You only need to have a handgun course by a certified instructor, so you could take an NRA handgun course while you are in NY and it would meet the requirements back here provided there is live fire training.

Is it possible for me to take the handgun safety class, given there's on scheduled, while I'm back in March (when I'll still be <21)?
If you call and specifically ask for a certain scheduled class (in march) and get in, it is possible.  If you plan to "walk-in" might not have enough room so not guaranteed.

Also, would it be realistic to apply for a permit, purchase a handgun, and register it within a 3-week period, given the 14 day waiting period, long lines at HPD, and all the other hoops we need to jump through?
Yes, very realistic.  I just did it a couple times.  As long as your paperwork is in order and you have all your info, u should be good to go.
Good luck.  Make sure you have a safe place to store your gun after registering.
I appreciate any feedback

Not entirely true, the firearms instructor has to go over the Hawaii state laws with you which is possible if you direct him to the HPD website which lists the laws.

I do not recall them going over the laws when I took my handgun course here in order to get my CWP for another state. Accoding to the law regarding the course:

  (4)  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.

By law it does not have to include state laws, as it is written as may include not shall include so a NRA pistol course taken out of state would suffice.

Full law:

http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol03_Ch0121-0200D/HRS0134/HRS_0134-0002.htm

I do not recall them going over the laws when I took my handgun course here in order to get my CWP for another state. Accoding to the law regarding the course:

  (4)  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.

By law it does not have to include state laws, as it is written as may include not shall include so a NRA pistol course taken out of state would suffice.

Full law:

http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol03_Ch0121-0200D/HRS0134/HRS_0134-0002.htm

Hey everyone,

I'm new here, and I wanted some advice regarding the process of purchasing a handgun
It's a bit of a complex situation so try to bear with me for a just a little while

I'm 20 and won't turn 21 until April. I really want to purchase my own firearm, but I go to school in NY and my schedule, even during the summer, means that I'm not back from the mainland for any amount of time over a month or so (usually about 3 weeks during summer), but I'll be back in March for a week during spring break.

Is it possible for me to take the handgun safety class, given there's on scheduled, while I'm back in March (when I'll still be <21)?

Also, would it be realistic to apply for a permit, purchase a handgun, and register it within a 3-week period, given the 14 day waiting period, long lines at HPD, and all the other hoops we need to jump through?

I appreciate any feedback

Thanks for all of the replies. I'm a resident of Hawaii and plan to keep the firearm with my family there until I move out of NY into somewhere hopefully more firearm friendly, so I don't want to mess with any of the laws over here.

I'll be on the lookout for class dates in March, and hopefully I could schedule one that fits in, and hopefully things could fall into place when I;m back later in the year.

It's a shame that this is such an involved process, but I guess I'll just have to deal with it for now.

Well upon further inspection of the issue I stand corrected. That is one thing I hate about reading legal crap. You have to read it 10 times to fully understand what they are trying to convey.

The class I  took was here in the state and it was a class for people getting their handgun permits. Luckily it also met the requirements for my CWP which was the real reason I took it as I have already taken the hunter education course years ago. I honestly do not recall them really going into any detail about the state laws except for maybe mentioning the process to acquire a firearm and traveling with it briefly.