mikka1

So, while still trying to fight my local PD over their "extra" FID requirements (http://njgunforums.com/forum/index.php/topic/57936-references-for-fid-application-reference-residence-reqt/) I was looking forward to use rental handguns to practice, but I faced quite an unexpected (at least for me) obstacle - some (or maybe even most) of the local ranges do not allow gun rentals for those a) without the FID b) coming to the range alone. Anthony from G4H kindly called me back recently and explained that this is because of some requirements of the insurance company aimed to prevent range suicides and at his range it applies to all people visiting alone even if the person happens to be a range member and even if it is his 10th visit (unless he has a valid NJ FID). I am kind of not keen on going deep into discussing if this policy is right or wrong and I absolutely and fully respect this kind of decision (in the end of the day, it's Anthony's business and he has an absolute right to decide who he wants to see at HIS business and who he doesn't want, as if something bad happens with some dickhead it will be him to suffer, not me or whoever else), but I just look at this from the very practical standpoint - with my job with unpredictable working hours it's almost impossible for me to engage any of my colleagues or friends to accompany me to the range every time I want to go shooting. Getting FID is also somewhat out of my control - some guys online reported that it had taken more than 3-4 months for my local PD to process the paperwork... So my only short term solution (at least until I get my FID) is to find a range that does not have such a policy. So far I only contacted Heritage Guild in Easton, PA and they confirmed that they rent to individuals coming alone without issues. I tried to call RTSP, but was unable to get hold of anyone there - but at least I see no indication of such a policy on their website. Shore Shot (which is anyway far from me) indeed does have the same policy. So any other range suggestions in Northern NJ and adjacent areas in PA (max ~60-70 miles from Newark) that allow rentals to "single walk-ins"? Thanks in advance!

Well, this is what I got from the lady in the PD. #2 is the one that states this requirement...

Hi everyone, Apologies if my question has already been discussed numerous times here, but I wasn't able to find a clear answer anywhere online. I read about people applying for FID in NJ listing their friends / former colleagues as references who lived in other locations and that (as far as I understood) has never been an issue. Yesterday I went to my local PD (Bloomfield, NJ) and got instructions that my references MUST live in NJ and must not be related to me. While I perfectly understand the rationale behind the latter one, I didn't really get it why a person living in Manhattan (<15 miles from here) who worked with me for last ~2-3 years is not an acceptable reference while a person from Cape May or Camden county (~100 miles from here) is perfectly fine (if we judge only by distance). I asked this question and their explanation was quite strange for me: "Because they WILL be contacted". Okay. Got it. What I don't get is what makes it impossible to contact a person in Manhattan, Boston or even NoCal where I studied if they send letters and give calls anyway, but not visit those people in person? So, is it a statewide requirement for references to be NJ residents? Both ways, is there something I can do with it? I know this might sound like a stupid issue and it probably is for those who grew up, studied and lived for the whole life in NJ. But for a person who moved to NJ rather recently, who works in NYC and studied somewhere really far this is kind of cumbersome. I obviously can ask several of my neighbors who know me somewhat well if they don't mind to be my references, but that's definitely not what I wanted to do in the first place. Appreciate your feedback, Thanks, Mikka