danw77

Just to be sure I understand, you're saying these are good prices? Since I've never bought before I don't have anything to compare to.

OK, just picked up my first shotgun and I'm looking for ammo. I hope to head out to a shotgun shootout in Clinton sometime soon, but I need to buy some ammo. Can someone tell me what a good price for shells is? I'd like to buy a couple cases of birdshot, but also some buckshot and some slugs but I have no idea what a "good" price is these days. If someone can give me a ballpark, or even provide some links to places that aren't gouging, that would be great. Thanks!

They said they won't give me my permits unless I have the letter in hand. I don't know why... maybe to confirm that I'm actually living at the address? It did annoy me a bit, but after waiting four months I wasn't going to argue about it.

1. Application type (FID/permit w/ existing FID). Initial FID and 2 P2P 2. Police Department where you applied. West Caldwell 3. Name of the person you dealt with at the PD. Det. Orr 4. Time taken to issue FID and/or permit. 4 months, 1 week 5. Documents required by the PD (aside from the standard application and the mental health release form). None 6. Notes - anything pertaining to the application process (unforeseen difficulties, chief of police calling your home, you hiring an attorney, etc.). Took 10 weeks for references to receive letter. Permit issued approx. 45 days after reference letters were returned.

I called back this morning and spoke with someone who was much more helpful. They told me my letter was going out in today's mail and that I should have it in a day or two. If that's the case, it will be 4 months and a week since I dropped off my paperwork.

I'm in West Caldwell. Dropped of paperwork on March 11, fingerprinted on March 22. I called about 2 weeks ago to check on the status. I told the officer that answered the phone that it had already been four months. He laughed, said call back in another four months, and hung up on me. My references got their letters the first week in June and promptly returned them. That's all I know....

To clarify, my question is not so much which specific .22 or 9mm to get but should I get a .22 or 9mm (or .357) first given my limited budget and intended use.

Thanks for the responses. Glocks are out for me... I just don't like the way they feel in my hand. The M&P is on my short list of 9mm, along with the SR9, P95, 92FS, and CZ/CZ clones. I'd love a Sig P226, but it's outside my budget. For the price of the gun and conversion, I could get an M&P9 and an SR22. Is the general consensus that the benefits of having an 9mm for home defense outweighs the benefit of learning on a .22 and cheaper ammo costs?

While I've been waiting for my FID and my 2 p2p's to come in (dropped my paperwork off on March 14) I'm still having trouble deciding what to buy. I've read all of the "first gun" thread's but I'm still undecided. Given how long the process takes, I'd prefer not to have to go through this again any time soon. I had originally planned to make a Mossberg 500 my first purchase but given my limited funds I'd like to try to use my two P2P's before they expire. Ideally I would get a .22lr to learn the basics and use at the range, then the Mossberg a few months later, and then pick up a 9mm or .45 semi or .357 revolver a few months after that. However, I'm not sure I'll have the funds for the second handgun before my second P2P expires. So here's my question... what type of handgun would you purchase first knowing that you might not be able to purchase another one for a year, maybe two? My budget is $500 so I can make sure I've got enough to keep my ammo stocked. My primary reason for the handgun is home defense and range use. The .22lr would suit my needs well (except for the limitations/problems in a home defense setting) and the cheaper ammo will mean I get to the range more often. I'll be using the Mossberg for hunting this fall, so that really needs to be my second purchase. Would it be unwise to have a .22lr handgun as my only home defense firearm for a year or two? I know the Mossberg could be used also, but a shotgun just doesn't seem like a great HD option to me. I really like the EAA Witness in 9mm or .45acp with a .22lr conversion. I've read that the 22 conversion isn't great, and since this is primarilly what I'd be using at the range I'm not sure it's a great idea. I also really like the SR22. If I were to get a dedicated 22 practice gun it would be the SR22. I hope that's clear enough and not confusing. Any help would really be appreciated. Thanks in advance.