Moving to NH- purchasing process / regs

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Hi all, new member here. I'm moving to New Hampshire soon and am interested in becoming a firearms owner. Just wondering what the process might be like once I get set up with my new apartment lease, state drivers license, etc. Is it pretty straightforward, or are there any speed bumps that I should be aware of? No criminal history etc, just a normal guy. Would appreciate any insight.
 
Only 'speed bump' will be your budget or available money to spend. Well, other than finding what you want to buy. There are plenty of FFL's/stores in the state to get things from. Just depends on either where you'll be based, or how far you're willing to drive.
 
Thanks guys, appreciate the insights.
A couple more questions- is there any waiting period etc, or can I pretty much walk out of the store with my new purchase once I find something(s) I like? Also, what does the pistol and revolver license do for me- just a legal process thing to show that I'm on top of things?
 
Thanks guys, appreciate the insights.
A couple more questions- is there any waiting period etc, or can I pretty much walk out of the store with my new purchase once I find something(s) I like? Also, what does the pistol and revolver license do for me- just a legal process thing to show that I'm on top of things?
No waiting periods.
However, pistol sales are called in to the state police and at high volume times you can be waiting...I've had 45 minute to 2 hour waits sometimes.

P&R lets you ATV carry, buy a private sale pistol from people you don't know, and is required for certain non-res licenses (like the MA non-res LTC). Mine took about 4 business hours to acquire, so 100% worth it for me. It's extremely easy to get (you don't need photos or anything).
 
Thanks guys, appreciate the insights.
A couple more questions- is there any waiting period etc, or can I pretty much walk out of the store with my new purchase once I find something(s) I like? Also, what does the pistol and revolver license do for me- just a legal process thing to show that I'm on top of things?
You'll also get reciprocity to carry in 20+ states.

https://handgunlaw.us/states/newhampshire.pdf
 
Thanks guys, appreciate the insights.
A couple more questions- is there any waiting period etc, or can I pretty much walk out of the store with my new purchase once I find something(s) I like? Also, what does the pistol and revolver license do for me- just a legal process thing to show that I'm on top of things?
You just need a DL or federal ID with proof of residence. Buy gun and walk out with a successful NICS.
 
Thanks guys, great community here.
What are reasons for a bounced NICS? Again I'm a normal guy, no criminal history, I just don't know how strict these things are. Who gets bounced and is there a workaround/legal process for that?
 
Thanks guys, appreciate the insights.
A couple more questions- is there any waiting period etc, or can I pretty much walk out of the store with my new purchase once I find something(s) I like? Also, what does the pistol and revolver license do for me- just a legal process thing to show that I'm on top of things?

What state were you born in?

Expect to get a delay, especially your first purchase. If you have a common name or birthed in MA (or possible other states), these are almost certain delays. You will still be able to purchase, just may not be able to bring it home to sleep with that night. The dealer, if he doesn't get a "deny" in 3 days can proceed with the sale (NH dealer please clarify if my understanding is wrong).

I was born in MA, so NH needs to verify through MA. And it seems MA shuts their computer off on the weekends. If you have a choice, buy during the week.
 
What state were you born in?

Expect to get a delay, especially your first purchase. If you have a common name or birthed in MA (or possible other states), these are almost certain delays. You will still be able to purchase, just may not be able to bring it home to sleep with that night. The dealer, if he doesn't get a "deny" in 3 days can proceed with the sale (NH dealer please clarify if my understanding is wrong).

I was born in MA, so NH needs to verify through MA. And it seems MA shuts their computer off on the weekends. If you have a choice, buy during the week.
I was born in MA. What do they check?
 
I was born in MA. What do they check?

I really don't have any idea...Maybe someone here can shed some light on this. I just know that whenever I get "delayed" they tell me it's because the check had to go through the MA system. And like I said, their replies are slow, or not non-existent, on the weekends. Particularly weekends they have gun shows in NH. Its a fairly common thing for NH residents that were born in MA. I have just switched to not buying on Saturdays.

But, yeah, except for the potential of getting "delayed" you are good to go.

What are you going to buy first? (If you're bored start a thread on this.....there are plenty of strong opinions on this in here).
 
Hi all, new member here. I'm moving to New Hampshire soon and am interested in becoming a firearms owner. Just wondering what the process might be like once I get set up with my new apartment lease, state drivers license, etc. Is it pretty straightforward, or are there any speed bumps that I should be aware of? No criminal history etc, just a normal guy. Would appreciate any insight.
This should help.

IMG_0247.jpg
 
What state were you born in?

Expect to get a delay, especially your first purchase. If you have a common name or birthed in MA (or possible other states), these are almost certain delays. You will still be able to purchase, just may not be able to bring it home to sleep with that night. The dealer, if he doesn't get a "deny" in 3 days can proceed with the sale (NH dealer please clarify if my understanding is wrong).

I was born in MA, so NH needs to verify through MA. And it seems MA shuts their computer off on the weekends. If you have a choice, buy during the week.

I was born in MA and my checks have always taken less than 15 minutes with one exception back in June of last year when the whole system was backed up.
 
No waiting periods.
However, pistol sales are called in to the state police and at high volume times you can be waiting...I've had 45 minute to 2 hour waits sometimes.

Was multiple day for the "gun line" last year. Hence SB141.

What state were you born in?

Expect to get a delay, especially your first purchase.

Perhaps you meant to say, don't be surprised if there is a delay if you have a common name. No one should expect a delay regardless of where in the US they were born in or whether it is their first or 50th purchase.
 
Was multiple day for the "gun line" last year. Hence SB141.



Perhaps you meant to say, don't be surprised if there is a delay if you have a common name. No one should expect a delay regardless of where in the US they were born in or whether it is their first or 50th purchase.

No. I said what I meant to say. Which has happened to me several times and been explained to me that MA system was down. 4 times for me twice for my wife. Every time FFL has told me it was due to MA system. Every time the delay expired in 3 days.
 
Never knew about the born in Mass thing. I was born in Mass and I think the longest I ever waited for a NICS was about an hour.
I'm from MA , never an issue since I moved to NH
Some don't like putting their social sec number on the 4473 but if you have a common name it will help.
 
Hi all, new member here. I'm moving to New Hampshire soon and am interested in becoming a firearms owner. Just wondering what the process might be like once I get set up with my new apartment lease, state drivers license, etc. Is it pretty straightforward, or are there any speed bumps that I should be aware of? No criminal history etc, just a normal guy. Would appreciate any insight.
Just go to a gun store.....and give them money.
 
What state were you born in?

Expect to get a delay, especially your first purchase. If you have a common name or birthed in MA (or possible other states), these are almost certain delays. You will still be able to purchase, just may not be able to bring it home to sleep with that night. The dealer, if he doesn't get a "deny" in 3 days can proceed with the sale (NH dealer please clarify if my understanding is wrong).

I was born in MA, so NH needs to verify through MA. And it seems MA shuts their computer off on the weekends. If you have a choice, buy during the week.
Not true at all. I have friends who are dualies born in MA, instant proceeds. Even with the gun line. Even on the weekend.

If you are getting delayed I suspect standard NICS f***ery not anything to do with "being from mass. "
 
No. I said what I meant to say. Which has happened to me several times and been explained to me that MA system was down. 4 times for me twice for my wife. Every time FFL has told me it was due to MA system. Every time the delay expired in 3 days.
That smells of bs because the NICS operator (generally) doesn't tell you anything about that. The computer definitely doesn't tell you about that on long guns. It just spits out a delay and a code. It is definitely possible that an NH gun line operator/clerk said something like that to a dealer however. It's definitely possible that they were doing something like maintenance on a system over a weekend .

During covid lock down, Early on a lot of people I think were being just administratively delayed instead of the 10-20 minutes. This would present itself as an inherent increase in long-term delays. Mar-July of 2020 was just a shitshow. [laugh]
 
As long as you don't have a DUI in MA there should be no reason for denial if like you say your record is clean

An arrest (depending on "crime"* ) with a dismissal can even be enough to trigger a delay. I've talked to police officers who actually got arrested at some point in their life and got a dismissal who are basically cursed with NICS AIDS and get delayed constantly....

*i use the term crime with skepticism because some of the shit people get arrested for vs reality would make ones head spin. It's really a travesty that there's no true expungement policy in MA.
 
That smells of bs because the NICS operator (generally) doesn't tell you anything about that. The computer definitely doesn't tell you about that on long guns. It just spits out a delay and a code. It is definitely possible that an NH gun line operator/clerk said something like that to a dealer however. It's definitely possible that they were doing something like maintenance on a system over a weekend .

During covid lock down, Early on a lot of people I think were being just administratively delayed instead of the 10-20 minutes. This would present itself as an inherent increase in long-term delays. Mar-July of 2020 was just a shitshow. [laugh]

Haven't bought any hardware during pandemic, so it rules that out. Happened to me two years in a row at the Manchester January show. Happened once at the place on main St in Amherst. Happened at old glory in Mason. 3 out 4 places told me it was due to "MA System being down". At the gun show I spoke to 4 others that got delayed, that had been told it was because MA System was down. I even tried having my wife apply. She also got delayed. Also born in MA (same hospital as me...two weeks after me. I like younger women.) To add insult to injury, one of my delays came on an SDVE that I was only buying cuz it was only $225. Even at that price the piece sucks so bad.

So I don't know, but those were my exact experiences. I've seen people on here jump to bigger conspiracy theories with less empirical evidence than I just presented. Lol.
 
Haven't bought any hardware during pandemic, so it rules that out. Happened to me two years in a row at the Manchester January show. Happened once at the place on main St in Amherst. Happened at old glory in Mason. 3 out 4 places told me it was due to "MA System being down". At the gun show I spoke to 4 others that got delayed, that had been told it was because MA System was down. I even tried having my wife apply. She also got delayed. Also born in MA (same hospital as me...two weeks after me. I like younger women.) To add insult to injury, one of my delays came on an SDVE that I was only buying cuz it was only $225. Even at that price the piece sucks so bad.

So I don't know, but those were my exact experiences. I've seen people on here jump to bigger conspiracy theories with less empirical evidence than I just presented. Lol.

That potentially fits with the gun line, if these were all handguns. Gun line always got really f***ed up on NH gun show weekends, too. At the time I would not be shocked if this was some kind of fabrication by gunline personnel to admin delay people.
 
That potentially fits with the gun line, if these were all handguns. Gun line always got really f***ed up on NH gun show weekends, too. At the time I would not be shocked if this was some kind of fabrication by gunline personnel to admin delay people.

Maybe. But 4 handguns over 3 years at different locations. This is either true OR gunline operators are trained to tell the ffl a line of bs. It is not coincidental, gotta be one or the other.

There was another thread on here a few years ago. It was the day after a gun show and there were a couple posts here from people who got delayed and told it was a MA System issue. I tried to search but can't scroll through it all on my phone.
 
No. I said what I meant to say. Which has happened to me several times and been explained to me that MA system was down. 4 times for me twice for my wife. Every time FFL has told me it was due to MA system. Every time the delay expired in 3 days.

Yeah, you were more than likely fed some BS. FFLs nationwide love to play the blame game when things don't go as expected. Guess who the average NH FFL's favorite target is.
 
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Yeah, you were fed some BS. FFLs nationwide love to play the blame game when things don't go as expected. Guess who the average NH FFL's favorite target is.

That's pretty good then. The corroboration among FFLs is prolific. Four different dealers, 4 guns over three years and same story. I applaud their coordination.
 
That's pretty good then. The corroboration among FFLs is prolific. Four different dealers, 4 guns over three years and same story. I applaud their coordination.

No offense, but this sounds more like a you problem. This might not be exactly your fault as I have a fsome friends in NC, AK, LA, and ID who gripe that "I always get a delay". The average everday person will never see a NICS generated delay. My only slowdowns despite buying long guns and handguns in seven? different states was with NH's "gun line" on handguns last year.

Common name? Do you list your SSN on the 4473? Witness protection program-mob boss in a former life? Prohibited person in disguise? just kidding on the last one
 
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