Welcome to Minnesota and to the forum!

You will find our firearms laws are very very good. Our Carry Permit is the best of any state that actually requires a permit. Only issue is no sound suppressors here in MN.

You're right, of course. It's just something that's said around here every so often not to claim that public transportation is unsafe, but to mock those who were predicting a throwback to the "Wild West" and blood running down the streets if the MCPPA were to be passed. Clearly that didn't happen.

You need to take your training from an instructor certified by an approved Minnesota carry permit training organization, and you need to apply in person. Your permit will then be mailed to your current address.

As for the carry permit issuance by Ramsey County: If you've EVER had any police contact (youthful indiscretions such as DUI, domestic, public intoxication, disturbing the peace, etc.), whether prosecuted or not, expect the Ramsey County Sheriff to deny you on that basis. Then you get the fun of a $3000 expense to try to get the denial overturned by a judge.

If you're squeaky clean, no problem.

JGalt wrote: "Can I apply without physically being in MN for the training &/or application? I thought I had read that I couldn't. Do I have to provide a reason of some sort to whatever sheriff I apply with if I am not yet a resident? "

The training location can be anywhere. But, you must submit the application in person to either (a) the Sheriff of the County of your residence (assuming you are a MN resident at that time); or (b) any Sheriff in MN if you are a non-resident.

My guess is there are not many MN instructors in Mississippi!

Now, I do classes in IL also, and would be glad to do a class for you there, but that really does not save you any travel distance I suspect!

The Utah Permit is a good option as it does open up legal carry in many more States over and above what MN provides.

I could use a trip to Mississippi. Pay my travel costs and your one-on-one class is free!

Other than a couple of parking tickets and one speeding ticket in NV 10 years ago, my 'record' is about as squeaky clean as it can get. Since I know I want the UT permit whether I have the MN permit or not, and I can still buy guns without the MN permit, I think I'll just focus on getting the UT permit for sure. I definitely want the MN permit as well, but if we end up in Ramsey Co initially, and it looks like we'll move out within a year, maybe I'll just wait 'till we move to apply for the MN permit...

Thanks for the offer to come down to MS, but I don't think that'll be necessary!

In MN, you can get a Permit to Purchase which is provided by the local Police dept that lets you get past the no waiting issue for handguns and "assault weapons". It is good for a year, costs ZERO, takes a week to get and no limit on number of guns a day, week, month or year!

There are a lot of us Ramsey CO folks that had no problem because of our squeaky clean record.

I have had my share of parking & speeding tickets (very few that stuck) and Sheriff Fletcher issued my permit on the 30th day with no problems....except that the expiration date WAS the issue date. HA: a zero day permit! I simply went in and they printed out a new one on the spot.

I don't think you would have any problem getting your permit issued in Ramsey.

Another thing you might want to think about is the fact that reciprocity with Utah could technically be removed quickly, resulting in you not being able to carry for 30+ days in MN. Something to think about...

Oh, and welcome!

JGalt, here's some numbers for you...The 2007 Permit to Carry report from the BCA that's soon to be published shows that sheriff fletcher denied 13.5% of all carry applicants in 2007. The rest of the state had a denial rate of just 1.2%.

Most of Fletcher's denials are for the nebulous reason of "Danger to Self or Others", with no factual basis listed.

So have no fear, you have a 86.5% chance of getting a permit in Ramsey County!

Thanks for the stat! I'm almost positive now that I'll have my UT permit before I get there, so I'll likely wait at least a little while before going after the MN permit anyway. We will be moving within 6-12 months of our initial arrival, so if it looks like I'll be leaving Ramsey County, I'll just avoid the odds completely. If it looks like we'll be staying in Ramsey Co, your stat will make me feel much more comfortable getting my permit while there.

Thanks again!

When did the Subd. 7. Semiautomatic military-style assault weapon. "Semiautomatic military-style assault weapon." become part of the 624.xxx law?