Post questions here about open and concealed carry, as well as general law questions.
 #107420  by Cuestick
 
My wife (and kids) and I are considering a move to N. Wilmington from Virginia.

In VA, I have held a CWP for over a decade. I've been an active USPSA participant (and master rated + official) with about 200k rounds fired and reloaded.

A couple questions -

1. Even with documentation of all the matches shot, training attended, etc.. it seems I will still need to take a DE class. Is that correct?

2. I know one person in DE and it is a family member (who is a retired chief of police from PA). For the references, how long do I have to know the people that I use? Is having 5 people with "1 month", etc... going to be detrimental? I would assume so.

We have been looking across the state line in West Chester and the surrounding areas and it is a much easier process in a shall issue state.

Thanks for any tips, etc...
 #107421  by Kuntryboy816
 
Welcome to the forum. As far as the references go, I have found no requirement on "length of time known" but I believe they look for people known for at least a year.
http://courts.delaware.gov/forms/download.aspx?ID=33278
IIRC, there was someone who's application was denied due to only knowing their references for a short time... posted somewhere on this forum as well.

As far as taking the class, I do believe that is still a requirement. You can reach out to Radnor or Shrek here on the forum. I have taken their class as well as a few friends of mine. Excellent information as well as a good price.
 #107423  by astro_wanabe
 
Yep, the class must be an approved class that covers the specific topics required by Delaware law. And yes, the whole process is much, much more convoluted and expensive here than in PA.

Attending our monthly dinner meets or joining a local range are good ways to meet like minded people that can serve as references, but the court would probably want you to know them for a while. Our process is not very friendly to newcomers to the state in that regard.
 #107425  by California_Exile
 
For what it's worth on the references issue: I applied for my CCDW in New Castle County within six months of moving to Delaware, and all five of my references were people I had known for six months. One was a co-worker I'd shot with, the others were people from my church (two of whom I'd shot with). I moved here from a state that was shall-issue and I had had a license to carry there for about two years before moving to Delaware. I was 25 years old and nowhere near your level of experience / involvement in the shooting sports, though the latter fact wouldn't necessarily show up on the application form for Delaware. No issues getting my application approved. (This was over 10 years ago, though.)

Good luck, and welcome.
 #107427  by DelawarePistol
 
Hi and welcome to Delaware.

I know it seems like a pain but you will need to take a class for the CCDW process. I had the same struggle myself when I got out of the Marine Corps and found myself back in Delaware. Although I had held previous ccw licenses before in other states and i was a Pistol and Rifle instructor in the Corps, I still needed to attend a class.

When you are ready, there are quite a few people that can help you out with the class, including myself. I went ahead and got my NRA Instructor license last year.

Again welcome to Delaware
Napoleon - Delaware Pistol
 #107431  by Cuestick
 
Thanks for all the replies. If we do end up in Delaware I will definitely try to take a class from a member and attend a few meetings, etc....

I don't mind the class requirement but the references part will be tough to navigate. I just don't have, and won't for a while, any long term relationships in the state.

I do appreciate the feedback though. Now we just have to make a decision between PA and DE. Coming from rural VA I definitely appreciate the lower "density" of PA compared tot he Brandywine Hundred area. Each time we get ready to commit I freak out about having neighbors on all sides....it's a little different then the cows we currently have as neighbors :-)

Thanks again!
 #107432  by NCC
 
Well, there is always Slower Delaware (anything south of the canal). Although nowadays, it is pretty congested down to and a bit past Smyrna I guess...

As for your references, I always say this, get out and meet your neighbors. You may just be surprised.
 #107433  by Mirlen
 
2xTony wrote:DE isnt too bad, but given the choice PA has much better gun laws. People up there go and get their permit just so they have a 2nd form of photo ID
But WITHOUT the LTCF our laws up here are quite restrictive with regard to vehicle transport, Philly and the wonderful "state of emergency" thing. We do get full auto, SBR and silencers tho!

The whole process of posting your intent in the newspaper with your home address is ridiculous though.
 #107439  by Kuntryboy816
 
Cuestick wrote:Coming from rural VA I definitely appreciate the lower "density" of PA compared tot he Brandywine Hundred area. Each time we get ready to commit I freak out about having neighbors on all sides....it's a little different then the cows we currently have as neighbors :-)

Well, howdy again! I'm from Radford and I feel your pain about densly populated areas! My parents moved us up here back in '90 and I still, to this day, have the same aversion to the rat race that is Delaware. I miss that lifestyle, the mountains and the New River.. all the wonders of my childhood. You can take the boy out of the country....