I had a permit years ago when I had a S&W model 9, 357mag as my back up gun for hunting in Maine. Once I started hunting with the bow I sold my 308 Winchester and the S&W.
I have taken the class, but I don’t have the certificate, so I may need to take the class again.
Yeah ironic thing is that I used to live in states where open Carrie was permitted in the field, but not in town, and you needed a permit -a CARRY permit - to carry concealedAround town or wherever. And frankly it never occurred to me to put in for one.
But now that I am legally obligated to get a carry permit - in order to go to a range or wherever - I will end up being legally authorized to carry in a lot of places where it never would have occurred to me before to do that.
I’m sure that they put these onerous laws in place to reduce the number of people walking around with guns on them, but in my case, it might work out exactly the opposite.
We're right about at the 3 month mark now so hopefully soon, they I get to do the State Police thing which I'm sure will be a nice long wait as well.
It also said that some towns are asking questions that are not required by law; "Some towns have taken it upon themselves to ask for extra, not needed information. More information on these can be found on our “extra information page” here."
On the "extra information" topic Torrington's form had a requirement to provide (3) letters of reference. I checked with the NRA Instructor who taught the course I took and he said that's not required and I could ignore it. As I already had more than the "required" number of LOR I figured I'd go ahead and submit them anyway.
I'm on Day 87 in my wait for my Temporary permit.....
What are you calling a temporary permit? The towns use to issue a permit and you needed that to apply for your state permit. Now you just apply to the state.
From what I read the city of Torrington issues a Temporary permit and once I have that I can schedule an appointment with the State Police to get the 5-year permit. I'm just following the directions they gave me in the information packet.
Let’s go through the process:
Go to your local police department and pick up a pistol permit application (form DPS-799-C). If you do not have a local police department, this form can be picked up by contacting your town’s first selectman. This form has all the instructions required by your town. Bring this to class and we will help answer any questions you may have. Register and take a course. The NRA Basic Pistol Shooting Course covers state pistol permit requirements. This course is at least 8-hours long and includes classroom and range time learning to shoot revolvers and semi-automatic pistols. After you complete the course, you will get a certificate and/or letter stating you completed the course. Enter all the information required on the application, your course certificate and notify your local issuing authority (police department or first selectman). They will set up a time where you can drop off all completed paperwork, process fingerprints, etc. Don’t forget the required payment for your town and state. Wait! CT statutes mandates that this process take no more than 60 days, but many towns tend to take their own time on this step. You will be notified whether you have been approved or denied. Assuming approval, you pick up your temporary permit for your town. If denied, then you may file for an appeal with the State of Connecticut Board of Firearms Permit Examiners. Take your temporary permit and bring that to the Department of Public Safety for your actual permit. Once you have this permit, you are now allowed to carry a pistol or revolver, where legal, in the state of Connecticut. Some towns have taken it upon themselves to ask for extra, not needed information. More information on these can be found on our “extra information page” here.
There is no expiration date on NRA training certificates. CGS 29-28 states only that the applicant must successfully complete an approved course of training. The NRA site discusses the only certifications with expiration are for instructors.
Fee structure for the permit process:
$70.00 to the town, local authority fee $16.50 to the DPS, federal fingerprint/background fee. Note: Some towns charge $12.50 $50.00 to the DPS, State of CT Fingerprint/background check fee
Then you get your temporary permit and
$70.00 – State DPS pistol permit fee
All renewals right now are by mail only. Because: Covid. Just got mine back (at almost exactly 2 months), the check was cashed the same day I got it. I suggest that you send it in quickly once you get the renewal letter (90 days before expiration).
The initial application for "CT Permit to Carry Pistols and Revolvers" is indeed a 2 step process, you get a Temporary (60 day) Town permit, then the state issues you a 5 year State permit. By statute the towns have 8 weeks to approve or deny you (CT is a May Issue state, not a Shall Issue). MANY towns are going well past the 8 weeks by the way.
Hang in there, there is indeed a lot more demand for classes and permits these days. The Governor has extended the temporary permit, the grace period on renewals and some other deadlines as well. The 8 week period has not changed and after 8 weeks you can (and should) apply for a constructive denial appeal. Very often once you appeal, the permit seems to magically happen quickly.
That’s certainly the way things work down here on almost anything that has to go through town hall, the post office, etc.
And I don’t fault the people working there; they’re probably back-logged for months. But if you inquire in a polite and understanding/friendly manner, it seems that your paperwork will sometimes turn up just a couple forms down into the pile. It’s like MAGIC!!
Treat people the way that you would like to be treated and they’ll be happy to help. Who knew??
Thanks!
Good news for Pittman-Robertson funds coming our way I guess is the silver lining.
I went to the Torrington PD to pick up my temp after they called me to tell me it was done. After I picked it up I went online to schedule an appointment and then as Ace advised me I checked again and was able to get an earlier appointment.
I am now the happy possessor of a CT state pistol permit!
Good luck!
It is not accurate to say its always illegal to carry a handgun on state land in CT. As far as I know, if you have a pistol permit and a hunting license, you can carry a .22 handgun on state land during small game hunting season to hunt with.
"The State Police Special Licensing and Firearms Unit is pleased to announce the following changes at its Headquarters location in Middletown for new pistol permit applicants only:
Effective Thursday, April 22, 2021—anyone who had a scheduled appointment between now and the end of July, may come to Headquarters and obtain their new pistol permit at any time, starting on Thursday, April 22, 2021 through Saturday, May 15, 2021.
Effective Monday, May 17, 2021—the Headquarters location will be open without appointments to all new pistol permit applicants.
To provide better accommodations, we are also extending our hours from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm every week day and opening on Saturdays from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm.
Please note that it is your responsibility to obtain a new permit within the appropriate time frame. Effective May 20th, the 90-day extension on temporary permits will no longer be honored. AFTER May 20th, each applicant must appear in person to receive the state permit (60 days from the date of issuance of the temporary permit).
For the time being, Troop E and G will provide service to people with appointments only. If you have an appointment at Troop E and G, you may choose to keep your appointment or come to Headquarters. If you obtain your permit sooner than your appointment date, please cancel your appointment. Again, AFTER May 20th, each applicant must appear in person to receive the state permit (60 days from the date of issuance of the temporary permit)."
I answered in the context of the question of self defence and not hunting. You appear to be right about the .22, but the regs look restrictive to designated/posted areas and not all state land. The devil is in the details.
Under what circumstances may a person legally possess or carry a handgun in a Connecticut state park or forest?
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regulations prohibit, with exceptions, hunting or carrying firearms or other weapons in any state park or forest (Conn. Agencies Regs. § 23-4-1(c)). In order to legally carry a handgun, a person must obtain a permit to carry (CGS § 29-28).
According to DEP, a person may legally possess a handgun in a state park or forest when carrying the handgun exclusively for hunting small game (e.g., rabbits, squirrels) or other authorized activities, such as for use at a firearms range or participation in a hunter education class. They may only do so at predetermined times in areas set aside by the DEP commissioner and posted for such purposes (Conn. Agencies Regs. § 26-66-2(d)). DEP says that what is permissible for hunters depends on the site and season.
Under DEP regulations, a person cannot use a handgun using centerfire ammunition to hunt on state-owned land. Handguns using ammunition larger than .22 caliber rimfire long rifle cartridges also are prohibited on state-owned land (Conn. Agencies Regs. § 26-66-2 (a)).
Full details about hunting can be found in DEP's 2010 Hunting and Trapping Field Guide, which is available at: http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2700&q=452546&depNav_GID=1633.
“ According to DEP, a person may legally possess a handgun in a state park or forest when carrying the handgun exclusively for hunting small game”
That reminds me of the hoo-rah on the Wall about skirting the legality of stump-shooting on state land... Since coyotes & woodchucks are pretty near always in season.... ???
And of course the great irony in all of that is that the ban on carrying centerfire handguns on state land is (no doubt) there to prevent someone from using a handgun to poach one of the deer which they are now so incredibly desperate to get rid of…
D’oh.
But we have a lot of silly laws, here, don’t we? That always seems to happen when the regs have to be written at the expense of law-abiding types to make it possible to prosecute the few Problem Characters...
So basically, if you want to go stump shooting on public land here, you have to be able to make a reasonable case that you are actually out there Hunting (license & appropriate tags).... because no doubt someone who was out poaching managed to get off by claiming that they were just out shooting a few stumps.
I got the impression that the fishing guide knew enough about bears that if this one had given him any kind of a warning, he would’ve been out of there safe and sound...
One Whoof and I expect he’d have been outta there...
Kinda makes you think you should move through an area headed up-wind, so you can get a whiff of something like a carcass before you get too close…
I would rather have bear spray than nothing at all, but I am seriously thinking about a pepper pistol as the best compromise option. Even if it’s not graded as “bear spray“, at least it handles like a double action pistol and you can strap it on wherever it’s convenient. I would rather have a convenient “human strength“ pepper spray right at hand than “bear strength“ spray that I have to fumble with…
Just from a purely practical standpoint.
