Here at Flack U. headquarters in Washington, DC. We are decidedly pro-2nd Amendment liberals. There are actually more of us around than you may think. As you can imagine, we were hopeful that DC would finally let us exercise our constitutional rights following the landmark Heller decision.
Well, this month the MPD published their latest revised firearm registration requirements.
If you don't want to wade through the 13 pages, this is a summary of what you need to do own a handgun in your home.
- Take a 5 hr. training course ($150)
- Go to MPD and get your paperwork
- Go to Maryland and buy a gun
- Call the only FFL in DC and arrange a transfer($125)
- Go to MPD and get fingerprinted and background checked. ($35 + $13 for the application)
- Wait 5 days. Go back again to MPD to get your registration
- Go to FFL and get your gun. Pass the NICS.
- Go back AGAIN to MPD with your gun for ballistic testing ($12)
- Wait until MPD calls you and tells you to pick up your gun
But this is what is really crazy. In order to register a shotgun or rifle, I need to take a 4 hour course on gun safety AND one hour of range time with a HANDGUN. I called a few of the approved trainers and confirmed that, indeed, their courses are focused on handgun ownership.
In supposedly complying with Heller on handguns, the DC City Council has actually made the process MORE restrictive for people looking to buy a shotgun or rifle.
I am sure it is only a matter of time before this, and the other meaningless hoops are eliminated (ballistics testing only works on Law & Order. Maryland wasted $2 million on a similar program). Why could they just not accept the inevitable and do it right the first time is beyond me.
