Id like to get a permit to own a handgun. I have a friend who wants to get rid of his and id like to purchase it. Ive been told there is a waiver or exemption for military so we dont have to pay and attend the class(s?) to get the permit. Does someone, anyone, know where and what forms i need for this? I saw a paper for Army and its supposed to be signed by OIC so im looking for something similiar to that. I have medal for markesmanship with 9mm if that is worth anything? Anyone with advice or even point me in right direction, thanks in advnace!!
 
Also if i decide to just do the class for the permit (handgun) is it only one class, or do i need to do hunters course before taking hangun course? Also is there somewhere i can pay cheaper if i dont want credit at the store? Like i said im buying from a friend so I saw one club offerring the class at $200 but half of that goes toward 100 dollar credit at store.

I'm not military but I have overheard the registration office talking about needing a CO to sign an affadavit certifying the course. Hopefully someone else can chime in with more specifics.

Here is the quote in the Hawaii Revised Statutes:

A firearms training or safety course or class conducted by a state certified or National Rifle Association certified firearms instructor or a certified military firearms instructor that provides, at a minimum, a total of at least two hours of firing training at a firing range and a total of at least four hours of classroom instruction, which may include a video, that focuses on:

         (A)  The safe use, handling, and storage of firearms and firearm safety in the home; and

         (B)  Education on the firearm laws of the State.

          An affidavit signed by the certified firearms instructor who conducted or taught the course, providing the name, address, and phone number of the instructor and attesting to the successful completion of the course by the applicant shall constitute evidence of certified successful completion under this paragraph.

If you decide to do the class, it is usually a two day course with classroom instruction and live shooting afterwards. You can actually take the hunter's education course instead of the handgun safety class (it's one or the other) but there is a long waiting list for that. Here is more information on that.

Military can bypass the training requirement with a letter from their CO saying "this person knows what they're doing."  However, we see a fair percentage of military people attending LIFE classes.  They tell us it is easier to take a class than it is to get a letter from their CO.

Thanx guys good stuff....

If anyone has an example of the affidavit that i need id really appreciate it. Just want to get it done right first time instead of not having everything correct. Does anyone know where the cheapest firearm safety course that would satisfy the needs? ive had a fair amount of weapons training and used to conduct the classes for 9mm and M16, 240B for military so i'm fairly familiar with firearms.

If anyone has an example of the affidavit that i need id really appreciate it. Just want to get it done right first time instead of not having everything correct.

The language for the affidavits we use in the LIFE classes corresponds to what 2A posted earlier.  However, it includes some very specific formatting and seemingly-nonsensical letters and marks of punctuation that all apparently have legal meaning.  I don't know that it has to look exactly like ours, but I do know that on at least one occasion, we had an instructor decide to "make his own" affidavits, and that students from that class subsequently contacted us asking for "real" affidavits after problems with HPD. 

Thanks Tom, you work for a place that does the trainings??

LIFE is a non-profit, volunteer organization whose primary reason for existing is running monthly NRA handgun safety class for people wanting to buy a handgun in Hawaii.  I was president for ... five years?  I lose count.  Anyway, now I am simply a volunteer instructor with the club.

I will go out on a limb and say that LIFE offers opportunities that no one else in town does when it comes to the classes.  Mainly, we usually have over 40 handguns there for people to try.  We follow the NRA curriculum, with the addition of an added section on Hawaii gun laws as required by HRS134.  And, at least from what's published, our prices are competitive.

Now, that being said, I think that all of the gun stores in town offer their own classes.  For someone who simply needs that piece of paper and has a good idea of what to look for in a gun, I'd recommend simply going with the most convenient class you can find in terms of location and schedule.  Or finding an NRA instructor who will give you a 1-on-1 class.   

Id like to get a permit to own a handgun. I have a friend who wants to get rid of his and id like to purchase it. Ive been told there is a waiver or exemption for military so we dont have to pay and attend the class(s?) to get the permit. Does someone, anyone, know where and what forms i need for this? I saw a paper for Army and its supposed to be signed by OIC so im looking for something similiar to that. I have medal for markesmanship with 9mm if that is worth anything? Anyone with advice or even point me in right direction, thanks in advnace!!
 
Also if i decide to just do the class for the permit (handgun) is it only one class, or do i need to do hunters course before taking hangun course? Also is there somewhere i can pay cheaper if i dont want credit at the store? Like i said im buying from a friend so I saw one club offerring the class at $200 but half of that goes toward 100 dollar credit at store.

I used this process a long time ago, but found out that my Wyoming hunters safety card issued in 1987(seriously) works for hangun purchases in Hawaii. As I recall, the letter had to state number of  hours  utilizing firearms and had to be notorized by a STATE notary after the command signature.
 
There are several courses out there ranging from $125-200 that will satisfy the requirements