blessedsoul]

maybe a dumb question but do u have to own a gun before can apply for a chp?..don't flame me for this...like I said im new to the gun world..

[zephyp]

If you're interested in buying online here are two sites that I use. I also know some of the other VGOF members use them too. The first is a place serving VA where want ads can be posted. If you're interested you can arrange a face to face (FTF) meeting and buy the gun. There is also ammo and accessories bought and sold on VA Gun Traders. You will also occasionally see people from other states on vaguntrader, but its mostly state local. The second site (gunbroker) is an auction site like ebay. I like it too since buyers and sellers get rated on transactions. They sell everything too.

http://www.vaguntrader.com/
http://www.gunbroker.com/User/SellerTutorial.asp

There is not a lot of paperwork. You'll fill out 2-3 short forms depending on where you shop. They are easy to fill out, takes 3-5 minutes, and the clerk will help you. They want to sell you a gun and the form must be filled out correctly. Then they run a background check which usually takes less than 3 minutes. Could take longer depending on where you go but that's unusual. Make sure you bring 2 forms of ID one of which should be your drivers license or state issued ID card. It must show your present address. The other ID must be something that shows the same address as your DL. It can be a concealed handgun permit, voter registration card, or a utility bill (no cell phone bills).

No, you dont have to own a gun before applying for a CHP and that's not a stupid question. If you're interested ask someone here and we'll give you some pointers. Its a relatively easy process - depending on which county you live in. Here's the VA state police link that explains the process.

http://www.vsp.state.va.us/Firearms_Res ... ealed.shtm

BTW, no such thing as a dumb question. Only dumb answers ---

[Moccasin]

maybe a dumb question but do u have to own a gun before can apply for a chp?..don't flame me for this...like I said im new to the gun world..

You do not have to own any type of gun to get a CHP. You must, however, meet the state law training requirements. If you do not meet the training requirements you'll have to take a class that meets them, some classes require you to provide a handgun. In that case you would either have to own one or be able to borrow one. There is no state requirement that you shoot in order to get your CHP though. Classes which meet state requirements and do not require a firearm of any type are available , the hunter's safety course is one such example.

[gregj]

maybe a dumb question but do u have to own a gun before can apply for a chp?..don't flame me for this...like I said im new to the gun world..

As others have stated, you do not have to own a gun to apply for a CHP. But then, IMHO, given the tremendous responsibility that comes with Concealed Carry (legally with a CHP), I think you should wait until you are very comfortable with handling, shooting, cleaning, etc, before entertaining getting a CHP - unless there's some circumstance that dictates otherwise.

When I took my CHP class, the instructor made one student come back and shoot again before signing off on her certificate. I dont think there is any formal scoring of the shooting part of the class, but the instructor needs to make sure the student is safe and proficient with a firearm.

Get your firearm, spent a lot of time at the range, then when you're comfortable with your firearm, sign up for the class. Depending on where you take your class, you could have a waiting list for the next availalble class. This will just give you more time to practice, be more proficient and more confident. Good luck!

[gregj]

others told me to go to the range and shoot variety of guns to see which suits me the best..that I will b doing...but my question is..is it better to buy a gun at a local gun shop or online?...online is cheaper maybe but its a gun...not every one online is honest...thank for the help

I would suggest you go to a gun show first. This is a great place to be able to pick up and hold a lot of different firearms, to see what fits your hand the best, feels the most comfortable, and what features/looks you like the best. Once you have a good idea of the brand or type or model of gun, develop a list of your top favorites, then go to a range and rent as many as you can that fit in your list. Also, do a lot of research on the web, different gun forums, etc.

After you have made up your mind, then try and find the best deal, or find a dealer that you feel the most comfortable with. I like to try and support my local dealers when I can. They will be there to help you out, answer questions, etc. Hope this helps.

[VBshooter]

One thing I will add is don;t buy more gun than you need or can handle.. If a 9mm suits you get it and don;t worry what others say,, Same thing if a 45 works for ya get it,, When the weapon suits the user and its end use it makes for a much happier relationship

[804blessedsoul]

thanks for all the tip n advices....it helped a lot...I will go to the gun show on july 11-12 n check it out..as far as the chp I jus wanna take precautions on transporting and accidental oc becomes cc n I learn the hard way...but thanks for everything..ill do a lot more researching until the g/s..