Some C&C and general questions

**freedomisnotfree** · January 6th, 2010, 01:09 AM

Hi,

Pittsburgh resident (Allegheny County) here. I have never owned a gun but have always been interested in firearms and I love reading and watching documentaries about snipers. I was thinking of getting this handgun to carry on me when I walk around the city (a .357 magnum revolver) and had a few noob questions:

http://www.hyattgunstore.com/product...roductid=18440

1) Do I need to apply for a special license before I can apply for a C&C permit?

2) I should say that I have mental illness and take medication for this. Would this prevent me from passing a background check and would it further stop me from being awarded a C&C permit by the Allegheny County Sheriff? Do I have to declare this or is it none of their business? I don't see the Constitution saying people with mental illness cannot bear arms, especially high functioning ones who take their meds and function normally in society!

3) If I can get a C&C what is a good holster to get (shoulder, back, hip)? I should say I am a big guy (6'5" and 320 pounds) so I need something I can get to quickly if the need arises.

4) Do you guys think a revolver is a good choice for C&C self-defense? I like the fact that it will not jam like a revolver and the .357 has a good bit of stopping power from what I've read.

5) Can someone recommend a good local shooting range? I should say I don't have a car and would be taking public transportation. If I have a C&C am I allowed to bring my gun onto public buses/trolleys?

6) I must always wear glasses for my vision and I'm worried about night time. There is a slight polarization effect when I look at a street light for example at night or a car's headlights. Any sort of clip-on glasses I can get to put over my regular glasses that will give me better night vision in terms of shooting if need be?

7) I keep seeing warnings on Fox News that there is some massive shortage of ammunition and that cost of it increased 400% in the past 2 years or something like that. I hope this isn't true heh. If cost is an issue where is a good place to buy ammo and also what do you think of reloading? What is a good entry level reloading system and do you need a special license to purchase and handle gunpowder?

That's about it for now. Two of my cousins are state troopers and both my grandfathers served proudly in the 2nd World War so I chose my username on here to acknowledge the price we must pay for our freedoms!

**D10** · January 6th, 2010, 02:44 AM

2) I should say that I have mental illness and take medication for this. Would this prevent me from passing a background check and would it further stop me from being awarded a C&C permit by the Allegheny County Sheriff? Do I have to declare this or is it none of their business? I don't see the Constitution saying people with mental illness cannot bear arms, especially high functioning ones who take their meds and function normally in society!

Not sure but this might be a problem. There are better skilled and knowledgeable people that will give you an answer to that question.
About the other questions...........do some searches on the forum. You will be surprised how many answers that can be found with the search option(s).

**TheF00L** · January 6th, 2010, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by freedomisnotfree

Hi,

Pittsburgh resident (Allegheny County) here. I have never owned a gun but have always been interested in firearms and I love reading and watching documentaries about snipers. I was thinking of getting this handgun to carry on me when I walk around the city (a .357 magnum revolver) and had a few noob questions:

http://www.hyattgunstore.com/product...roductid=18440

1) Do I need to apply for a special license before I can apply for a C&C permit?

2) I should say that I have mental illness and take medication for this. Would this prevent me from passing a background check and would it further stop me from being awarded a C&C permit by the Allegheny County Sheriff? Do I have to declare this or is it none of their business? I don't see the Constitution saying people with mental illness cannot bear arms, especially high functioning ones who take their meds and function normally in society!

3) If I can get a C&C what is a good holster to get (shoulder, back, hip)? I should say I am a big guy (6'5" and 320 pounds) so I need something I can get to quickly if the need arises.

4) Do you guys think a revolver is a good choice for C&C self-defense? I like the fact that it will not jam like a revolver and the .357 has a good bit of stopping power from what I've read.

5) Can someone recommend a good local shooting range? I should say I don't have a car and would be taking public transportation. If I have a C&C am I allowed to bring my gun onto public buses/trolleys?

6) I must always wear glasses for my vision and I'm worried about night time. There is a slight polarization effect when I look at a street light for example at night or a car's headlights. Any sort of clip-on glasses I can get to put over my regular glasses that will give me better night vision in terms of shooting if need be?

7) I keep seeing warnings on Fox News that there is some massive shortage of ammunition and that cost of it increased 400% in the past 2 years or something like that. I hope this isn't true heh. If cost is an issue where is a good place to buy ammo and also what do you think of reloading? What is a good entry level reloading system and do you need a special license to purchase and handle gunpowder?

That's about it for now. Two of my cousins are state troopers and both my grandfathers served proudly in the 2nd World War so I chose my username on here to acknowledge the price we must pay for our freedoms!

"bold" added by me:

OP:
As Krssteel mentioned - USE the search function and look through all the forums for all answers. I did help on the one I bolded. I searched the forum and found one of the forms you need to fill out when purchasing a handgun. Not your exact question but may be important to your situation. Go to the following link to see questions you MUST ANSWER correctly:
http://www.ocshooters.com/Gen/Form-4...4473-pg1bg.gif

I am not sure if 11F applies to you or not.

AND BTW - in PA it is a LTCF - many discussions available for that too.

All the other questions you have asked have been addressed from a legal point of view (if applicable) or from our groups vast experience if non-legal questions were asked.

**PoconoJo** · January 6th, 2010, 07:11 AM

1) Do I need to apply for a special license before I can apply for a C&C permit?

First, let's straighten you out on terminology. In the State of Pennsylvania it is called a License To Carry Firearms (LTCF), not a C&C as you refer to it and it is not a "permit" per se. No, you do not need to obtain a special license or anything else before you apply. You need to be a PA resident for 60 days prior to applying (if I'm not mistaken) and need to pass a criminal background check. You will need 2 personal references, probably from within your county of residence. You may need to pass other criteria as mandated by your local sheriff's office. Such criteria varies from county to county. You can print out an application online but I suggest you pick one up at the local sheriff's office. It costs $15 to apply. If approved, it's another $16 when you pick it up. You may or may not need to supply your own photos. Again, check at the sheriff's office when you get the application.

2) I should say that I have mental illness and take medication for this. Would this prevent me from passing a background check and would it further stop me from being awarded a C&C permit by the Allegheny County Sheriff? Do I have to declare this or is it none of their business? I don't see the Constitution saying people with mental illness cannot bear arms, especially high functioning ones who take their meds and function normally in society!

Both the PA LTCF application and the BATFE Form 4473 which is required to purchase a handgun contain the following question (verbage differs slightly, this is from the PA App):
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN INVOLUNTARILY COMMITTED TO A HEALTH CARE FACILITY FOR A MENTAL CONDITION, OR ADJUDICATED
INCOMPETENT/INCAPACITATED?
It doesn't say anything about having a mental condition.

3) If I can get a C&C what is a good holster to get (shoulder, back, hip)? I should say I am a big guy (6'5" and 320 pounds) so I need something I can get to quickly if the need arises.

Holsters are a personal preference. I suggest you try out several styles and see which best suits your needs.

4) Do you guys think a revolver is a good choice for C&C self-defense? I like the fact that it will not jam like a revolver and the .357 has a good bit of stopping power from what I've read.

I think a revolver is a good choice for personal defense. I think a pistol is better. I think a pistol and a revolver is even better. However, I do not think the handgun you mention is a good choice for a carry weapon because the 7 inch barrel is too long. It may be fine around the house but not out on the street. That's my personal opinion and you're likely to get similar opinions around here.

5) Can someone recommend a good local shooting range? I should say I don't have a car and would be taking public transportation. If I have a C&C am I allowed to bring my gun onto public buses/trolleys?

Sorry, I do not live anywhere near you, you'll have to wait for someone closer to recommend a nearby range. I suggest the yellow pages in the meantime or look under the shooting range section of this forum. As far as where you can and cannot carry, I refer you to the section of this forum dealing with that topic. Generally, you cannot carry in a courthouse or school. Just about anywhere else is not restricted. Still, visit the area covering this topic. It is clearly listed on the forum main page.

6) I must always wear glasses for my vision and I'm worried about night time. There is a slight polarization effect when I look at a street light for example at night or a car's headlights. Any sort of clip-on glasses I can get to put over my regular glasses that will give me better night vision in terms of shooting if need be?

This is more a worry/personal handicap than a legality. Since most personal defense situations occur within 10 feet of you, I don't see distant vision being a problem. However, you'll have to work that out yourself. I do not know enough about your visual limitations.

7) I keep seeing warnings on Fox News that there is some massive shortage of ammunition and that cost of it increased 400% in the past 2 years or something like that. I hope this isn't true heh. If cost is an issue where is a good place to buy ammo and also what do you think of reloading? What is a good entry level reloading system and do you need a special license to purchase and handle gunpowder?

Kudos for watching Fox News. If you stated you saw that on CNN I'd have to roll my eyes. Partially true. There are current shortages of ammunition, especially for handguns. Not as much for rifles, not at all for shotguns. The price has not gone up 400%. In fact, it has hardly gone up at all, at least not where I buy mine. It's just hard to get. I recommend Walmart. They have very competitive prices. Their inventory is limited but they do get it regularly. You have to check almost daily and buy whatever you can until you feel you have enough. "Enough" is subject to your own personal preferences. You can also purchase ammo online, checkout places like Sportsmans Guide, Cheaper Than Dirt, Ammoman, etc. I am not aware of any special license required for purchasing or handling gunpowder as it applies to basic reloading. Large amounts may be a different story. I do not reload so I am not up to date on any reloading systems. I prefer to use brand new ammo out of the box. Doing otherwise may void any warranty on many firearms.

If you have anymore questions feel free to ask. Sorry to all for the red ink.

Good Luck