CCIntrigue...aka Gwen

Sorry I've been largely AWOL for the past several weeks.  I've been so discouraged that our next Fort trip is so far away ...

In any event, this is another wonderful TCD trip report!  Thank you for taking so much time to share your trips with us!  Each one is a wonderful consolation for those of us who are stuck at home.  Thank you, thank you!

On 12/13/2016 at 10:41 PM, bhall said:

Another great site for you to check out Gwen

http://www.ncgunowners.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=16

Thanks for the tip.  That's a great forum, and I've learned a lot there.

Meanwhile I've driven back to the dealer and paid off my gun.  They will hold it until my permit comes through.  The owner of the store (the largest gun store in the US) has put me in touch with an NRA lobbyist about my permit problems.  I'm awaiting a call from him.

Something strange is now happening with permit appointments in my county.  My original appointment was for March 16.  Then suddenly this week appointments started showing up for early February.  So I got mine changed to February 6.  Last week the appointments for CCP were about 10 days out.  Now they are several weeks out.  In any event, I think I'll be able to get my CCP by late summer/early fall.  I'm going to try and schedule my CCP classes for mid March to early April and go ahead and schedule my appointment before I go to the classes.

Today I bought my first box of ammunition and a heavily-padded pistol case.  I've picked out the electronic earmuffs I want ( Howard Leight Impact Pro ).   I already have cleaning supplies and a great CC holster.  I'm having a hard time finding quality shooting glasses that will fit over my prescription glasses.  Any suggestions?  And anything else I need?

Last year this time I had no interest in owning a handgun.  It's hard to believe how my feelings have changed so quickly.  Now it's very important to me to assert my Second Amendment rights, and I'm already thinking about what gun to buy next.  And I'm joining the NRA.  David is a lifetime member.  Now I'll be a member too.

3 hours ago, Avatab.... Steve said:

Can you imagine if you had to wait months to register to vote? To get a drivers license?  To get a public speaking permit? To get married? To get an abortion?  There would be riots in the streets.

Despite what excuses they may have given you, it is an absolute outrage that you would have to wait months and go through this many steps to exercise one of your constitutional rights.  

I totally agree.  It is an outrage and IMHO a denial -- or at least a long delay -- of my constitutional rights.

3 hours ago, Avatab.... Steve said:

 

Wow, talk about jumping thru hoops.... I dislike criticizing other Police Depts but there are several ways this so-called "crisis" could be handled besides budget increases.

If they are truly this backed up then a good admin would temporarily transfer more people in to that unit to handle the backlog.

They could also streamline the paperwork, and schedule the steps together instead of stringing them out. A background check can be done in just a few minutes. It's done in gun shops all over the country every day.  If I pull a car over I can have the drivers MV, Criminal, and Gun records in seconds on my mobile terminal or over the radio. Almost every police officer in the USA can do the same. There is no reason it should take them weeks and weeks.

I totally agree.  IMHO they want this process to take a long time to discourage buyers and and are using this as a form of gun control.

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And they are making you wait until March to even start applying for a "purchase permit"?  Why can't you fill out the form now? If the officers are that overworked, have a civilian look over the forms and check to make sure they are filled out properly.

Yes.  I don't have access to the purchase permit form until I appear in person in March.

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And lastly, if this is such a "new" problem, why hasn't it been an issue in the other County's? Or other States?  This uptick in permit requests has been going on nationwide for the last several years (every time a politician gives another gun control speech...LOL)

So this is not anything new, and they should have already adjusted to the increase long ago.

The other counties around us have adjusted by adding more personnel to handle their requests.  In the smaller adjacent counties surrounding us, I could just walk into the sheriff's office and fill out a request.  And NC state law specifies that I must be approved or denied within 14 days of filling out the request form and having a mental health search completed.

The other large counties in NC (including Charlotte, Raleigh/Durham, and Greensboro) allow their residents to fill out an online form and then walk into the sheriff's office within 5-7 days (depending on county), to formally sign the request.  Then the county has the same 14 days to approve or deny.

Steve, bhall, and PGHFiend, thank you all for your valuable advice!  My #1 concern is that I do this legally.

We visited the sheriff's office this morning and got to talk to the two officers who issue permits.  Our next step will be to contact our county commissioners.  Apparently we have 5 times the permit requests that we had just a few years ago with the same two officers handling them.  Budget increases to the sheriff's office are the only way this issue could possibly be addressed.

So meanwhile I've paid hundreds down to lay away a gun that must be picked up by March 1.  And I won't even be able to apply for the purchase permit until March 16.  Hopefully I'll receive the permit the first week of April.  I'll need to make another trip to Charlotte soon to pay the remainder and make arrangements for the dealer to keep the gun in his possession until I have the permit.  Just hope he agrees to this.

Then hopefully by the end of May I'll have the concealed carry class completed and then be able to request an appointment for my CCP (another 3.5 month wait for that appointment) and then 60-90 days to find out whether I've been approved.  So hopefully by December 2017 this will all be over.  I had no idea this process would take me over a year!

41 minutes ago, Travisma said:

If the team wins do they get Bojangles for life!

Ha ha ... if all the players eat like Gabe eats, bojangles would be bankrupt soon!

Thanks, NaCole!

A good photo of Gabe was taken last night by (I believe) Palmetto Sports Imaging.  He's playing the Bojangles' Bash in Columbia, SC, this weekend.

44 minutes ago, Cortezcapt (Derek) said:

If you have your concealed carry, you should be able to purchase without a purchase permit. I don't know about NC but in Florida if you take the CC classes or hunters safety class guns are usually provided if you are required to shoot. It may turn out to be faster to get your CC then purchase the gun you want and skip over your county as I assume the CC is through the state and not county. Just an idea.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Unfortunately I don't have my concealed carry yet.  That takes even longer than the purchase permit.  60-90 days before approval even after completing the classes.

23 hours ago, Beckers said:

In NJ you can't have one in your car unless you are going from your house to the range/hunting . You can't stop at the store for drink, etc. 

And NJ doesn't have a reciprocal agreement with NC, so I guess we won't be traveling through NJ any time soon!

48 minutes ago, bhall said:

Gwen,

You legally cannot buy a handgun from GA and transport it yourself to your home.  You can buy it, but it would have to be shipped to a FFL dealer in your state.  I've shipped handguns to NC FFL dealers for winning auction bidders recently.  I'm assuming all of those bidders had a permit since none have come back.

As for being discriminated against, contact your state representative and state senator and voice your concerns.  It seems like each county has it's own rules that vary throughout the state.

Contacting my representative and senator is a great idea!  Thanks!  Today I've checked all the counties adjoining us and also all the major counties in NC.  Anywhere else I could have a permit within 3 weeks.  

8 minutes ago, GaDawgFan.....Kelly said:

Come to GA and buy a gun. I believe they just run a background check and it's yours. 

I have a 38 special, myself. 

You don't have to have a concealed carry permit to have it in your house or car. I've never gotten around to getting one. Jason has one, so I figure that's fine. 

Thanks!  Since I'm not a resident of GA, I'm not sure how that would work.  And here in NC CC permits are very stringent.  I want to have my own.

Thank you all for your input.  I've been to several gun shops and received all kinds of advice.  Yesterday we went to the largest gun store in the US, where I checked out many different brands including revolvers and semi-automatics.  I found the perfect gun for me.  A Smith & Wesson 38 special that's had some modifications (including trigger pull) to make it easier for women to shoot.

So I put it on 90 day layaway, intending to get my purchase permit by next week when I would go back and pick it up.

Shock, shock, shock.  I came home and went to my county sheriff's department website to start the permit process.  At other counties around us, you can just go to the sheriff and request a permit and receive it in a few days.  In the largest NC county (Mecklenburg), you can fill out an application online, appear before the sheriff within five days, and receive the permit in another 14 days.

But here?  You have to get an appointment to apply for a permit.  The next available appointment?  March 16, 2017!  They are only seeing 24 applicants per week.  Then a couple of weeks' wait to find out if I am approved.  Then a month or so at the range and completing my concealed carry course.  Then another three months' wait for another appointment. Then 60-90 days to find out whether I'm approved for CC.

I feel like my county is discriminating against gun owners/enthusiasts.  And I'm being discriminated against for wanting to assert my second amendment rights.  

Any thoughts/suggestions?

21 hours ago, momof3kids-Yvonne said:

I have never come back from a trip thinking I wish I had spent more time at one of the theme parks. I have thought I wish I would have slowed down and enjoyed the Fort more.

 

And after a month there this fall I came home wishing I could have spent more day in the MK!

Thanks for the review, NaCole!  I've always wondered about their campground.

Sounds like a great Thanksgiving!  

On 11/29/2016 at 3:02 PM, Tri-Circle-D said:

Gwen/CCIntrigue here on ff.net was a D23 member, and quit after a fiasco involving a tour of the WDW Dream Suite, if I recall correctly.

TCD

You are correct!  But it was more than just the fiasco with the Dream Suite tour.  We attended the 2010 Magic & Merriment event at WDW.  It was the second M&M.  The first one received rave reviews.  But there were so, so many disappointments with 2010.  It wasn't worth nearly what we paid to attend.  Really I felt like they should have reimbursed us for it.  

I'm in too and looking forward to more!

Steve, thank you for the advice.  David is planning to get a CC permit along with me, and we will be practicing frequently.  Due to my arthritis I can no longer play golf, so this will become our new "sport."

27 minutes ago, Specularius said:

Do as Travisma stated and go to a range that rents firearms and try several.

My recommendation is a Glock 19. It is easy to load, shoot, and hit your target, even under a ton of stress. My wife started out with the 38 special revolver. After just 50 rounds she went back to the store and bought a Glock 19. She carries her Glock often. 

Next thing after deciding which one you like, GET SOME TRAINING! Take a women's self defense shooting class. One of the best things my wife ever attended.

26 minutes ago, Specularius said:

If you have trouble with the slide on a Glock, it is because of bad technique. 

Thanks for the info.  My only concern with the Glock is that it weighs almost twice as much as the Ruger.  But I will try their slide.  I don't have a lot of left hand strength.  And I also found one gun today that I'm not strong enough to even pull the trigger!

1 minute ago, Travisma said:

Have you gone to a range and fired that particular handgun?

That will be the deciding factor, if it feels good to you and you can handle it comfortably.

It feels good in my hand, and I think I can handle it okay.  Supposedly this gun has much less recoil than many others.  Tried several semi-automatics, but I don't have enough strength to slide them.  This afternoon I found online a range about 25 miles from us that actually rents the gun.  My next step is to go there and try it out.  

I am considering purchasing a Ruger 38 special and getting a concealed carry permit.  I have some experience with rifles and shotguns but not handguns. 

Comments?  Suggestions?

50 minutes ago, twiceblessed....nacole said:

Don't really want a golf cart...but we may stick with our TT.  Not completely sold on the idea of moving up in size.

But you have to buy a cart for the dog!  

11 hours ago, dblr....Rennie said:

as most know here I am a firm believer of never having too much truck. 

I agree!

We recently spent a month at the Fort.  But we have no small children.  We visited a park 28 out of 30 days.  A few days it was only to go to MK for ice cream.  But we love the parks and can't imagine spending too many days just hanging around the Fort. 

Okay, I'm going to add my $.02.  That's about how much my opinion is worth.

Personally I'd stick with a TT, buy a 350 diesel dually, and also buy a golf cart.  The 350 dually will handle the weight of the golf cart in the bed better than a 250.  We had a 350 and loved the ride.  Enough power to take us anywhere we wanted to go.  But that being said, we get comparable gas mileage in our 38,000 pound Class A.