Appied, Otsego County. Details...

For those interested in applying in Otsego county, here are the steps. Its pretty straight forward and easier than alot of the other nonsense that seems to prevail in my favorite state.

• Print the Application Pistol Permits (right side second blue link). Ensure that you print the application twice.
• Fill out the application, without signing, and take it to your referances. Have them right their name and address in the appropriate boxes. They will need to do this on both the applications you printed, because you need two of the same application to fill in.
• When filling out your portion, check Carry Conceal. the instuctions online inform you that "Hunting, Target, and Sporting" are usually accepted reasons to issue a concealled permit.
• Get passport photos. You can take them yourself and try to print them off, or you can do what I did and drop $10 at the pharmacy/1 hour photo and have them in under 5 minutes.

Then head over to Cooperstown to the Sheriffs Department. Your going to talk to a deputy who is behind a black window. He'll tell you the door to go into. Here your going to meet a nice lady who will do the following:

• Ask you to verify your address
• If any of your referances are related to you
• Ask for your drivers license and photocopy it. Then you'll write your phone number on the copy.
• Pay the fee of $101.50 (Although the instructions from the website says $104.75)
• You then sign the application in front of her. Both copies, front and back and address again on the back.

Then your going to go back to the big empty room to the black window and tell them your ready for prints. They will ask you to remove any objects from your pockets and after a short wait youll be brought into the fingerprint room. Here the deputy will do the following:

• Ask - Full Name, DOB, Place of Birth, Height/Weight, Hair and Eye color, and occupation.
• Take your photo
• Scan your fingerprints.

After going through all that I'm pretty stinkin' excited. The lady working there told me that things have been taking 4 to 6 months lately so I may not get my permit until next year. She also told me that she would give me a call if my references haven't turned in their notarized forms within 6 months. Luckily Im good friends with my references. They are all going to call me when they get them, 3 work in a place with notaries. To easy. She also told me that as a member of the military if I bring in my annual qualification scores to her than she can waive the required pistol handling class. Im not sure if I intend to do this or not, as it will largely depend on the price of the class. If its expensive I may opt out, otherwise I wouldn't mind seeing what they have to say.

The officer who did my printing... I hope he isn't the shining example of Otsego county's finest. He seemed to be very arrogant. Talking to me like I was incapable of independent thought as he informed me I would have to remove any metal objects and put them in my car. "Everything metal, guy. EVERYTHING. That means even your beloved phone, watch, pocket knife. Got it?" Yeah. I got it. When I eventually get to come through the door (which has a sign saying the department has a "No hostage" policy?) and head to finger printing the guy is a royal jerk. I tried to carry on a conversation but it proved effortless. Clearly Im not worthy. I did manage to find out that Judge Burns deals with the majority of Pistol Permits with Judge Lambert only dealing with a few. Thats about it.

Sorry its a long post, Im pretty hyped about dropping it off. Wait or no wait, it feels good to get the ball rolling. I think Dan Wesson's 45 guardian sounds like its calling me. I dont know thats alot of money... hmm... maybe a Glock 23... Hmm... How bout a... You get the idea.