Emilly Miller, Washington Times: "Emily Gets her Gun."

[UnderratedF00l]

Senior Editor for the Washington Times, Emily Miller, has recorded in a Blog for the paper her 5-month-long endeavor to legally purchase a handgun in the District of Columbia.

I was absolutely astounded at the ludicrous laws in DC.

In DC, Heller notwithstanding, it's nearly impossible for the layman to jump through the hoops required to purchase a handgun. Since October of 2011, Emily cataloged her experience, and it's a heck of a read.

Follow this link to start the saga. It's long, but well worth the read.

[Cinhil]

Holy cow, Batman! Dang, not just a long read, but every road block to success is blocked one way or another. It is amazing anyone gets through that bureaucratic pile of bs that you are required to do in order to just have a gun in your home!

DC Steps to obtaining a firearm and being able to legally have it in your possession in your home;

1) Fill out the eligibility form and get it notarized

2) Find a D.C.-certified instructor to sign up for a firearms safety course

3) Take four hours of classroom instruction and one hour of range instruction on safety and have the instructor fill out the compliance form

4) Provide proof that my vision is okay (my driver’s license suffices, one down!)

5) Provide proof of residency (my license works, two down!)

6) Get two passport photos

7) Study D.C.’s laws and regulations for firearms (guide provided in the packet)

Pass a 20-question multiple choice test on No. 7

9) Be fingerprinted

10) Pay fees totaling $60

11) Buy the gun

papers12) Arrange with D.C.'s only legal gun broker, Charles Sykes, to transfer the gun (cost $125) to him

13) Have Mr. Sykes fill out the his section in the application for firearms registration certificate

14) Take all the applications requirements from above to the registration office

15) After the application is in, wait five days for the application to be approved

16) After the five days are up, wait another 5 days for Mr. Sykes to be legally allowed to release the firearm

17) Pick up the gun from Mr. Sykes and take it to the police department for a ballistics test

If you pass all these tests, then you get the gun, but have to go straight home since it's illegal to carry in the city.

And all of these steps are listed in that article. I am so glad I live in Utah where my rights have not been abrogated to that of a second class, or third class citizen or criminal and that I can obtain a weapon, if I desire, without all of this garbage to go through! That is quite some read!

[Snowman]

I like the Sig that she got. Very nice.

What happens if this Sykes fellow quits? The whole. Districts limited 2a rights all revolve around this one guy... that's messed up.
Side note, ever since I saw the animated Oliver and company as a kid, anyone with the name Sykes, freaks me out.

[Gantry]

For those that are interested..........

http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/guns/?page=3

I posted page 3 first so that you may start at the bottom of that page with the first article of the series and work your way up in sequence. Very interesting reading..........

[Polecat]

It took me more time to read that than it would have taken me to drive to Dougs and walk out the door with a legally purchased firearm.

[Jesse 8]

It took me more time to read that than it would have taken me to drive to Dougs and walk out the door with a legally purchased firearm.

+1 to that! Gross restriction of rights.....

Shot placement is King, penetration is Queen, but a wide wound channel is the Ace in the hole.

[UnderratedF00l]

Just as ridiculous: ammunition purchases require possession of the "DC Pistol Permit", must be purchased from a licensed dealer, and you may not store or purchase ammo for any other firearms than those that are legally registered to you. So, if you have a registered 9mm, and you want to purchase a box of ammo for your friend's .40... you just committed a felony.

And here's the thing. This "Sykes" fellow is the only licensed dealer, and he doesn't sell ammo.

... if you didn't hate DC enough, this entire saga should change your mind.

[UnderratedF00l]

An interesting development:

Emily Miller was able to talk one of Washington D.C.'s bureaucrats in to going shooting with her. Kwame Brown is the D.C. Counsil Charmian, and is a registered Democrat.

It just reinforces my belief that there are very few people in the world that won't have fun shooting a brick of .22LR -- Mr. Brown even stepped it up to shooting Emily's 9mm Sig.

[abrian8]

WOW!
I have spent quite some time reading this poor woman's saga, and all I can say is WOW! I can't believe what is required to get this done. I am so thankful that I can walk into any store except Cabelas and walk out withing 30 minutes with almost any firearm I want. I think the one I bought there took me at least an hour of their red tape.
I do have a problem with the whole story. Can someone help me out? The last entry I read was her testifying before the city. Did I miss the following link to where she actually gets the gun? I am guessing by the title she did but I couldn't see or didn't see the final entry or entries. Does anyone know how many days, weeks or months this process took her?

[UtahJarhead]

IIRC by the time she testified she did not yet take possession of her gun and has since then.

[DaKnife]

According to her FB page a good new law was passed by the city council tonight, that should greatly ease the difficulty of getting a gun in DC. She didn't give specifics, but I believe that's because she's described the proposed law before.

[Daeyel]

When you shine bright lights on dark corners, all kinds of elected vermin run for cover. That's when you can get laws changed.
Sad commentary on our society that one woman with a newspaper article can accomplish more than the highest court in the land.