When it really happens: SHTF...

[usabaker]

Question: If buying a firearm for the first time in the USA; what training or safety instructions go with it? Is there any requirement to know how to operate it safely?

The answer depends on the state where a person lives; there are no national training or safety requirements other than having the firearms secured in a locked container. Some, not all, states have training requirements.

California requires that you have a California Firearms Safety Certificate(valid for five years from the date of issuance) or Hunting License (California Hunter Safety Course) and a background check before you can purchase a firearm. You must also go through background checks each time you purchase a firearm and every time you buy ammunition.

In California you must also keep all firearms in a California Certified Gun Safe;

An acceptable gun safe is either one the following:

A gun safe that meets all of the following standards:
Shall be able to fully contain firearms and provide for their secure storage.
Shall have a locking system consisting of at minimum a mechanical or electronic combination lock. The mechanical or electronic combination lock utilized by the safe shall have at least 10,000 possible combinations consisting of a minimum three numbers, letters, or symbols. The lock shall be protected by a case hardened (Rc 60+) drill resistant steel plate, or drill resistant material of equivalent strength.
Boltwork shall consist of a minimum of three steel locking bolts of at least 1/2-inch thickness that intrude from the door of the safe into the body of the safe or from the body of the safe into the door of the safe, which are operated by a separate handle and secured by the lock.
A gun safe shall be capable of repeated use. The exterior walls shall be constructed of a minimum 12-gauge thick steel for a single walled safe, or the sum of the steel walls shall add up to at least 0.100 inches for safes with two walls. Doors shall be constructed of a minimum one layer of 7-gauge steel plate reinforced construction or at least two layers of a minimum 12-gauge steel compound construction.
Door hinges shall be protected to prevent the removal of the door. Protective features include, but are not limited to: hinges not exposed to the outside, interlocking door designs, dead bars, jeweler's lugs and active or inactive locking bolts.
A gun safe that is able to fully contain firearms and provide for their secure storage, and is certified to/listed as meeting Underwriters Laboratories Residential Security Container rating standards by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL).

---------- Post added at 12:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:10 PM ----------

I ask because in France, if you want a pistol or revolver; you need gun club membership for at least 6 months and pass a written safety exam; before requesting a licence to purchase. Which will need clearing by the local police force before you can buy.
So realistically you'll be shooting club guns for a year before you've got your own.

That sucks, in the US we have the 2nd Amendment in our constitution; "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." The comma between the State and The is key.

[Aragorn243]

In Pennsylvania, you want to purchase a long gun you have a couple of options. Buy one from your buddy and you hand him the cash, he hands you the gun. The other option is buying from a dealer. Then you must go through a background check which can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 3 hours depending on the day of the week and the number of sales going on that day statewide. Buying a handgun requires a background check no matter who you purchase it from.

No requirement for purchase, no requirement for locked storage although new firearms must come with a trigger lock which is usually a very cheap piece of plastic which is discarded immediately upon removal.

[30Three]

Thanks for your replies Gents.
We have similar requirements for safes and storage. We have a limit on purchasing factory ammunition quantity as well. So reloading is popular as less restrictive.
Also our handgun permit has to be renewed every 5 years. This was every 3 years up until 2013. So they have improved the system !
But at least we can still enjoy our pistol target shooting; it just means you have to accept the paperwork.

[Ovidio]

We had to renew it every 6 years, from 2015 (EU rules), every 5...
It did not improve here

[Aragorn243]

In Pennsylvania, we do not need a permit to have anything unless it's a short barreled rifle, a silencer or a machine gun. Then there is a $200 tax stamp from the federal government that never expires.

I can strap on a handgun and walk downtown with it if I want, just has to be visible.

A concealed carry permit gives you the legal right to hide the firearm and they need renewed every few years, 3-5, not sure which, just renewed mine.

[Aragorn243]

Back to Pandemic news which in the US turned into political maneuvering to expand it to keep various groups under control, The PA Supreme Court just ruled that they must count mail in votes up to three days after the election is over. Even if they are postmarked 2 days after the election. There is zero reason for this, it will not pass federal muster and is simply a means to muddy the water. Nashville TN was caught hiding the very low numbers of Covid transmission rates in bars and restaurants, 22 when nursing homes and the construction sector both had over 1000 each. Makes you wonder if the same holds true everywhere else. 70% of the deaths in PA were from Nursing homes. Our restaurants are below survive ability levels now, something like 30% will never open again.

Biden has discovered what Trump knew all along, it is outside the President's authority to mandate mask use. So he's changing his tune to requiring it only on Federal Lands. Not sure that passes muster either, Federal Buildings, yes, lands, not so sure. He's also now claiming that every single death could have been avoided. Pretty big statement.

New studies now also showing about 90% of people who have Covid are incapable of transmitting it as their levels are too low. Kind of destroys the need for masks although the CDC is doubling down on the wearing of them after months of saying there are ineffective.

High school football started tonight. Watching the game on TV. Only 100 people are allowed in stands that will hold several thousand because the Governor says no more than 250 people can attend a sporting event. wearing masks, spacing between families, they could easily get all the parents in there but he won't allow it.

[Aragorn243]

Went to our mall today for the first time in about 7 months. Hard to believe it's been that long. Might have been longer as I don't go to the mall that often anyway. I probably average about once every two months although March and April are two of the months I definitely go and did not this year as it was closed.

Not sure how long it's been open to be honest but today it was almost like going Christmas shopping. I'm happy to report that the majority of the stores were open and had lots of customers today. I had fears that a significant number of them would be closed. I did not walk the entire thing and I do know that two anchor stores did not survive. I also know a third is in deep trouble financially. The little guys were all good.

[Ovidio]

Today I brought the P14 to the range.
Felt as if she needed to stretch her legs.
Great start (5 shots sooooo close to each other), then, ageing eyes messed up a bit...
But what fun it was.
Shooting is better than any health care for me!
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[CINDERS]

So happenings here is we have the non-maskers running around having rallies going against the masking in public government directive tying up Police resources better deployed against the criminals and when these turkey's are collared by the Police they squeal like a stuck pig that the cops are brutalising them.
Give to an eastern country to show them brutal, these peanuts flaunting the law then crying because they get cuffed and arrested it is actually to much to swallow I thought Australian's could/would conduct themselves with some dignity and lawfulness in trying to get rid of this affliction that faces the world now.

Here in the West we have had no new cases with people from o/seas doing their required hotel quarantine for 14 days at their expense, our premier has done and awesome job keeping his tack and line on our boarder closures much to our PM's dislike but we all saw what happened in Victoria so kudu's to Mark McGowan for this staunchness.
We hear again Europe is facing another wave and the UK the same and fella's I feel for you all in what ever happens infact the world may never really be rid of this thing.

As far as our gun shops near me there is only 2 of them and they are 50 k's apart, they have no powder at all been dry for months same for allot of the consumables, my wife and I had hedged over a period of time long before Covid became an issue so we are ok that way.
Anyway chaps hope all is well with you all and your families Oh! I am still vertical. CINDERS out....

[fjruple]

Today I brought the P14 to the range.
Felt as if she needed to stretch her legs.
Great start (5 shots sooooo close to each other), then, aging eyes messed up a bit...
But what fun it was.
Shooting is better than any health care for me!
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Ovido-- Not bad for a rifle over 100 years old.