TennDawg

This would be really good news if I ever move back, especially since I would likely be moving to one of the metro counties. After my experiences in Dekalb I would likely not head back that way though!

I got my permit in the mail on Friday. That's 11 calendar days from when I applied for anyone that's counting.

The Dekalb PD told me that they had 90 business days to process my background check, then called me a liar when I tried to correct them with the relevant GA code. The probate judge just sort of shrugs and says she's at the mercy of the PD to return background info to her, which while true doesn't absolve her of of her duty to hold them accountable. The problem under current GA law is that you can really only sue if you're denied a license on bogus grounds. There's no real recourse against taking longer than is allowed by law since the suit will (and has been) declared moot as soon as a license is issued. As to my comment on the fragmented process, I agree that having a searchable database of license holders raises a lot of privacy concerns. My point wasn't that privacy isn't a concern, but rather that Georgians traded the potential efficiency of a uniform statewide process for a completely false sense of privacy. There may not be a database available to every local LEO, but if you have to pass an FBI and GBI background check you're on a list somewhere (to say nothing of the fact that the physical cards are all printed by one company).

I'm going to try my hand at IDPA and/or USPSA at the ORSA range in February, and I was hoping for any pointers that experienced shooters might be able to share with me. I've read a lot of the stuff out there for new shooters, so I'm not going in completely blind. For those of you that shoot competitions regularly, what do you wish you would have known at your first match, for example? My plan is to shoot with my CZ 75, which I believe is SSP in IDPA if that helps at all.

That sounds just a wee bit unconstitutional.

As a matter of fact, I was in Dekalb County. It was a complete disaster. The fragmented process in Georgia had a lot to do with the fact people didn't want the state to have a database of permit holders/applicants, which is pretty ridiculous.

I applied for my TN HCP on Monday (completed the HCP class the previous weekend) and got the confirmation that it had been approved on Friday, and that the permit should be to me in 10 days or less. Tennessee certainly isn't perfect, but the state has its act together when it comes to the HCP process. Every aspect of the application process was smooth and painless. To contrast, I waited in long lines for hours to get my permit in Georgia (it took me the better part of 10 hours between the app at the probate court and waiting to be fingerprinted by the police). Once my Georgia app was complete it took my county probate court over 90 days to issue the license to me, and I had to threaten to sue them before they magically found that it was ready to go.

I have a 75BD, a SP-01 Phantom, and a P-07

As a CZ fanboy, I feel your pain.

Very good point, and thank you for clarifying that. I certainly didn't mean that you should ignore posted places, just that you aren't necessarily committing an offense under Georgia law if you are carrying and didn't happen to see a sign prohibiting firearms.

Georgia is pretty simple compared to Tennessee. Government buildings with security checkpoints are off limits, as are all schools. As Dave said above, handgunlaw.us is a good starting point. While it's encouraged to be respectful of no guns signs, they don't carry the weight of law. (Of course I'm not a lawyer, and nothing I say here should be construed as legal advice).

I got a 42 as a BUG for $359. Too good to pass up.

I got a TN driver's license within a week of moving here, so there's really no question about when my residency was established. I'm actually glad that I procrastinated now since the price of a lifetime license was reduced. Even at $300 for a first time applicant it's still a good deal for me. I'm only 37 and I don't foresee leaving TN in the next 3 years.

That's good info, thanks! So I can legally carry with my GA license while waiting for my TN HCP to arrive

So I moved to TN in October, and while I've changed my DL over to TN I've yet to get a TN HCP. Am I correct in assuming that my Georgia Weapons License is no longer valid since I've established residency here?