My mother-in-law lives near Asheville, NC. Unfortunately her neighborhood has went to shit. They have put up projects left and right about a 1/2 mile from her, and the local dealers and cops seem to have an understanding with each other. The cops let them deal in open sight and in return they don't bother them. She wants to get a handgun and a permit to carry. I live in IL and have no idea what the rules are there? What can she do? Thanks, plus anyone know a good shop in the Asheville area that would hook here up with a good gun and not try to oversellher. Thanks.

Generally speaking, hand gun laws follow these guidelines in some shape or form:

-You can go to purchase and let the dealer fill out the paper work.  I don't know of one person that has done it this way.

-Go to the county sheriff's office and request a Pistol Purchase Permit Application.
-Fill out all requested information and get your references to agree to vouch for you.
-Return paperwork and wait 10days.
-Call sheriff's department and ask if application has been approved.
-Go pick up permits and pay fees.
-Go purchase the handgun.


For concealed carry, you must complete the state approved course by an approved instructor.  This fee is solely up to the instructor.  After course is finished, I think 8 hours, take paperwork to sheriff's office to pay $90 fee and get fingerprinted.  Now you may carry concealed in the locations where concealed carry is legal.


-REAPER2502

dc899:
REAPER2502 is correct on the mechanics of purchasing in NC. NC has a "shall issue" permit to purchase system. The permit must be issued by the Sheriff of the county where the purchaser resides, but the permit is valid to purchase anywhere in the state. I'm not sure how long Buncombe Co. takes to issue the purchase permit....probably anywhere from 3 days to the 10 that REAPER mentioned. Our county does them (absent some problem with the applicant's criminal history) in 2-3 days.

The carry permit requires that the applicant first complete the state mandated training course (usually about 8 hrs), then bring the original certificate of completion to the Sheriff's Office in the county of residence. The total cost, IIRC, is $98.00, which is set by the state. That covers fingerprints, a local criminal record check by the Clerk of Superior Court, a check of Mental Health records, and notary fees. I have seen waits as long as 6 months to get the fingerprint clearance back from the FBI (since they are not enthusiastic about concealed weapons anyway, CCW prints are a very low priority). The average wait right now seems to be 30-40 days. Once the clearance comes back, the Sheriff is required to issue the permit. The applicant does not have to list any weapons, there is no photograph on the permit. The permittee has to have the permit on his/her person at all times when carrying, and is required to inform any law enforcement officer who contacts him/her (traffic stops, etc) that he/she has a concealed handgun. The permittee does not have to show the officer the weapon, does not even have to tell the officer where the weapon is, just that he/she has a concealed weapon. A DMV check of the permittees drivers license will show that he/she has a permit, so the officer will find about the weapon anyway.

Hope this helps. If you need suggestions on where to take the CCW course, or gun dealers in the area, I will be glad to offer any help I can. I work about 30 miles from Asheville, & I know most of the dealers & CCW instructors.

Thanks for the help fellows. NCCop can you recommend where I should send her to purchase a handgun and take a CCW course. I live in IL and don't see myself able to get there anytime soon.  If you are LEO sorry about my remark in the post, not trying to cop bash, but she is the only caucasian left in her neighborhood and the police don't seem to care what happens there to much, from what she is telling my wife. 12 single women in her neighborhood have had there houses broken into or have been assaulted. One lady was pistol wipped with her own pistol. They evn have a one derelict videotaped robbing someone but they have still not caught him. She is very scared and doesn't see any help in sight.

dc899:

In the Asheville area, I think that the folks at On Target (an indoor firing range on Sweeten Creek Rd.) do the CCW classes. They are also firearms dealers. If she would be interested in a used gun, like a department trade-in, she can call Phil Flack at PF Custom Guns on Sunset Dr. in Asheville. Phil is a dealer for most any kind of firearms, including Class 3, & has a manufacturer's license also. Real good guy to deal with.

We have CCW classes at our gun club once a month, if she doesn't mind the drive to Polk County. It's about 40-45 minutes from A'ville. If she's interested, I can furnish her with the name of our CCW instructor.

NO offense taken at the remark. I know LE people aren't perfect, and sometimes things don't get the attention they deserve. I have friends with A'ville PD & Buncombe Co. Sheriff's Office, & they are like everybody else: buried under property crimes, B&Es, drug dealers, armed robberies & the like. Unfortunately the first thing the pols want to cut when budgets get tight is law enforcement.
Hope you can get her some help. If I can do anything, just IM me or post on the BOTS board.
Good luck.

NCCop-

Thanks for the details on the process.  That filled in a lot of blanks for me.  


-REAPER2502

Thanks for all the help fellas.