You Can Be A Gun Owner In Michigan In Just 15 Minutes With A Few Hundred Dollars

DETROIT (WWJ) - Just how easy is it to legally obtain a gun in Michigan? You might be surprised.

Neal Emmanuel, the manager of Target Sports gun shop and indoor shooting range on Woodward and 13 Mile in Royal Oak, said it all starts with a look into your past.

"We do the FBI background check and if the FBI tells us this person is clean, go ahead and sell them a firearm, we will sell you a firearm," Emmanuel told WWJ's Mike Campbell. "(It takes) 10 to 15 minutes."

Once you're in the clear, first-time gun buyers have plenty of options.

"Maybe a simple handgun in the nine millimeter, that would do you more than fine," Emmanuel said. "There's plenty out there, such as Glock or Smith and Wesson, and, you know, they're great little guns for home protection or personal protection as well."

Of course there's a price to pay, but it's relatively small when you consider how much power these weapons can pack.

"It's about $500 or $600 for the firearm and another $50 to $100 for ammunition and a holster," he said. "As far as training, you're probably looking at about $50 per hour for an instructor."

The training, by the way, is completely optional although it is recommended. Emmanuel said most people opt for training even though it's not required.

"Most individuals that I have seen, first timers that come by here, the first thing they ask is 'Can you train me?' And then we refer them in the right direction," he said. "(Training includes) how to use a firearm safely, how the firearm works, how to load, unload, clean it, how to clear jams out of it and so forth."