Aloha everyone! I will be moving to Hawaii soon for my next tour. I also love shooting and all sorts of 2a stuff. I still have a lot to learn about the laws and culture and wanted to touch base before I move to see what I can bring and if it’s feasible to do so. Considering the ridiculous prices of ammo, I want to bring my own with me but I’m not sure how to get it there. If anyone is active duty and has experience with this your feedback is much appreciated!

Short answer is: No ar/ak pistols. They are classified as assault pistols here and illegal to possess.
No pistol mags over 10 rounds.
No NFA items.
You will have to register all firearms with HPD, in person, downtown. They will take your fingerprints and add you to a FBI database (RAPBACK).
Storage and transport rules are strict.
Do yourself a favor and review the actual laws.  Most are clear. some are kinda grey.

Read HRS134, each section.

Like Justin posted here's a small breakdown.

All firearms must be registered with HPD (Honolulu Police Department) at their main station within 5 days of landing.  However, due to COVID-19, they are not taking walk ins anymore.  You must make a reservation online. https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=19367924 CLick on registration of firearms and then out of state.  There was a proclamation that waived the 5 days to register due to COVID, so you do it as soon as you can. Many have been trying for months to get an appointment.  So biggie since it was waived.  During this process, you must take each firearm to HPD and show it to them.  There is no online way to register.  They may measure your rifle barrels so make sure none are below 16 inches and 18 inches for shotguns.

HI has a strict "to and from law" you can only transport firearms from your residence to the range, police station, gun store, gun smith, place of business.  So no grabbing coffee or lunch on the way to the range or on the way back home.  You cannot even pick up a friend with a firearm in the car. HI treats ammo and firearms the same.  So even if buying ammo at a store, you cannot go and grab a coffee after.  You must go home or to the range or to work.

No pistol mags over 10rds, rifle are OK for now. They are trying to ban those right now SB301 this legislative session.

HI does not issue CCW or open carry permits, and shares no reciprocity with other states.  This also applies to ammo. Cannot keep ammo on yourself in public without one of these permits. So don't forget to empty your range bag if using not for the range and pockets if going somewhere after the range.

If you decide to buy a firearm in HI, you must apply at HPD and they will do a mental health check as well. So if you saw any type of mental health provider, then they will have to sign a waiver that you're OK. You also need to make an appt in the link above to apply for a "permit to acquire". But good luck, people have been trying for months to get an appointment.

For ammo transport, from what I've been told from folks who have PCSed in and out, you're generally on your own.  In that case, I recall some finding a freight forwarding service to ship.  I recall reading somewhere recently that some freight forwarders have recently gotten more strict on ammo transport, but don't recall details. 

Re think moving to hawaii. Kinda sucks. But depending where your from, it could be better 😂. Jk jk but not really.

Im not military but my friend is. When he relocated to the mainland, he had to fly delta. Are you flying on a commercial plane or a military aircraft? If commercial, best to look up their rules on transporting ammo.

Just watched a YouTube vid.
Washington state is trying to push for 10 round mags only. Inhereited and owning before the hi cap ban is grandfathered in tho

since you're active duty, you might want to take a look at the Schofield Rod & Gun Club, as a place to shoot.

https://www.srgchi.org/

a guy I know used U-Pack to move his guns n ammo and HHG from the mainland to Hawaii.  probably like "don't ask, don't tell".  They're sorta like the PODS thing.

https://www.upack.com/

All great info. Thank you for the quick responses. I will read through the laws and look into the freight forwarding. It seems like the most realistic option is to just bring whatever I can fly with commercially.

How easy is it to purchase ammo in Hawaii? I would imagine with the ridiculous scarcity of ammo and the costs of freighting it out there, it would be very difficult. I really hope they start making more primers soon!

All great info. Thank you for the quick responses. I will read through the laws and look into the freight forwarding. It seems like the most realistic option is to just bring whatever I can fly with commercially.

How easy is it to purchase ammo in Hawaii? I would imagine with the ridiculous scarcity of ammo and the costs of freighting it out there, it would be very difficult. I really hope they start making more primers soon!

Its easy if you can find it. I was on the waitlist at 1 store since junebof last year for 223/556, 9mm, 357 mag. I only got called yesterday 1/25 for 556. Still waiting on 9 and 357.

Talk to kaleo arms on this website, ive read they are nice enough to bring it in for a reasonable fee. Once i tried to do it on my own just to see prices, it wouldve cost more to ship than the ammo itself. Lol

All great info. Thank you for the quick responses. I will read through the laws and look into the freight forwarding. It seems like the most realistic option is to just bring whatever I can fly with commercially.

How easy is it to purchase ammo in Hawaii? I would imagine with the ridiculous scarcity of ammo and the costs of freighting it out there, it would be very difficult. I really hope they start making more primers soon!

Like everywhere in the US, there is a shortage on ammo and reloading ammo.  There are a few scalpers that are selling privately.

In general pre Covid, ammo cost more here than on the mainland because it has to be shipped by boat and there are fees (hazmat) that have to be paid.  So ordering online a few cases from the mainland isn't really do able.  The orders by ship usually come in by pallet.  9mm is pretty much similar with what's the price in Nevada.  223 in NV is way cheaper than in HI.  And selection in NV is way more abundant than in HI.  When I was in Vegas, I saw 50 cal on the shelf, blank 223, rock salt shotgun ammo, dragons breath shotgun ammo, etc...Can't find most of that here in abundance. 

Hurry and come because the HI legislature is trying to pass a law to ban almost all semiauto rifles.  The current bill (SB301) does have a grandfather clause.  But tied into the bill is also a ban of rifle mags over 10 rds that has no grandfather clause.

Hawaii has extremely limited shooting ranges/ options.
One public range maxed out at 100 yards/skeet & some gun clubs and you could get in to one of the military shooting clubs to shoot with them.  Not sure the frequency they shoot or their schedules.


Not trying to discourage you,  but with that being said,  if you can store your firearms on the mainland and only bring what you deem necessary that might be an option to consider

relevant thread. on-base ranges.

https://2ahawaii.com/index.php?topic=34654.0