Need a little advice

[Heckler&Koch]

Hey everyone, I'm new here and had a few questions. I'm 21 and in college and interested in purchasing a handgun (I've had an interest in firearms for sometime now) and wanted to be prepared for the legal process of purchasing one.

Now I know there is a background check that takes approximately 5 days, and you need to get a permit to buy one...but I don't quite understand the proceedure.

Do I need to obtain the permit for a handgun before I go to purchase one, or after? And where exactly do I go to obtain one? What do I need to bring with me and what types of paperwork will I need to fill out?

I live on a college campus, but they don't allow guns on campus. So I was planning on keeping the gun in my car, is this legal? And if so, under what circumstances?

I've read on some website that the laws states a person must have a "legimiate reason for purchasing a firearm". Is just having an interest or hobby sufficent to meet this requirement, or do you need to prove you need the gun for protection, or some other acceptable reason?

Thanks

[VanL6]

Do you have a current FOID card? If not, go to your local police dept. or gunshop and get one. Then ask them all these questions for your area.

[Heckler&Koch]

What's a "FOID" card? Is that the name of the permit you need? What does it stand for?

[VanL6]

Firearm Owner's Identification card. Like I said before "Go to your local police dept. or gun shop and get one"

[lostone1413]

Check laws good were your at when I lived in Illinois more then once had to go to court for having a loaded gun in my car But don't know were your from so check the laws different as to how you can carry a gun Chuck (Cottonwood,AZ.)

[crawfish]

Without knowing where you are posting from there is no way to tell you how to go about getting a handgun. In Nc the various county Sheriffs Office is where we get our purchase permits and also our CCP. North Carolina is a "must issue" state. The Shefiff has a set number of days to run background checks on an applicant after that time ready or not he has to issue a permit if he can't show legal cause why the applicant can't have a handgun.
  Can answer one of your questions about where you are going to keep your handgun. You say you are a student living on campus so no guns allowed. You want to keep your gun in your car, well hoss unless you park that car 1000YARDS from that school you are breaking a federal law. NO FIREARMS ALLOWED WITHIN 1000 YARDS OF A SCHOOL SAFETY ZONE. You are scratching your head and thinking what about the people who live close to the school, whole different matter as to a dwelling/home, car don't cut it.
   You will have to go to a local police office and ask for an infromation packet on handgun purchases. I think all the states have a web site with that info posted also.

[Majic]

First we need to know where you are. Many states don't require any type of permit to purchase a handgun.
As for the storage question, you can't bring your car on campus with the handgun in it without commiting a felony.

[Heckler&Koch]

Sorry for being too vague. I reside in New Jersey. I did a little more research and it turns out that New Jersey is hardly friendly towards the 2nd Amendment, at least according to this website http://www.packing.org/state/index.jsp/new+jersey.

Since I can't legally keep my firearm on campus or in my car then the only course of action that I can think of is to keep the gun in an offsite location. Does anyone know if banks allow you to keep an unloaded firearm in a safety deposit box as long as you can provide paperwork that you legally own the gun? If not are there any types of providers that would preform this service?

It's not a big deal if I don't get a permit to conceal my weapon, I just want to be able to purchase one (I know that they are two different permits). Are there any nearby states that would allow someone like myself to purchase a firearm in case for whatever reason the local clerks office refuses to issue me one? This seems like complete bs to me...and I'm a little hesisitant of going through with the application process in fear that the end result will be along these lines.

Me: Hello, I'd like to apply for a permit to purchase a handgun in new jersey.

Issuer: Are you at least 21 years of age?

Me: Yes

Issuer: Are you a legal resisdant of the state of New Jersey?

Me: Yes

Issuer: Have you ever been convicted of a crime?

Me: No

Issuer: Can you provide proof of these claims?

Me: Yes

Issuer: What is your reason for wanting to purchase a handgun?

Me: I have an interest in them, they are a hobby of mine.

Issuer: I'm sorry but that is not reason enough for me to issue you a permit, request deined.

From what I've gathered a "must issue" state can only refuse someone a permit if they can prove there is a legal basis for the denial. And in a non must issue state they can pretty much do what they want, and it is up to you to convince them that they should issue you a permit. Is this the case, or have I misinterpreted it? (New Jersey is a non "must issue" state)

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Changing the subject a bit, when they ask for my place of resistance should I state my college as my address, or my parents home? And if it my place of residence goes under my parents will they have to be notified since it is there home? I prefer just to keep it stored somewhere away from my home without the hassle of trying to explain to them I want to buy a gun.

[lostone1413]

A lot of questions but every state is different. Check with the state police as to the law. As far as buying in another state far as I know you have to live in the state you buy the gun in. Even the law about school here in Arizona if you have a ccw you can have a gun on the school property unless it is posted but if you fire the gun you are in violation of federal law

[lostone1413]

72 -CCW holders are exempt from federal gun-free school zones carrying restrictions, but in a monumental oversight (some say a deliberate and misguided effort) shooting in such a zone, even to stop an obvious Illegal lethal assault, would violate federal law.

From Alan Korwin book Arizona gun law page 72 Also checked it out with other people all agree that is AZ law as far as school zones go. I'm sure some in AZ would question as to were I got my info Chuck (Cottonwood,AZ.)