Getting a handgun license

Does anybody know where I can enroll into a handgun license class so I can get a permit?

Firearms training of western New York or www.ftwny.com 716-903-2558 course was $60 per person at the quality inn in hamburg. Sent my wife there and she enjoyed it and learned alot.

I took my class at the Buffalo Gun Center. The old lady who taught it was funny as hell. Can’t say I learned much because I would have aced that test without taking the class. 99% of it is just common sense firearms safety. Still, can’t take the test without the class.

+1 on the Buffalo Gun Center… the class is a joke, but it’s close (for me it was anyway) and they have it multiple times a week, so very convenient.

Thanks for the info everyone

Buffalo Gun Center here as well. they walk you thru the test. thats the easy part, waiting 8 months to a year is the hard part

The wait now isn’t too bad, 4-6months right now. It’s a big runaround with all the fingerprints, going downtown to submit paper work, ect. Once all your paper work is in, in about two weeks, your local law enforcement department will do a check on all your references (which I don’t even think they do, at least not in East Aurora). I know a few people who have gotten permits in the last year, nobody ever contacted their references. Then everything goes to the Department of Mental Health, and you just have to wait from there.

Edit: the 4-6month wait is for Erie county. Niagara and Catt. Co. are going to be shorter.

Amherst is still a year. They call all of your references, and do so several months later.

My buddy who lives in Orchard park just got his a few weeks ago, took 3 months.

Took so long with mine that by the time I got a call from one of my references I freaked out when he said, “I just got a call from the APD about you”. First thing that came to mind was, “oh shit, what did I do?”. lol

stupid question…is there a renewal process every X years?

Nope, once you have it you have it forever (well, minus being convicted of a felony where they immediately revoke it).

Do you still need like 3 references in the Town you reside in, or is that for carrying permits?

Depends on the town. Amherst only required mine be in Erie County. Someone in my permit class from one of the local towns said the local police told them all theirs had to be from that town. I think it was Cheektowaga but don’t quote me on that. And it’s 4 references BTW, and they’re not allowed to be related to you.

So since I’m not married yet does my fiancee’s family count? I think you’re right about cheektowaga. My future father-in-law need them all in the town when he lived there.

I wouldn’t use more than one from the fiance’s family. Some of these towns look for any reason to deny you. The Amherst detective doing it is actually a really cool pro-gun guy. During my fingerprinting he told me flat out as long as he didn’t find anything that forced him not to approve me he felt it was my right to have the permit.