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Moving to Bristol, CT from Colorado - need info

M

MBAVet

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First, I must say that I am glad that I found this forum. Reading the posts here helped me to distinguish SOME of the gun laws there in CT.

I'm hoping that I can solicit some information. I'm moving this week to Bristol. Being from Colorado, I have more than a handful of handguns, shotguns, and rifles (luckily none of the rifles are those EVIL "black rifles"). I'll apply for my pistol permit as soon as I get my feet on the ground, but I'm sure that I'll have to obtain my CT driver's license first and HOPE that my training courses from Colorado and Utah suffice for Connecticut. Otherwise I'll have to shell out more time and money for an additional course there. Still, at a minimum, I understand that I'll be walking around "naked" for a few months.

Q1) I am aware that I need a license to buy a new handgun or/and one to take my gun to the range, but am I legally safe just moving to CT with my already legally purchased handguns and keeping them in my house until I get my permit?

Q2) Any info on Bristol in issuing licenses? The info on the BPD website looked pretty straight forward; I just hope that they don't sit on paperwork there.

I appreciate any information...and if it's bring lube, because I'm about to get f$#ked by gun laws/taxes/etc, well, I already have that in the back of head.

Thanks,
Phil
 
Thanks. Seems as if I am okay having the guns, I'll just have to get the permit once I touch down. I'm, unfortunately, hearing that it can take several months through most local PD
 
Thanks Kevlar! I'll try to pass off my Colorado course then since it is the NRA's Basic Pistol Course as well.
 
You're good moving here, just can't take the handguns out of your house until you get a permit. Make sure you read up on the CGS above. There are laws that regulate the amount of time they can sit on your paperwork. They must supply you with an application in no more than one week from your request and must give you a response in 8 weeks. They cannot deny you without written notice and can only do so if you're a prohibited person. CT is not like MA, the chief cannot revoke your permit, only DPS has the authority to do that. Don't let the local PD dick you around. If they drag their feet call DPS and report them. A few local stations have been reprimanded by DPS for not following the law, but the only way that happens is by people actually reporting it.

Also make sure they're not saying you need extra things like references. You don't and it's against the law to require them.

Here's a few more doc's to keep handy (and I mean actually print copies and keep them with your guns).

The Day article on abuse of power (references, etc..)
http://www.theday.com/article/20100130/NWS01/301309952/1019&town=

Beginning of CGS on permits etc. Includes timeline for permits 29-28a and b
http://search.cga.state.ct.us/surs/sur/htm/chap529.htm#Sec29-27.htm

DPS letter to Hartford PD - Open Carry Legal and you may not be stopped for it.
http://www.ccdl.us/attachments/100_Memo%20re%20Rally%20on%204-10-10.pdf

Wallingford memo on not arresting people for open carry.
http://www.ctgunrights.com/05.Legal.State/Chief_Dortenzio_Memo.pdf

I'm not sure if you OC or if Bristol is a place you'll get hassled. I can say I regularly OC here in the NE corner and I have never been hassled by anyone, police or civilian.
 
xtry51 said:
You're good moving here, just can't take the handguns out of your house until you get a permit. Make sure you read up on the CGS above. There are laws that regulate the amount of time they can sit on your paperwork. They must supply you with an application in no more than one week from your request and must give you a response in 8 weeks. They cannot deny you without written notice and can only do so if you're a prohibited person. CT is not like MA, the chief cannot revoke your permit, only DPS has the authority to do that. Don't let the local PD dick you around. If they drag their feet call DPS and report them. A few local stations have been reprimanded by DPS for not following the law, but the only way that happens is by people actually reporting it.

Also make sure they're not saying you need extra things like references. You don't and it's against the law to require them.

Here's a few more doc's to keep handy (and I mean actually print copies and keep them with your guns).

The Day article on abuse of power (references, etc..)
http://www.theday.com/article/20100130/NWS01/301309952/1019&town=

Beginning of CGS on permits etc. Includes timeline for permits 29-28a and b
http://search.cga.state.ct.us/surs/sur/htm/chap529.htm#Sec29-27.htm

DPS letter to Hartford PD - Open Carry Legal and you may not be stopped for it.
http://www.ccdl.us/attachments/100_Memo%20re%20Rally%20on%204-10-10.pdf

Wallingford memo on not arresting people for open carry.
http://www.ctgunrights.com/05.Legal.State/Chief_Dortenzio_Memo.pdf

I'm not sure if you OC or if Bristol is a place you'll get hassled. I can say I regularly OC here in the NE corner and I have never been hassled by anyone, police or civilian.
Click to expand...

thanks for posting that, good reads.

OP, welcome to CT. you shouldnt have a problem getting the permit, it takes about 2-4 months
 
Thanks! I think that I can survive that long, though I rather have something on my hip as I move there. I appreciate you guys providing me with ammunition in case I encounter any shenanigans.

Next I'll have to find out about hunting and rod & gun clubs. Hopefully I won't have to travel out of state for those.
 
Welcome to CT and NES!..All good info above....There are lots of clubs in the area, although you may be on a wait list for awhile in many of them....If you want to get out and shoot, let me know, I'll take you to my club ( if you don't mind traveling up to Suffield)....
 
Big Duke - I appreciate it. That's the area we are looking to live when we buy a house; so I would prefer to find clubs in that direction anyhow. (Actually thinking Hartland - I prefer hills and pine trees, coming from Colorado and all). So I may take you up on that offer once we get settled in. Otherwise I'll have to travel to NY where my father-in-law is in charge of a couple of ranges (though then I would have to sneak my handguns there, and being the law-abiding citizen that I am...)
 
MBA,

Welcome to CT.

In summary, you can bring any gun into CT that you may have other than AWs.
You don't need to register the guns in any way with anyone, unless you have a machine gun. Then it has to be registered.

Thats usually the big question. I know I was considering moving to MA and my first concern was what I needed to do to just make the move and stay legal.

Re long guns. There are no restrictions on them re carrying them or transporting them other than they can't be loaded in your car / snowmobile / motorcycle.

You do not need to get any permits to keep, carry, or transport them.
They do not need to be kept in the trunk or locked while in your car. As long as they are unloaded.

Handguns, just get a permit. You can't do anything useful without one.

The botom line is that in CT you can pretty much do or have whatever you want, but you just need to jump though government hoops to do it legally.

Don
 
Too bad you are moving this week and didn't post the thread earlier. If you have a CO carry permit you could apply for a non-resident CT permit and it would take half the time and cost you half as much, then simply change it to an in-state permit once you move here.
 
Thanks.

dcmdon - At least I now know that we're allowed to keep a weapon in the house so my wife can protect herself if something happens while I'm away.

Andrapos - I didn't know until I posted this that I was moving here. Lucky me, I thought that I was going to end up in NY. At least in CT I can actually get a license. Prices look the same for a resident or non-resident...I'm just worried about the processing time.
 
Don't worry about the time. It is what it is. The important thing is to know your rights. If you are serious about getting it quickly, Attorney Rachel Baird offers a service where she effectively submits the app for you. She uses a cover letter laying out the time limits by statute. I'm not sure how much that service costs.

Again, if you are interested in standing up for your rights during the permitting process, I suggest you go over to the CT forum on opencarry.org. There is a lot of info about what your rights are.

In CT we have the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners. The BFPE has authority over the towns and state police in all permitting issues. They are VERY fair. So you can always escalate and win. But the goal is to not have to escalate.

Don
 
I'm originally from Bristol.

Q1) I am aware that I need a license to buy a new handgun or/and one to take my gun to the range, but am I legally safe just moving to CT with my already legally purchased handguns and keeping them in my house until I get my permit?

Yes but they can't leave.

Q2) Any info on Bristol in issuing licenses? The info on the BPD website looked pretty straight forward; I just hope that they don't sit on paperwork there.
I appreciate any information...and if it's bring lube, because I'm about to get f$#ked by gun laws/taxes/etc, well, I already have that in the back of head.

All CT towns work about the same. There are no taxes on guns, there is no "registration". You do have to take a pistol safety course and get your safety certificate Usually the course is $100-120. In fact, the Torrington Gun Club in Torrington (where I reside now) offers the course for $115 with an included 1 year membership after you receive your CT Permit. Then you apply for a local pistol permit in the town you live in about 6-8 weeks. Once you get the local permit you apply with the State Police for a state permit, I've seen these done anywhere from 4-8 weeks. That's it.

In Connecticut you do not have to inform officers you have a pistol if you are pulled over even if they ask, although it is highly recommended.

In Connecticut we have concealed and open carry with the same permit (although some would like to argue that, it is the letter of the law).

To my knowledge, unless something changed since I moved from Bristol there are no town ordinances regarding gun ownership.
 
just so you know you have an indoor range in bristol, then the closest one is about 20 minutes away in Harwinton (its a club). Also within 25 minute drive you have plate shoot every friday, a bunch closer for just .22LR caliber stuff. And most of the IDPA shoots are all with in a full hour drive, many less, most of the year.
 

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