I'm a little freaked out, I just got home and there's a message from the police to call them up about a firearms purchase. I currently live in Maryland and I went by the State Police office to fill out a firearms transfer form. I'm a little freaked since I've lived in PA for most of my life and this type of stuff is unheard of.

Are there any MD members out there that can give me some insight into this? Is this normal in MD?

I'm confused, why would the police know that you have or want to purchase a firearm? I'm an FFL holder and we only check NICS.

Sorry, no help here, but you have to go to the state police to get a firearms transfer?  And people say California is bad.

God I'm glad I don't live out east anymore , here in Washington its usually the cops who have gun transfer problems (I'm starting to like NIC because it screws with them more than us!!!)

Was it a used weapon? If bought second hand, it may have been reported stolen. Just a thought. Had that happen to me with a revolver I purchased from a pawn shop.

ARgon,

 I went to the police to do the transfer. I could have gone to an FFL/Gunstore, but in Maryland dealers I talked to wanted at least a  %25 cut based on the selling price in addition to the $10 NICS check. Its an AR15, costing around $1000, so the dealers I spoke to DEMANDED $250 and $10 to use their FFL. That why I went to the State Police, because they do it for $10 only. But I had no idea there would be such an inquisition.

Nobody expects the spanish inquisition!

Sorry, just curious.

Next time write me, no cost for a rifle, and you can use the $250 dollars to drive up to  a real gun frinedly state. Log it in, log it out, no problem.

mayday,
I don't know what they could have wanted, but since they already have your info it won't hurt to give them a call.  Just a FYI, if you purchased a Colt HBAR then there is no transfer needed, they are not consider a assualt weapon under MD law.  

P.S. The majority of the MD State Police Suck!!

THANKS ARgon!

Shadowblade: I live in Bethesda,MD and all the gunstores I've been to around here are a ripoff! $1200 for a postban BM Shorty AK!

Man, I miss PA!

Cool Down.

In many cases, it is the policy of the organization filling out the form (gun shop, etc.) to confirm the information submitted on the form.

That has been policy at 2 of the 4 shops from which I have purchased firearms until they knew me well enough not to bother (3 or 4 purchases later).

A simple check to catch criminals filing out the form...no worries.

James

Different state, different rules.  Here in South Carolina, we have mandatory new handgun registration, and the state police obviously knows you intend to purchase a handgun, because you have to call them to get permission to buy one.  Also, all used handguns sold by a dealer have to be registered with the state police before the sale and information about the intended purchaser has to be given to them.  If MD is half as bad as SC, it sounds like it could happen.  ARgon, so in VT you don't ever have to tell the state police that someone is interested in buying a gun?  Sounds nice.z

You guys want to hear horror stories about how the police can monitor firearm purchases?

There is a state where you have to ANNUALLY apply for a permit to purchase a longarm, IN PERSON, and pick it up 2 weeks later, IN PERSON. You can then buy any longarms you want for that year, but you have to register them IN PERSON within 10 days.

You have to apply for a special handgun permit (1 for each pistol you want to buy) IN PERSON with info about the seller and serial number of the pistol in question. 2 weeks later you pick up the permit IN PERSON. Then you have 10 days to buy the pistol or you have to start over. Then you have to bring in the pistol to register it IN PERSON.

Count up all the IN PERSON comments to see how often you have to go to the only office that handles firearms, and it keeps bankers hours. Thats a lot of time off of work for each gun. In case you think the police don't really care if you register the gun, I had a cop call me and ask why I didn't register a 10/22 I got at a gun show. How did he know my number and what gun it was? He gets ALL the info he needs from the seller. There is NO reason to have me come in except to make it difficult and inconveinent.

For those who haven't figured it out, the state in question is Hawaii. A police state if there ever was one. You can have legal sex with a 14 year old girl, but you can't buy a 20rd AR mag. Skewed priorities if you ask me. LAter.

jason10mm, wow that's a hassle.  I would guess that if you don't live on the same island as "the only office," it's a much larger hassle and cost.  You listed three trips to this office to buy a handgun.  I don't know much about HI, but assuming you have to pay for a a ferry (or however you get between islands), pay a cab each way when you get to the island to get to/from this office, pay for the permit, pay for your time off of work, and multiply this times three, you've gone to some major expense to buy a pistol.  Wow, now I feel petty complaining about five trips driving to my state capital in an attempt to get a conceal carry permit.z

Wow...I knew there was a reason to be thankful for living in Oklahoma.  Well...another reason...lol.  

Lets not kid ourselves, after the bombing this place has been a police state. I have lived in many other places and this state has more police than a Dunkin Donuts at 4am.

Mayday,

Check ur PM (or IM - or whatever they call it)

Well it looks like you picked the right handle for your ar15 account becuase of your situation.
I lived in the people's republic of maryland for 20 god forsaken years. I too had the same problem you have had.You see there are new messd up rules for ehat they call "regulated fireamrs" in maryland and who can purchase them.when you went to fill out the paperwork did yoy have to fill out an additonal white carbon copy form with the yellow form(sorry I dont know the form #'s)?If so it ask's if you have ever been convicted or charged or adjudicated as a juvinile.If you marked yes (or marked no if you not being honest)and they find that you were.well you cannot purchase a "regulated Firearm" in Md.Now if you havent eber been convicted for anycrime or as a juvinile.then it may just be a minor error on the State Police part.In my case when I was 15 i was charged with a petty crime as a juvinile and was never adjudicated So I had about a 15 minute conversation with the officer and he verified it on his PC and all was well.I was on my way with a new Ar and a big smile.

 But there is good news,if that is the case and you arent able to buy firearms in Md anymore you can buy them still in other states accpets CA ofcoruse,I think they have the same policy (note I said THINK).
I wish you luck and I hope everything is settled swiftly for you!If you have anymore questions feel free to email me as well.

[b]Come for my guns.....I'll give you the bullets first![/b][50]

Thats what we would do a few years ago in Md,but they made another damn law that anyone who wants a FFL MUST have a store front.So noone in Md can have a FFL for selling guns out of thier house [pissed]

[b]Come for my guns....I'll give ya the bullets first!![/b][50]

It sounds like you got a Bushmaster and just about all of those are HBARs so no paperwork should have been needed as they are exempted from the regulated firearm hassles. Most all of the MD gun stores have joined together and decided to not do these private party transfers anymore and alot won't even let you us their FFL for buying from the Shot Gun News so that leaves us with few options. I buy all my rifles and shotguns in DE and legally bypass the MD garbage as much as possible. If you can't do that try all the pawn shops in your area as many of those have FFL's and love the buisness from getting your transfer dollars. Edgewood Pawn in Edgewood, MD I have heard has been great about doing this. Good luck.

Zoom posted:  ARgon, so in VT you don't ever have to tell the state police that someone is interested in buying a gun? Sounds nice.z

That is correct, we only do the Instant check (NICS), and you go home with the firearm. Never had one wait more than 5 minutes. You must be 21 to buy a handgun, and we con't sell one to an out of state buyer. Fewest laws on the books for guns, one of the lowest crime rate by guns, and fewest guns sold in state and used out of state for crime (according to FBI). All in all not a bad place to be.

UPDATE:

Hey guys, seems that I was freaking out for nothing! I called the State Police and all they needed was the check number on the $10 money order I gave them. Apparently they didnt staple it to the form and they were just verifying the money order number was from me.

Hee hee. I feel a little silly now. I guess I'll take off my tin-foil hat now and come out of my underground bunker.

I'm still moving to Vermont though. Hey ARgon can I sleep in your basement. I make killer pancakes and I don't snore!

I'd have been worried too, mainly because your purchase might have been confiscated with no return of your money.  Forget the tin hat, this is simple economics!  Glad to hear it worked out.