"Okay, this way. Please fill out the form and show your valid ID."
After hearing Jiang Hai's words, the young man led him to the counter next to him, took out a form, and handed it to Jiang Hai, then asked for his valid ID.
Under normal circumstances, a valid ID in the United States is a driver's license, but Jiang Hai doesn't have one yet. Therefore, he could only use his green card for now, but fortunately, the green card is also accepted. After checking Jiang Hai's green card, the young man went to the side to make a phone call. Once Jiang Hai filled out the form, the young man smiled, collected the five-dollar application fee, and then it was done.
It is quite easy to apply for a gun in the United States. You simply need to make a phone call to the FBI to confirm that the person is a resident of the United States, either with a household registration or a green card (permanent residency), and has no criminal or mental health history. For a wealthy person like Jiang Hai, he is not used to relying on private services. As a user of the Centurion Black Gold Card, he only needed to make a phone call, and obtaining the gun and the gun license was no problem.
Jiang Hai didn't fully understand the process, and Robbins and the others were not familiar with these things either, so they came to apply together.
Fortunately, applying was easy. After filling out the form and entering it into the computer, it was over.
Now, Jiang Hai could buy a gun. Of course, there are restrictions on gun purchases. First, Jiang Hai can't buy automatic weapons. In the United States, while residents can buy guns, they can only purchase semi-automatic weapons. Additionally, people over the age of 18 can buy long guns, and those over 21 can buy pistols. There are also various regulations to consider.
For instance, Jiang Hai just obtained a gun license. Typically, guns must be stored separately from the ammunition at home. If stored in a car, the gun must be placed in the trunk and out of easy reach. Similarly, bullets and guns must be stored separately. If Jiang Hai wanted to carry a gun, he would need to apply for a concealed carry license, which requires attending a class at the police station before it could be issued. It's quite a hassle, so Jiang Hai did not need to carry a gun on his waist while walking down the street.
In addition to regular gun licenses, there is also a concealed carry license. Only those with this license are allowed to hide their guns. However, due to the increase in shootings, most state governments have stopped issuing these types of licenses in recent years.
Fortunately, Jiang Hai is in Boston. If he were in New York, the requirements and regulations for obtaining a gun license would be outrageous, almost as strict as in California. He would have to apply well in advance, which would be a hassle.
In Boston, the process is not too troublesome. After confirming the form, the young man recommended a gun to Jiang Hai.
It is quite easy to buy a gun in the United States. Not only can you buy one online, but they are also sold in outdoor goods stores. Of course, there are special gun stores, like this one, which has a wide variety.
Here, you can find shotguns, rifles, and pistols—almost everything on the market. Of course, sniper rifles and machine guns are available, but Jiang Hai is not allowed to purchase those.
The prices of these guns were much lower than Jiang Hai expected. They were not expensive at all, but rather very cheap.
In professional gun stores, each gun has a price tag, and there is a considerable price difference between different types of guns.
Prices range from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars. For example, a 9mm competition pistol by SIG Sauer costs $929, a .45 M1911 is $1,015, and a P238 is priced at $689. The famous Glock is even more surprisingly cheap: the Glock 19 and 27 are only $429, the .45 model is $499, and the .22 model is $429. Ruger's .380 is priced at $349.
Of course, buying a gun isn't just about buying the weapon itself. If you only purchase the gun and bullets, you will be caught by the police if you go out without additional accessories. You need to buy things like gun cases, holsters, extra magazines, maintenance tools, and more. Generally, these additional accessories are not too expensive.
For instance, a Smith & Wesson MP9 pistol costs $549, while the kit, which includes a gun case, holster, two magazines, and a set of maintenance tools, costs only $649—just $100 more.
There are also many user-friendly designs, such as various pistol grips. These grips can be swapped out to match the color of one's bags, heels, etc. Silencers are also sold here, but they are quite expensive, ranging from $700 to $6,000.
Pistols are cheap, but rifles and shotguns are expensive. Even shotguns come with silencers, but their prices are outrageous.
"If you like any of them, we have a small shooting range in the back. You can go and try it. The price of the bullets is not expensive," said the service staff with a chuckle, noticing that Jiang Hai seemed overwhelmed.
"Uh, Robbins, do you have any suggestions?" After hesitating for a while, Jiang Hai looked at Robbins, who had more experience.
"Actually, it's not that difficult to choose. The power of these guns depends on the caliber. You can select a gun based on caliber, and then pick the one you like. There's almost no difference in performance. I recommend buying two guns: a pistol for self-defense and a shotgun. Of course, you could also buy a semi-automatic rifle. It's up to you," Robbins said with a chuckle.
After hearing Robbins' advice, Jiang Hai thought for a moment and then said to the clerk, "Bring out the most powerful gun I can buy, and let me see it. I'm going to buy a pistol, a shotgun, and a rifle."
"The most powerful?" The clerk, looking at Jiang Hai's slender build, was momentarily stunned. He was doubtful that Jiang Hai could handle such a powerful weapon.
"Just bring it out," Jiang Hai said with a smile, dismissing the clerk's hesitation.
Following the principle that the customer is always right, the clerk brought out a few guns.
The first he showed was a pistol, but they were mostly revolvers. While revolvers can fire more powerful bullets compared to regular guns, Jiang Hai wasn't particularly fond of them.
"I don't want a revolver. Please show me these pistols," Jiang Hai said, looking at the clerk.
"Oh, yes, this one is the Beretta 92F. This model is used by the current US Army. It has an extremely low failure rate and is quite powerful. It uses 9mm pistol rounds." The clerk introduced it as Jiang Hai examined the gun. The silver finish looked good, and the gun was powerful, especially with its military affiliation.
"These are the Colt 2000 and the M1911. I won't go into detail about the M1911—it's the best pistol from World War II, hands down. The 2000 is an improved version of the 1911. It also uses 9mm Parabellum rounds but looks a bit less appealing."
The Colt pistols were indeed somewhat clunky, but they had their history. The 2000 was a bit less attractive than the Beretta.
"This is the German P229, which uses Smith & Wesson .45 caliber rounds. The power is undeniable. It's more than capable of taking down a wild boar within 30 meters. It's also inexpensive, though, like the Colt, it's not very aesthetically pleasing."
"This is a Chinese QSG. It looks decent, but it feels a bit plasticky. The power is fine, but the bullets are quite expensive since they have to be imported from China, Europe, or the United States." The clerk continued introducing various models.
Jiang Hai initially had high hopes for the Chinese gun, but when he heard about the expensive ammunition, his interest waned.
The clerk also introduced other brands, like Ruger from the United States, HK from Germany, and the Czech CZ series. None of them satisfied Jiang Hai, as he had no intention of buying these guns.
"What about the Desert Eagle? Do you have it?" Jiang Hai asked after the clerk finished introducing these guns.
"Uh, we do…" The clerk was taken aback and looked at Robbins.
"The Desert Eagle is overrated," Robbins said. "Its recoil is far too strong. It's okay for hunting, but it's not suitable as a defense weapon. People only know about it because of movies and games. In reality, it's just a showpiece gun. It's not very practical."
"It's fine. I just want to try it. Give me the most powerful one," Jiang Hai said. He didn't mind trying it out for the experience.
"Alright… All the Desert Eagles here are available in .357, .44, and .50 calibers. The .50 is the most powerful version, but the recoil from this one can knock over a strong man. Which one do you want?" The clerk asked, seeing Jiang Hai's insistence.
"What about this one?" Jiang Hai's eyes lit up as he pointed to the largest gun in the display.
"Uh, this one…" The clerk was stunned for a moment, and sweat began to form on his forehead.