First time gun buyer for OC

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The great state of California still hasn't sent me my birth certificate so I can't get my NV license yet. So I'm stuck having to buy my first handgun in California according to the people at "the gun store" in Vegas. I assume that once I bring it back to Henderson I would need to take it to the police station and get my blue card or whatever.

My post is concerning on what kind of gun to buy that has a readily available inexpensive holster. My budget is around 250 bucks. The gun will be open carried only and is for self defense while walking my dog and educating people about their Rights to open carry. I did a little research and there is a brand that is really cheap, hi-point or something that is around 130 bucks for a .380 or 150 for a 9mm new. Anyone have experience with those? I'm a big guy and the weight of the gun wont be an issue. Would it be smarter to pick up a well known brand like a sig or glock that is used? The crappy thing is i am stuck buying it in Orange County California till I get my new license, unless there is a way around that legally like a person to person sale or something. Another thing is if I do buy used I don't really know what to look for. Like someone might wanna sell a used glock but I wouldn't know if it was in good firing shape or not. Any suggestions would be sweet. Thanks for your time.

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greengum wrote:

My post is concerning on what kind of gun to buy that has a readily available inexpensive holster. My budget is around 250 bucks. The gun will be open carried only and is for self defense while walking my dog and educating people about their Rights to open carry. I did a little research and there is a brand that is really cheap, hi-point or something that is around 130 bucks for a .380 or 150 for a 9mm new. Anyone have experience with those? I'm a big guy and the weight of the gun wont be an issue. Would it be smarter to pick up a well known brand like a sig or glock that is used? The crappy thing is i am stuck buying it in Orange County California till I get my new license, unless there is a way around that legally like a person to person sale or something. Another thing is if I do buy used I don't really know what to look for. Like someone might wanna sell a used glock but I wouldn't know if it was in good firing shape or not.

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Definitely try to jump in at a level better thana Hi-Point.

If you can, shop around in the pawn shops to see what used guns they have. Many will have better guns such as GLOCKs. If they have something that interests you, do some price research on gunbroker.com and then negotiate a price.

It's very hard to find a GLOCK that is not in good firing shape.

Have you shot a gun before?

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Yes, I have fired my M1 carbine and a .38 special S&W revolver. I have never fired a semi-automatic hand gun. After I posted I went to a local gun store here in Anaheim and got to handle glocks, sigs, beretta's, and springfields. All were either .40 or 9mm. The clerk suggested that I buy a used LEO Berreta that they get in stock from time to time for around 300 bucks or so. I did ask him about hi-points and he simply said they wouldn't carry those in their store.

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greengum wrote:

The great state of California still hasn't sent me my birth certificate so I can't get my NV license yet. So I'm stuck having to buy my first handgun in California according to the people at "the gun store" in Vegas. I assume that once I bring it back to Henderson I would need to take it to the police station and get my blue card or whatever.

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So where are you LEGALLY a resident? NV or CA?

You cannot get WHAT license yet? Driver? CCW?

I'm somewhat confused about your statement.

IF you are a legal resident of NV, you cannot buy a handgun in CA. And vice versa.

I would think that circumventing the law could result in big trouble.

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I think alot of your questions are answered in forum 5.

http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum5/

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Another option is to be patient. Take a little more time to save some money and buy the right gun the first time.

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varminter22 wrote:

greengum wrote:

The great state of California still hasn't sent me my birth certificate so I can't get my NV license yet. So I'm stuck having to buy my first handgun in California according to the people at "the gun store" in Vegas. I assume that once I bring it back to Henderson I would need to take it to the police station and get my blue card or whatever.

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So where are you LEGALLY a resident? NV or CA?

You cannot get WHAT license yet? Driver? CCW?

I'm somewhat confused about your statement.

IF you are a legal resident of NV, you cannot buy a handgun in CA. And vice versa.

I would think that circumventing the law could result in big trouble.

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Sorry for the confusion. I'm not trying to circumvent any laws which is why I was asking questions.
1. According to my research on Nevada's law site, I am still a legal resident of California because I have not yet got my Nevada drivers license or state ID. I cannot get a Nevada drivers license (or state ID) until I can show an original birth certificate along with other forms of ID which I do have. I used my credit card and sent away for my birth certificate 8 weeks ago and have yet to get it at my parents house in California. I seriously hate the state of California.One of the reasons I am down here now in California is to go spend all day in line at the registars office and get one in person. Until I file that in Nevada from what I have gathered I am still a California resident even though i live in Nevada and my car is registered in Nevada. I only get 30 days to get my NV drivers license after I registered my car. I am at day 20 or so. Bottom line is I am kinda in limbo here and the logical thing to do is wait till I get back home to Vegas with my birth certificate and all the paper work filed and become a Nevada resident. Which leads me to the predicament of having to wait another few weeks to get my new drivers license in the mail. I don't know if a gun store accepts the paper work from the DMV they will give me until I get my drivers license in the mail. I hope that cleared that up and show that I am not trying to break any federal laws or get anyone else in trouble.

2. I have checked out gunbroker.com so I get a better idea. Now I'm just even more confused if I were to buy a gun from there!! FLL's C&R's, Christ on a stick it seems harder then going through security if you were on the no fly list! :banghead:

3. With all that aside I just wanted some input on a decent starting semi-automatic handgun that fits my budget and needs. I should have not included any of the other factors in my original post and kept it real simple. Everybody here seems very nice and well informed and your opinions would mean a lot to me considering most people here have vastly more experience then I do on the subject. :lol:

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timf343 wrote:

I think alot of your questions are answered in forum 5.

http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum5/

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Thank you Tim, I am reading it right now and there is some great info there.:celebrate

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Understand! Seems like you're sort of getting the run around!

I'm not an expert on residency requirements, so rather than spout possible half truths, I might recommend consulting someone "in-the-know."

But if you've lived here in NV for the required length of time, taken up residence, registered vehicle(s), etc, etc, I would think that might qualify you. Also important to register to vote!

You did mention you've fired a revolver. Don't discount revolvers when making your decision. Revolvers are actually a good way to go.

Whatever you get, be sure to stock up on ammo and go get some training and lots of practice!

Good luck!

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Yeah one of the first things I did was register to vote! I'm going to be taking a safety class with the whole family as soon as all this stuff gets cleared up. The sad part is that my youngest sister who is many years younger then myself and a sophmore in high school has a lot more shooting experience then me. She is the one who at age 12 went hunting and got my dog certified in hunting and retrieving on a summer vacation!

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My advice (and it's worth what you're paying for it) is to wait. For starters, I don't feel like looking but I can't imagine a Hi-Point is on the Cali "Drop List", so you might not even be able to get a Hi Point in Cali.

Second, if you're living full time in Nevada, you are a Nevada resident. If you need/want to purchase a firearm in Nevada, take a copy of your power bill or voter registration (since you said it's changed) and make sure the FFL knows you're legal to purchase in Nevada. Show him your Cali ID to verify the photo, demonstrate your a NV resident with the other stuff and you should be gold. (Someone else please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd appreciate a cite if you call me out here ) Besides, if you do it right and buy a handgun here in your new homestate, you get the "real" magazine that it came with and not some wimpy 10 round piece of crap. I mean seriously, what's the point of a fullsized handgun with a handicapped magazine?! My Glock was intended to spit 17 rounds of 9mm, and I want to do it without a reload!!!


Thirdly, I owned a Hi-Point 9mm. It was a model C9 to be exact and it was a champ. It ate all the ammo I could feed it, went *BANG* every time I pulled the trigger. I'd still have mine if I hadn't traded it for a gun worth 5x more! (Straight up trade, I made out like a bandit and the other guy was happy about the deal so no wrong doing!) It's important for me to mention that when I tell you DON'T BUY A HI-POINT!


If you want to immediately OC now that you're here in NV, get a holster for that .38 of yours. I don't know why, but a snub nose revolver in a little OC holster just looks bitchin' and I can't explain why I like it. Take your $250 budget and put a "better" gun on lay-a-way. What I mean by "better": Go out and hold some semi automatic handguns. Find one that fits your hand best. Find the one that feels perfect, and I mean angels better sing and the stars better shine on you from the moment the clerk pulls it out of the case. You'll be 1000x happier with the result, and you'll save yourself the snide comments from the Hi-Point haters.


I'm in your boat, I buy cheaper guns. I don't get the point of a $1,000 handgun that might get seized as evidence one day. You should be looking at a minimum of a used Ruger (P series handgun), a new Ruger SR9, a S&W Sigma, a Springfield XD, a used Glock (new Glocks can be had under $600, and there's nothing like a new Glock smell!).... There are a plethora of options available to you, and all available with high capacity magazines. Most importantly, WELCOME TO NEVADA!!!!!!!!

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Thank you for the advice Jfrey. I think what I am going to do is go to a range and try shooting a lot of different guns and styles and see what works for me. As far as OCing with the .38, I would not dream of doing that for a couple reasons. First the sole reason for having that gun is self defense at out machine shop which will be located in N. Las Vegas on Oct. 1st. Second is the fact that this gun is most likely not legal. It was purchased by my father maybe 30 years ago from a latino gang which occupied the surrounding neighborhood from our shops old location in Lincoln Heights near downtown L.A. Needless to say there was no paper work. I don't know what the laws were back then. As soon as we get moved I want to get another for shop defense that is legit and I don't know what to do with the .38 once we are done with it legally. (put it in the punchpress and smash it?) Our new shop location is in a bad area to say the least but most industrial areas are bad. The other guns I own are legal and unregistered in California. Maybe Nevada is different. I have a nice M1 carbine with a nice original wood stock (I had to get rid of the bayonet or it was considered a banned ausalt rifle ) :banghead: and a 30.06 springfield bolt action rifle. Both were giving to me from my grandfather who got them from the Korean war. Before I took them out shooting years ago I contacted my local police station and they informed me that I did not have to register them because they were literally gradfathered to me. Maybe once I bring them to Nevada in clark county I would have to, I dunno, still doing research on it.

Once I go to a range and try some different guns out I will ask if my power bill and voter registration is enough to prove that I am a resident. Does anyone know of a saftey class that is near Henderson, Nevada? I am not a complete noob but I would like to error on the safe side of things. Isn't it also required to pass some sort of test before you can buy a firearm like in California?

Bottom line is for being a Constitutional Right there sure is a lot of rules and regulations. Imagine if I had to go through all these hoops to pick my religion, or what books to read!

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No test required for ownership in Nevada, and because you're in Clark County you are required by law to register your handguns. Drive down to the police station with them (unloaded) and take them inside to get your "Blue Cards". If you get a gun at a gun store in Vegas, they'll take care of your blue card on the spot.

The .38.... I'm not going to touch that one.

There's no requirement to register rifles.


As far as worrying about the laws in Nevada... STOP WORRYING! You're back in America now, your escape from Kali is complete. The only class you'll need is for your CCW if you get it. The only weapon regulations in effect in Nevada are the Federal laws: no machine guns without a permit, no short barrel rifles or destructive devices. There are no assault weapon restrictions, no magazine capacity restrictions, no "approved pistol list", none of that crap.