Advice on buying a firearm?

[Puffinz]

Hello everyone. I've decided on a firearm as my method for ctb since I live in the US. I've read through the firearms megathread post as well as some other info online about gun laws and I think I'm all ready to go buy tomorrow. I've got identification and I can easily pass a background check. I still have some questions about what the actual buying experience will be like though and I'm quite nervous I'll get turned away or made fun of for not knowing much about guns. I'm planning to buy a .357 handgun of some kind and JHP ammo based on what I read in the firearm megathread. I don't really know anything about guns though so should I just walk in and ask for a recommendation for a .357 handgun and ammo? I also would like to pay in cash because my parents still have joint access to my bank account and I don't want to alarm them and I have a lot of cash from tips I got working a job over the summer. I feel like it's suspicious and they'll turn me away for trying to pay with cash but I don't really know. I'm planning on saying it's for home defense so I don't need to get a concealed carry permit but I don't know if this is a believable excuse or if I'll have to get a concealed carry anyway. If anyone has any experience with purchasing a firearm I'd like to hear about the experience so I'm not so nervous going into the shop tomorrow. I live in Washington state. Thanks.

 

[SuicidallyCurious]

All of your concerns are reasonable however no reason to worry:

First thing you are gonna know is you are gonna get a federal background check. Despite making multiple threats against elected officials, US army bases, as well as law enforcement before i bought my first gun, I was nearly instantly approved by the FBI to buy a firearm. This was well into the digital era of mass surveillance. Keep in mind i do not or never have had a criminal conviction or even an arrest. This step should be easy. What will happen here is you will present ID and fill out some forms and the store will call it in the feds. If you are like most normal people the feds will almost instantly approve you.

The store employees are likely gonna be happy you have come in as a new gunowner. Unless you seem super psyched out just being ignorant of the firearms will not be a problem. Given the current political climate and how the gun culture is in america they are going to 100% believe you when you say some defense. At the end of the day they are out there to make a sale.

Now as far as what the law is in washington state you will want to find out what is going on there in google. Given it is a handgun that is often iffy, those are often treated differently due to the association with gang violence. Read up on what the state law says. If it is too onerous then why not just get a shotgun and do it with a slug? I believe that is also another preferred CTB method. But make sure you are using a slug and not scattershot ammo obviously (normal shotgun ammo).

Paying cash isn't an issue because you're gonna fill out a form and the feds have ways to track the gun back to that store should you use it in commission of a crime. in fact you may be able to get cash discount (LOL) just ask them

 

[Puffinz]

All of your concerns are reasonable however no reason to worry:

First thing you are gonna know is you are gonna get a federal background check. Despite making multiple threats against elected officials, US army bases, as well as law enforcement before i bought my first gun, I was nearly instantly approved by the FBI to buy a firearm. This was well into the digital era of mass surveillance. Keep in mind i do not or never have had a criminal conviction or even an arrest. This step should be easy. What will happen here is you will present ID and fill out some forms and the store will call it in the feds. If you are like most normal people the feds will almost instantly approve you.

The store employees are likely gonna be happy you have come in as a new gunowner. Unless you seem super psyched out just being ignorant of the firearms will not be a problem. Given the current political climate and how the gun culture is in america they are going to 100% believe you when you say some defense. At the end of the day they are out there to make a sale.

Now as far as what the law is in washington state you will want to find out what is going on there in google. Given it is a handgun that is often iffy, those are often treated differently due to the association with gang violence. Read up on what the state law says. If it is too onerous then why not just get a shotgun and do it with a slug? I believe that is also another preferred CTB method. But make sure you are using a slug and not scattershot ammo obviously (normal shotgun ammo).

Paying cash isn't an issue because you're gonna fill out a form and the feds have ways to track the gun back to that store should you use it in commission of a crime. in fact you may be able to get cash discount (LOL) just ask them

Thank you for your response, I'm already feeling less nervous about it. I'm not buying a shotgun because I live in a small apartment with a couple roommates and I don't want to alarm them and a handgun is easier to keep a secret. I am also planning to ctb in a park near my house and call the police before doing so so that no civilians have to see me. I think it would be kindof awkward to walk to the park in the middle of the night with a shotgun and I could get in trouble. I think as long as I get a high enough caliber it will do the job.

 

[SuicidallyCurious]

Thank you for your response, I'm already feeling less nervous about it. I'm not buying a shotgun because I live in a small apartment with a couple roommates and I don't want to alarm them and a handgun is easier to keep a secret. I am also planning to ctb in a park near my house and call the police before doing so so that no civilians have to see me. I think it would be kindof awkward to walk to the park in the middle of the night with a shotgun and I could get in trouble. I think as long as I get a high enough caliber it will do the job.

you could probably fit a shotgun in a large backpack. but yes its not ideal

 

[Deleted member 23885]

You're so lucky to be American. What, I'd give to be American instead of a British citizen.

 

[SuicidallyCurious]

You're so lucky to be American. What, I'd give to be American instead of a British citizen.

Yes it does seem americans have access to many CTB methods much easier. And of course we are just a stones throw away from mexico to acquire N. I have visited many countries in the world and I often felt bad for europeans because they had to fly so far to visit tropical locales.

The close poor country vacation destination for the europeans is turkey but it is becoming increasingly unstable and i don't know if that is a good place to find resources to CTB

 

[Puffinz]

You're so lucky to be American. What, I'd give to be American instead of a British citizen.

I feel bad that people from other countries are denied access to this means of suicide. People everywhere should be given the right to die quickly and painlessly.

 

[SuicidallyCurious]

I feel bad that people from other countries are denied access to this means of suicide. People everywhere should be given the right to die quickly and painlessly.

Probably the people who have it worst are in the heavily islamic countries. most of these countries probably would have a severe penalty for a drug like N. However this is not PC to say but if someone really wanted to CTB if they signed up to be jihadist they could CTB and its well documented jihadists are eagerly recruiting.. easy way to get access to a gun

 

[Deleted member 23885]

Probably the people who have it worst are in the heavily islamic countries. most of these countries probably would have a severe penalty for a drug like N. However this is not PC to say but if someone really wanted to CTB if they signed up to be jihadist they could CTB and its well documented jihadists are eagerly recruiting.. easy way to get access to a gun

I'm living in an Islamic country right now (on holiday). This site is still accessible. Islamic countries have it easy compared to China, North Korea and even Cuba, lol. You can still do suicide by hanging. I'm just rubbish at it.

I feel bad that people from other countries are denied access to this means of suicide. People everywhere should be given the right to die quickly and painlessly.

The UK is miles behind the US. Citizens aren't allowed to own guns, so most suicides are hangings. Hanging has a 30% rate of failure. A shotgun to the head has a 1% rate of failure. Look at those odds.

 

[SuicidallyCurious]

I'm living in an Islamic country right now (on holiday). This site is still accessible. Islamic countries have it easy compared to China, North Korea and even Cuba, lol. You can still do suicide by hanging. I'm just rubbish at it.

I'm unsure of the situation in china but I know that in japan CTB is discouraged by laws that if someone owes financial debts the debts can be forced upon their relatives. That is truly a hell world scenario

 

[Deleted member 23885]

I'm unsure of the situation in china but I know that in japan CTB is discouraged by laws that if someone owes financial debts the debts can be forced upon their relatives. That is truly a hell world scenario

Unfortunately, most of the world is conservative & pro-life. Not just Islamic countries. Most western countries are just as bad as Islamic ones when it comes to ctb. I know as I'm from the UK, where anti-suicide laws are just as tough as Saudi Arabia.

 

[Aap]

The gun shop will gladly take your cash over a credit card. You don't need to "explain" anything. Just go, say what you want, and buy it.

Stop trying to add details about concealed carry, etc. You sound anxious, and you will get a salesman's pitch/walk out with something you don't want. I can already envision mentioning concealed carry, salesman says this 357 is too big for that, and you being pushed towards a small 38 snub nose or a pocket 9mm.

A shotgun is preferable to any handgun, but if you are going with a handgun, a 357 is as good as you will get (though a shotgun is far preferable to any handgun).

 

[Deleted member 23885]

Thanks so much!

 

[Puffinz]

Just in case anyone is wondering, I bought my gun today. I told the sales guy that it was my first time buying and asked for a fairly cheap 9mm recommendation. He had me hold a few different ones in my hands to see which one felt the best but I just went with the cheapest one which was about $400. I'm just waiting on the local police background check to clear since I bought a handgun. The whole process was a lot easier and less stressful than I thought it would be. Thanks for the helpful replies in this thread, without it I would not have had the confidence to even enter the store.

 

[Deleted member 94]

You're so lucky to be American. What, I'd give to be American instead of a British citizen.

Worst here in this country they do a mental health check before even giving you an airgun.

 

[lordofbody]

Just in case anyone is wondering, I bought my gun today. I told the sales guy that it was my first time buying and asked for a fairly cheap 9mm recommendation. He had me hold a few different ones in my hands to see which one felt the best but I just went with the cheapest one which was about $400. I'm just waiting on the local police background check to clear since I bought a handgun. The whole process was a lot easier and less stressful than I thought it would be. Thanks for the helpful replies in this thread, without it I would not have had the confidence to even enter the store.

Did you get a 9mm?