Posted: 1/15/2008 12:18:10 AM EDT
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I'm sure this has been asked before, but I did not find anything through the search or archive. What is the process of purchasing a handgun in Hawaii? I understand that I need to attend a safety course and apply for a permit to acquire, correct? Say I take my safety course, what's my next step? Am I good to go in order to purchase a handgun? I do not understand this text from the honolulu pd website: Complete an application for permit to acquire firearms with specific information, including: Make, Model, Caliber, Type, (revolver, Semiautomatic,etc), Finish, barrel length, and Serial Number. Do I have to complete an application for each handgun I decide to purchase? Do I apply after I purchase a handgun, since there is no way I will be able to know ahead of time the SN of the handgun I want to purchase in the future? Is this the same as a 4473 that I fill out every time I buy a handgun? Is this done at the gun store, like a 4473 or at the HPD headquarters? Why is it so difficult to buy a handgun in this state? Am I an idiot who is making this more difficult than it really is?  Also, where is a good place to get my safety course on Oahu? Magnum50 wants $200. Waikiki Gun Club wants $100. Any others? This place is so much different from Texas. I need to know the specifics because all these rules are scaring away a friend who wishes to buy her own handgun, but thinks it is far too complicated. There is the possibility that she might think it's not worth the effort, and I don't want that. |
| I am assuming Hawaii does away with the 4473 and tasks it to HPD; the Permit to Acquire, along with the background check and fingerprinting, is to register the serial number of the gun into a database and associate it with a physical address, so they may come to your door and take it. Am I wrong? |
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once you take your safety course and get some sort of certificate for proof, you go to the gun store and pay in full or put down a deposit for the hand gun. The store will then give you a paper with the information of the specific gun (make model serial# barrel length etc). You take this paper (along with your proof of safety course) to HPD to get your permit for the said handgun. Wait 2 weeks for your background check to clear and then go back to HPD to pick up your permit. take the permit back to the gun store and then you fill out the 4473 and can then take the gun home. within the next few days you must take the gun down to HPD with your permit to register under your name. Lots of trips back and forth but that's what it takes. eta: the permit costs about 30 bucks now. One time fee. |
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The class is really only half of the hassle. Don't forget you have to go down to HPD THREE (3) times. You have to fight traffic to get there three times, you have to look for and pay for parking three times, and you have to wait in line three times. Oh yeah, I almost forgot that you'll have to put up with the attitude of the guy at the window three times as well. I suggest you also get your long gun permit while you're down there. I've come to detest the process so much that I have a personal policy to never go there for only one thing. For example: if I'm going down there to apply for a handgun permit I make sure I'm doing at least two handguns. If I have to renew my yearly long gun permit I make sure I'm also in the process of purchasing a handgun so I can apply for that permit at the same time. Good luck.   |
You seem about as happy about the process as I do.  Thursday I get my 226 elite, those two trips will be worth it.
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If you want to buy a long gun (rifle or shotgun) in Hawaii, you must first apply at the main Honolulu Police Department station, 801 South Beretania St, in person. You then wait 14 days. At the end of the 14 days you are able to pick up the long gun permit if you have passed the background check, mental health check, DNA check, anal cavity search, and signed over your firstborn child to become an employee for life of the City&County of Honolulu or State of Hawaii. The long gun permit has your picture on it and expires a year from the day you pick it up from the PD. With that permit you can walk in to any gun store in the state and buy a long gun over the counter. With that one permit you may purchase an unlimited number or long guns for that year's time. You must still fill out form 4473. |
| yep. it's basically the exact piece of paper as the handgun permit except they stamp it "LONG GUNS ONLY" and it's good for a year to buy as many rifles/shotguns as you wish. With this permit, you can go to the gunstore, pick out a longarm, fill out the 4473, pay for it and leave with it that day. The permit is a the background check and here in Hawaii, we don't use NICS. YOu then need to take the long arm to the police station to register within a few days. |
How come my long gun permit doesn't have my picture on it? Did i get screwed? |
Sometimes they don't put the picture on it... maybe you went on a Friday afternoon and they were being lazy. Just kidding. When you apply for the permit they look at the existing picture they have of you on file. If you look different that the existing picture (i.e. lost weight, gained weight, lost or gained facial hair, etc) they will take a new one for the file and put a duplicate of it on the permit. My long gun permits have always had my picture on them. Go figure. |
a thinking man. ill also try to make it multiple purchases/transfers/renewal/etc. as well. it doesnt always work out that way. but tomorrow after work it will. now i just gotta wait 2 weeks. |
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Each county does it a little different. Sounds like the City & County of Honolulu makes you guys jump through more hoops. If you have a Hunter's Education card, that should be enough to apply for a handgun permit to acquire. Save some bucks, the Hunter's Ed class is still free (just no range time). |
Yeah the hunter's ed class is free and is acceptable in Honolulu County as well - however, the classes are usually booked 4-6 months in advance. That makes most people who want a handgun quickly take the handgun course. |
Took me a month, I emailed about it in October and was in class in November. Now I get to pick and choose if I wanna take the magnum certificate of the hunters ed card. 
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