Incompetent MSP in transfer

Hjaalmarch · Nov 4, 2015

So I bought a P229 off a friend a while back, used it for a while, then decided to trade it back to him for another gun in his collection. We get to the Westminster barracks, fill out the paperwork, no problems, I give it to him after the waiting period.

I'm looking at the forms and which to send where, and this is my first complaint: 1. The forms don't indicate a mailing address as to where you need to send them. They just say to address them to the Firearms Registration Section.

I call the Westminster guys (who I must say are very nice and accommodating in person) and they say to call the 1111 Reisterstown Rd office. I do, and the lady checks my serial numbers and says my complaint 2: The application was voided because they didn't get the $10 fee check. This is nonsense as I watched my friend write the check and hand it off to the desk officer.

Nobody called me to tell me the application was voided, they just voided it. How was I supposed to know this if I didn't call? And even if I did know which address to mail the forms to, it would have been cancelled because of the voided application!

Complaint 3: the lady says she'll figure it out, call Westminster and call back. Guess what didn't happen.

This is my complaint to the liberals I know. I don't want zero government - I want the government we currently have to have some semblance of competence. It's hard enough to buy a gun in this state legally. I dont need the cops screwing it up on top of that.

Ongoing, will update later

Jaybeez · Nov 4, 2015

Now you know why it has to be a check and msp isnt allowed to take cash.

rseymorejr · Nov 4, 2015

I wouldn't have even worried about it. They say you need to sign the paperwork and return it after you receive it. I'd wait until I received it.
I transferred a pistol to my Son In September of 2013, still waiting for the paperwork to come back. Don't really care if it ever does.

gungate · Nov 4, 2015

Last time I did a transfer (College Park Barracks) the officer insisted that I, as the seller, had to have a firearms training card (pre HQL). I told him that was not the case but you always get the idea when you are there that you just accept their incompetence. Kind of like at a restaurant - you just don't complain until after you have gotten all of your food. I showed him it anyway as I had it with me. Oh and after I went to show him the firearm, which was actually a stripped lower, he chided me for putting it on the seat next to me. Said next time to lock it up in the trunk. A stripped lower. Moron.

Ghost40 · Nov 4, 2015

I recently sold a gun to a friend and did the transfer at MSP in Bel Air. On the phone, my friend was told Sunday was fine, bring cash. After arriving I get the feeling I interrupted the foot ball game on TV. The trooper handed us the paper work. I asked, never having sold a gun before, which parts do I need to fill out as the seller. He wasn't sure. He also handed me "Part 1 of 2" of the long form to fill out, and my friend, Part 2. Didn't look right so I questioned it, having bought several handguns in the past couple of months. Once the forms were straightened out, he asked for the check or money order, my friend explained to him he was told cash. That didn't fly either, so off to get a money order.

Once everything was signed, I was told to wait 8 days, if I didn't hear from them, to hand the gun over to my friend, sign the final paper, and mail it off. But no where on there was an address and the trooper couldn't get me the address. I do believe I send it off to the barracks in Pikesville, still not exactly sure...

RoadDawg · Nov 4, 2015

Hjaalmarch said:
So I bought a P229 off a friend a while back, used it for a while, then decided to trade it back to him for another gun in his collection. We get to the Westminster barracks, fill out the paperwork, no problems, I give it to him after the waiting period.

I'm looking at the forms and which to send where, and this is my first complaint: 1. The forms don't indicate a mailing address as to where you need to send them. They just say to address them to the Firearms Registration Section.

I call the Westminster guys (who I must say are very nice and accommodating in person) and they say to call the 1111 Reisterstown Rd office. I do, and the lady checks my serial numbers and says my complaint 2: The application was voided because they didn't get the $10 fee check. This is nonsense as I watched my friend write the check and hand it off to the desk officer.

Nobody called me to tell me the application was voided, they just voided it. How was I supposed to know this if I didn't call? And even if I did know which address to mail the forms to, it would have been cancelled because of the voided application!

Complaint 3: the lady says she'll figure it out, call Westminster and call back. Guess what didn't happen.

This is my complaint to the liberals I know. I don't want zero government - I want the government we currently have to have some semblance of competence. It's hard enough to buy a gun in this state legally. I dont need the cops screwing it up on top of that.

Ongoing, will update later

If you traded for another gun in his collection... That would require TWO checks for $10.00. One for each firearm transfer.

The information for where to send the paperwork is sent with the "Not Disapproved" letter to the "Transferor".

It is also readily available on the mdsp.maryland.gov web site:
http://mdsp.maryland.gov/Organization/Pages/CriminalInvestigationBureau/LicensingDivision.aspx

I have transferred plenty of firearms through the MSP and I do not expect every Trooper working there to be a Firearms Transfer Expert. It is a secondary duty that was added to their job by the MGA when the law was enacted. It is not a duty that more than a few Troopers will ever have to face. They also have seen several changes in the process over the period of the last few years. The name calling in this thread is completely unnecessary. :tdown:

zoostation · Nov 4, 2015

The problem is as RD said, few troopers have to engage in these duties and it's something that was dumped on them on top of about a thousand other "special" responsibilities by the state. It would be nice to see MSP do some kind of training on this for the guys working as desk officers, but I don't blame that on the individuals. However, when it becomes more than an issue of inconvenience and really bad things happen, I can assure you that MSP is anything but incompetent. Like them or not they are some of the best trained police in the country. (just not on form 77R's

)

moojersey · Nov 4, 2015

I would never use the MSP for a transfer, but that is just me.

ericoak · Nov 4, 2015

Government agencies have the customer service of someone who doesn't give a ****, because they don't.

Chris0nllyn · Nov 4, 2015

RoadDawg said:
I have transferred plenty of firearms through the MSP and I do not expect every Trooper working there to be a Firearms Transfer Expert. It is a secondary duty that was added to their job by the MGA when the law was enacted. It is not a duty that more than a few Troopers will ever have to face. They also have seen several changes in the process over the period of the last few years. The name calling in this thread is completely unnecessary.

With all due respect, this is like saying it's ok for a mechanic to be incompetent at working the register (or any other analogy you can think of).

If it's part of their responsibilities as an employee, then it's not far fetched to be frustrated when they can't do it.

Blame it on upper management for not giving them the training, whatever, but if a mistake made by them based on bad, or wrong, information leads to getting a knock on the door from MSP, folks have every right to be upset. As mentioned, it's a PITA enough to buy a gun in this state thanks to a general assembly that focused more on getting the laws shoved down our collective throats without them acknowledging that the folks on the other side of the equation need to know the procedures.

I don't recall any name calling though.

drking2 · Nov 4, 2015

Westminster msp did the same to me. Lost the money order. Had to pay again, even though I had the reciept.

britishjohnhall · Nov 4, 2015

zoostation said:
The problem is as RD said, few troopers have to engage in these duties and it's something that was dumped on them on top of about a thousand other "special" responsibilities by the state. It would be nice to see MSP do some kind of training on this for the guys working as desk officers, but I don't blame that on the individuals. However, when it becomes more than an issue of inconvenience and really bad things happen, I can assure you that MSP is anything but incompetent. Like them or not they are some of the best trained police in the country. (just not on form 77R's )

This!

I did a transfer once Thru MSP. It was more hassle than I needed. I can't see the savings being beneficial ($10 vs $30-$40 for an FFL). I would much rather pay the extra $$ and have the FFL handle it. Plus you only have to meet the buyer/seller once, so there's less coordinating of schedules. Plus the MSP has more important things to do than handle bureaucratic paperwork that's been forced on them.

protegeV · Nov 4, 2015

I guess Im lucky. Ive done two transfers. one as a seller and one as a buyer. Both at the golden ring barracks. Both troopers were knowledgeable and the process was smooth as silk.

RobSky · Nov 4, 2015

protegeV said:
I guess Im lucky. Ive done two transfers. one as a seller and one as a buyer. Both at the golden ring barracks. Both troopers were knowledgeable and the process was smooth as silk.

Same, done at least 3 at CP and no issues.

Engine4 · Nov 4, 2015

Understandably the MSP is undertrained in these areas, unfortunately the onus falls on us as civilians & transferees. When we go to the experts (MSP), for a transaction, what is done under their tutelage should be binding, as well as any fees paid & receipted. Anything lost is & shouldn't be our responsibility. The big problem is, the real world ain't that way & we inevitably are screwed in the end. This is not the fault of the trooper at the barrack, but their superiors & of course the rats in Annapolis.

StantonCree · Nov 4, 2015

Down Zero said:
Same, done at least 3 at CP and no issues.

The college park guy greets me and says, "What kinda of revolver you buying now"

protegeV · Nov 4, 2015

mpdc4511 said:
The college park guy greets me and says, "What kinda of revolver you buying now"

trickg · Nov 4, 2015

I've done a couple of transfers directly through the MSP - one in Bel Air and one in Glen Burnie/Severn. (The one off of Airport loop) The officers at those locations knew the drill - it was smooth and easy both times.

protegeV · Nov 4, 2015

trickg said:
I've done a couple of transfers directly through the MSP - one in Bel Air and one in Glen Burnie/Severn. (The one off of Airport loop) The officers at those locations knew the drill - it was smooth and easy both times.

Like most things. You only hear about the problems. No one makes threads to exclaim about a normal everyday occurrence.

RoadDawg · Nov 4, 2015

Chris0nllyn said:
With all due respect, this is like saying it's ok for a mechanic to be incompetent at working the register (or any other analogy you can think of).

If it's part of their responsibilities as an employee, then it's not far fetched to be frustrated when they can't do it.

Blame it on upper management for not giving them the training, whatever, but if a mistake made by them based on bad, or wrong, information leads to getting a knock on the door from MSP, folks have every right to be upset. As mentioned, it's a PITA enough to buy a gun in this state thanks to a general assembly that focused more on getting the laws shoved down our collective throats without them acknowledging that the folks on the other side of the equation need to know the procedures.

I don't recall any name calling though.

If you don't recall name calling, you haven't read all of the posts. Or the title for that matter. Calling people "incompetent" and "moron", IS name calling.

And NO... I do not expect the mechanic who was trained to work on cars to also know all there is to know about running a cash register when he/she gets pulled in to do that job for a short time. Mistakes WILL be made and some finer information WILL NOT be known by the person who has been saddled with a task which is unfamiliar to them.

Since you are so bent on blaming someone... with all due respect to the OP... How about blaming folks who are active members of the 2A community and don't bother to do a simple Google search for a MDSP Firearms Licensing Section address? Why is it that anyone who lives in this State AND is active in the Firearms Community, would not do all they can to know all of the pertinent information before conducting a transaction involving a firearm? I was not taught these laws and regulations in intimate detail as a LEO. I learned them because the subject was of particular interest to me. Otherwise, they are all available in the many reference sources available to every LEO in the State. AS this information is available and has been discussed ad nausium in this forum. :cool:

Post #4

gungate said:
Last time I did a transfer (College Park Barracks) the officer insisted that I, as the seller, had to have a firearms training card (pre HQL). I told him that was not the case but you always get the idea when you are there that you just accept their incompetence. Kind of like at a restaurant - you just don't complain until after you have gotten all of your food. I showed him it anyway as I had it with me. Oh and after I went to show him the firearm, which was actually a stripped lower, he chided me for putting it on the seat next to me. Said next time to lock it up in the trunk. A stripped lower. Moron.

Incompetent MSP in transfer

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