I go Tuesday for an appointment that I have with a detective from my town for a firearms ID card and a permit. Can you tell me if they will ask any questions as to why I want a gun or not. And if so what are some answers to say and not say?

Is this to get fingerprinted? They should not ask you why you want a gun. That was even taken off of the paperwork a few years ago. But it can serve as a way to talk to you which right or wrong could delay or speed up the application while they are fingerprinting you. Be nice, polite respectful and if they make small talk as to what you are going to use it for, hunting and target shooting. I would not sweat it.

I have never heard of such requirement outside of New York City.

 

Just dont be a douche... just say you want to have a firearm for home defense, will be taking a firearms course. Furthermore, want one for target practice. Probly wants to just review the application and to see you are not a nut job.

I would leave out the home defense part or anything that even sounds like you would consider using a firearm against another person. But that is just me. NJ can be touchy.

Standard answer if ever asked in person or on paper is one word, TARGET. Nothing more is ever needed.

Standard answer if ever asked in person or on paper is one word, TARGET. Nothing more is ever needed.

Agreed, if it happen to come up that's the answer I would give them.

 

And just be polite, and don't sweat it. The trooper who did my prints really wanted nothing more then to finish and go back to what he was doing. We did my prints, I said thank you officer with a smile, and on my way I went

Thanks guys, if the question doe's come up I'll say "target practice". I was told by my father never say home defense. I just wanted a few more opinions in case it they bring it up.

They really shouldn't even ask. When my wife and I went is was just shuffling papers and finger printing I think I asked him more questions that I was asked.

Some people say: They shouldnt ask dont tell them etc....

Some say: I just keep my mouth shut

 

I say: Who cares? There just another person if they wana spark a conversation shoot. Ive got nothin to hide...If anything im gunna kiss some ass to get my FID faster : D

Rolling prints is a mundane task done many times in a day. We only printed certain times and certain days so we would have several lined up at one time. You might get some small talk but as they probably have a ton of other work to do, don't get put off if they are all business and just want to get the printing done. If you are lucky and they have an AFIS system, it should only talk a few minutes.

I had a nice conversation with the officer (they had an electronic system) and actually told him I had been printed before, after the awkward silence I explained that it was for a substitute teacher certificate... Then he was more agreeable

I go Tuesday just for an interview and to get the application as they do not accept the Internet form. I was also told that they do not do the finger prints there and that I would have to go to a finger print capturing center. I have a HazMat endorsement on my CDL license and the last time I did the prints it was an inferred scan type and went pretty fast, maybe 5 minutes.

Well today I went for the interview and they handed me a questionnaire, one of the questions was "Why do you wish to purchase a firearm?". I answered "target practice".

 

Some of the other questions on the form were:

 

employer

How long at current employer

how long at current household

previous address

List all family members that I reside with

Name/address of nearest relative

other names I may have used in the past

If I have ever applied for a permit to purchase or carry before

scars/marks tattoos

Marital status

This questioning was in NJ?????

 

Can they add requirements to the state law?

Yes it was in New Jersey. It was a questionnaire that they had made up and not the state form that I had filled out ether.

pretty standard stuff.

That is odd, you should have already filled all that out on your original paperwork.

I am wondering if they will compare it to your first application to check if your answers match?

 

questions?

1. you filled out firearms id form?

2. health form?

3. sbi form?

 

that was all you should have needed.

Most of the questions are required if they will be soing a background investigation. The family members in house is used to determine if anyone living at the same address is barred from firearm's possession. That can cause major problems.

 

Other names - kind of self explanitory for a background check. Not all arrests are printed and as such do not make it into the database.

 

Past addresses - local arrests - again not in anyone but the town's systems.

 

Some of the others look like fillers..........

This questioning was in NJ?????

 

Can they add requirements to the state law?

 

If any of the "additional" questions were a problem, I would contact a lawyer. Unfortunately, many towns illegally add to the requirements. A friend in Newark had to be interviewed by the Police Chief. Welcome to NJ!

State law does not address a background investigation so the questions is based on past residences, licensing or criminal convictions aren't going to be ruled out. If they get into areas or race, religion, sex,etc. then there would be an issue.

I understand, and I agree that it's probably "best" to just go along.

 

On the other hand, none of the questions he's being asked in the addition form are even remotely required for any kind of criminal background check (or credit, or financial, or domestic violence check, for that matter). Everything they need to perform a comprehensive check is on the state-mandated form.

 

I understand they can just bully you around, and you sorta need to suck it up, but it just stinks.

Yeah, according to the statute they CANNOT add requirements to the process.

 

But it also says that it has to be approved or denied within 30 days, so I guess they don't really care, do they?

 

It's a great state!

 

--FCOD

Requesting the information needed to conduct the background investigation isn't adding to the process. In fact it speeds it along.

 

As per state law as currently in force in NJ:

 

 

TITLE 13. LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY

CHAPTER 54. FIREARMS AND WEAPONS

 

N.J.A.C. 13:54-1.4 Applications for a firearms purchaser identification card and for a permit

to purchase a handgun

 

The chief of police of an organized full time police department of the municipality where the

applicant resides, or the Superintendent, when the applicant is a non-resident of this State or when

the municipality does not have a full time department, shall accept and investigate applications for

firearms purchaser identification cards and permits to purchase handguns

Requesting the information needed to conduct the background investigation isn't adding to the process. In fact it speeds it along.

 

As per state law as currently in force in NJ:

 

 

TITLE 13. LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY

CHAPTER 54. FIREARMS AND WEAPONS

 

N.J.A.C. 13:54-1.4 Applications for a firearms purchaser identification card and for a permit

to purchase a handgun

 

The chief of police of an organized full time police department of the municipality where the

applicant resides, or the Superintendent, when the applicant is a non-resident of this State or when

the municipality does not have a full time department, shall accept and investigate applications for

firearms purchaser identification cards and permits to purchase handguns

 

That seems vague. I would assume if your criminal background and mental health checks come back clean, your application should be approved. Are further investigations permitted?

Are further investigations permitted?

 

Yes. In our case verify the residence is about it but each department is different.