[whipper]

Tell how your state treats you as gun owner.
Meaning do they accept you as a person with a hobby. Or a person that is dangerous to humanity by owning a gun.

I live in The Republic of California, the most hateful state against gun owners. I could be wrong but let’s see what others say about their state in which they live in.

[mikeb3185]

new york is not much better. here IF you get your permit every county has its own set of restrictions it can/will impose. such as "NYS CARRY PERMIT - RESTRICTIONS: HUNTING AND TARGET. not to mention we now have our own "assult weapons" ban, which includes the 10rd mag restriction.

[Gator]

Here in north eastern Illinois (where Chicago casts its shadow) we are looked at as potential mass murderers....

[carterbeauford]

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania - let's just say I'm not moving.

Seriously, no-hassle CCW process, friendly with the possible exception of Philadelphia, no capacity restrictions, class 3, etc.

[rangerruck]

texas could be better, too many dem mayors sneek in backdoor due to old time gerrymandering, such as houston, but all in all, not bad.

[WayneConrad]

Took sweetie to the doctor this morning, sidearm on, not concealed. Took my seat in the waiting room and did puzzles while I waited. Nobody screamed, nobody called the cops. Went shopping after work, still open carry. Nobody much cared that in this city of more than a million souls I was lugging around a sidearm.

I know I'm gloating just a little, but this state does treat gun owners pretty good.

CCW is "shall issue," which is great, but it's too gosh darned hot to want to get all snuggly with a pistol.

[vanilla_gorilla]

Florida:

Shall-issue CCW
Class 3
Civil immunity in righteous shoots
In my part of the state, you are viewed as a suspicious entity until you prove you have a firearm.

[DoubleTapDrew]

Oregon isn't too bad. Shall issue, all NFA goodies, open carry (although I wouldn't do it in the big cities). I don't think we have a stand your ground law unfortunately but hopefully we will eventually.
I live in a town of about 20k people and the sounds of gunshots on the weekends mean people are out having fun plinking in their yards, not drivebys, which makes me even more glad I moved away from the city.

[Zen21Tao]

Florida:

(building off vanilla-gorillas list)

- shall issue CCW
- Class 3 ok
- Civil Immunity
- Castle Doctrine
- Stand your ground law (Castle Doctrine extended to public places)
- Can carry if state and national forrest law
- Protected hunting land
- CCW rettained during state of emergency protection
- no waiting period on handgun purchases for CCW holders
- contiguous state buys on long guns ok
- best CCW reciprocation with other states
- new legislation passed to protect CCW holders private info
- Face to Face transfers w/out FFL ok
- no mag capacity limits
- no AWB bans
- absolutely no firearm registration requirements

What a great state for those that value freedom.

[Old Dog]

For the most part, being a gun-owner -- and a gun-carrier -- in Washington State is a good thing. When I moved up here from California in 1994, of course my first order of business was to phone my local police department to inquire as to the procedure for registering my firearms in my new state. At this point, I was still remembering the horrible experience (and three visits to the main station of the Honolulu PD) when I was forced to register my guns upon moving to Hawaii prior to relocating again to California ...

Me: "Hi, I just moved to this state; what do I need to do to register my personal firearms which I brought with me?"

Woman answering phone at PD: "Uh, nothing. You must have moved up here from California, right? But if you come down here tomorrow and pay the $60 fee, we'll issue you a Concealed Pistol License."

No training requirement for CPLs. You'll get your first one within about 10 days. Renewal is $35 bucks (or was last time I renewed). Only thing is the lack of a training requirement is apparently what stops most states from granting reciprocity to those with WA CPLs. Currently, we've got reciprocity with only about six other states, although about a total of 10 recognize our CPLs.

One will find, especially once one leaves King County, that the local PDs, SOs and the WSP regard those who carry concealed pistols about the same as they do any citizen they would encounter -- it's just not a big deal for them. Of course -- WA was the first shall-issue state, way back when.

We can carry pretty much anywhere (except bars, courthouses, mental health facilities and stadiums) and hunting is not considered with horror by most of the citizenry hereabouts ... Gunshops are easily found, gun prices are on balance pretty good, gun clubs abound and range facilities are available most everywhere.

Except for the lack of support for open carry and ownership of Class III weapons here, gun-ownership and gun-packing is generally regarded as normal (except, as noted, in and around Seattle, Mercer Island, Bainbridge Island or any of the other liberal enclaves around here where the inhabitants are totally out of touch with what everyone else in the state considers normal).

[Maser]

Kind of hard to answer this question because I live in Cali and even though we have like the toughest gun laws of the entire US, I get treated rather well. Only people who get on my nerves is the PETA people.

[JasonMD85]

Im suprised no one from MD has said anything yet. Im not 100% sure on our laws yet, but from what I have been told they are pretty harsh.

[U.S.SFC_RET]

Let's talk about Maryland.:mad:
You can get a CCW but almost always in the case of a business involving money transfers, not protecting your life. Duh.
You can transport a firearm to a hunting or range or gunsmith.
You can transport a firearm in your car provided it is in your trunk, locked in a carrying case, separated from the rounds, no magazines loaded. By the way don't stop to get gas on the way you are breaking the law.
You can buy one gun a month, whoopie.
The gun you buy in Maryland must meet a strict approved list by the state.
The maximun rounds you can have in a pistol is ten.
If you can find a gun store in your local area the prices are liable to give you sticker shock. (there is hardly any competition).
Politically this State is not gun friendly at all. One of the worst. Baltimore Violent crime is typically one of the highest in large cities.
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[atlctyslkr]

Pretty good here in Georgia. Georgia pretty much copies what Florida does. Reciprocity is pretty high (I think only Florida has more). We have "Stand your Ground". No restrictions on mags. No special state laws, defalts to the federal laws on sawed offs and full auto. Permits are relatively easy to get, does take a while for the paperwork to get done but it's not hard to do. No open carry here, must have license to step outside your home or business with a loaded handgun.

[hso]

TN treats us as a resource. :D

[Chris Rhines]

The gun you buy in Maryland must meet a strict approved list by the state. To be fair, the approved handguns list (it's just pistols, not all firearms) is pretty all-inclusive. It still cheezes me off that such a list exists, though.

The maximun rounds you can have in a pistol is ten. No. You can't buy, sell, or transfer a magazine over 20 rounds in Maryland, but posession is just fine.

- Chris

[usp9]

:)
Virginia has a number of "normal" type restrictions, but it is easy and inexpensive to get a CCL. I've lived here for over five years and have had no trouble buying or carrying. The only places I've noticed that bar CCW are the local banks.


:banghead:
I moved from Maryland, where I did possess a CCL. It was an ordeal to obtain and was loaded with restrictions...almost not worth the effort. Glad I moved.

[mzmtg]

GA is only so-so.

Loaded guns can be carried in vehicles without a permit. They must be in view, or in the glove box, console or other similar compartment.

No carry (open or concealed) in public without a permit.

Permits are "shall-issue," but the probate offices always take much longer than the statutory 60-day limit to issue CCWs. When questioned, they usually make no excuses for blatantly ignoring state laws.

No extra steps in firearms purchasing, so that's good. NFA stuff is good to go as long as your local CLEO is cool with it all.

However...

GA one of the longest lists of places that are off limits to CCW. Not only is the list long, but the definitions are very vague.

The biggest bugaboo is the "public gathering." It is not clearly defined at all. Case law has held a public gathering not to be a any public place, but an event or common purpose for which the public might gather. Some in law enforcement have even mentioned that two people in line for a water fountain could be considered a "public gathering" since members of the public had gathered there for the "common purpose" of getting water. Yes, it's that nuts.

No carry on public transportation, or withn a "reasonable area" around a terminal or bus stop.

No carry in any establishment that sells alcohol for consumption on the premises.

1000-foot gun free school zones.

No carry in any publicly owned building or property.

No carry in state parks.

The list goes on and on and on.

[EddieCoyle]

Massachusetts is strange. Although basically anti-gun, there's no waiting period and no limit to the number of firearms I can buy at once. There few if any state laws restricting where you can carry. For example, I can and do carry into places that serve alcohol, however when I do so, I do not drink.

Open carry is widely regarded as illegal. Although this is technically not true, "brandishing" is illegal. Most people here are so afraid of guns that the mere sight of a firearm could be considered brandishing. I know few people that would be willing to test this "law", because the first thing that would happen is that they would yank your permit, and until recently there was no formal appeals process in place to allow you to get it back. This scaredy-cat attitude is a relatively recent phemonenon - in the 1980's my friends and I routinely carried our shotguns and rifles on public transportation buses without a second look.

Massachusetts is not a "shall issue" state. Whether of not you get a concealed carry permit is totally up to the local CLEO. In some towns it is easy - I got an "all lawful purposes" concealed carry permit in six days, in spite of a few old "blemishes" on my record. In other towns it is near impossible to get a CC permit under any circumstances. Only recently has the state instituted an appeals process - thanks in big part to G.O.A.L. (see my sig).

Most of the inconvenience for gun owners is a result of the unrestrained political actions one person - Atty General Tom Reilly. He used his "consumer protection" powers to sneak through a regulation prohibiting FFL's from transferring any handgun not on his "list". Non-FFL citizens can do whatever we want, the restrictions are for dealers only. He also filed civil (criminal?) actions againsts online and mail-order retailers for selling reloading components to juveniles (he used Boy Scouts as schills). As a result, most retailers will not sell even brass or bullets to anyone in Mass. Fortunately, he's running for Governor and it looks like he'll lose.

Mass has kept the Clinton AWB so we can only buy hi-caps that were here before 94. There seems to be more and more of these every day.

You can own full auto weapons with the proper permit (Class E) and I know a few people that have them. I plan on getting mine sometime in the future.

New Hampshire is 5 minutes away. If things get much worse, I'll move. Politically, I'm much more aligned with the traditional New Hampshire natives than I am with most of the people here.

[Ala Dan]

Basically, Alabama is a gun friendly state with NO major hoops too have to
jump thru~!:cool: If I had to make a guesstimate, I would say that nearly
all households had at least one firearm within.:D

[joab]

Vanilla and I must live in the same part of Fla.

One thing I would like to see in Fla is open carry

Can't complain about much else

[Mannlicher]

I don't think you can really quantify how your State treats you as a gun owner Some states are more 'gun friendly' than others, most of those seem to be in the South or the West. The Red States, if you will. What I feel is that States that are by and large liberal, such as California, Michigan, New York, NJ, are just more inclined to limit personal freedom, and to push a liberal agenda, which usually means gun control.

[1wildbill]

The restriction I like in Texas is, "No carry within 1,000 feet of an institution where there is a scheduled execution", (paraphrase). I don't think it is to protect the one to be executed. Yes, we execute people that deserve it in Texas.

If asked for your driver's license by an LEO you are required to show CHL at the same time, but LEOs don't hassle you, and don't want to see your handgun. At least that has been my experience.

A "Castle Law" is in, "The Process".

[jrou111]

It's usually not talked about here, cause most people hunt. Probably 75% of people around here grew up properly with guns in the home, and are not afraid of them. But the more people I talk to about RKBA, the more I find out CCW.


What I'd really like to know is what the cost is for freedom to protect yourself in other states. I understand that in other states one has to take classes and pay lots of money for a CCW permit. Getting one here in my county is a 15 min wait and $20.

[Boom-stick]

I'm in the UK,

No Carry, ever.

Generally, to hold an FAC (firearms certificate) you need to join a club, go through 6 months of probation and be successfully vetted by the local police.

No Firearms under 24" in length and all barrels must be at least 12" (unless muzzle loaders)

No semi autos bigger that .22 rimfire (.17 rimfire isn't allowed either:confused: )

Air rifles over 12ftlb need to licensed

Air pistols over 6ftlbs are completely outlawed and will now be destroyed if found.

Shotguns have to minimum 24" barrel but are easier to obtain, providing pumps and semi's dont have a magazine which holds more than 2 shells, if they do, then they have to go on an FAC with a valid reason for ownership, (home defense and self protection are NOT valid reasons)

Can anyone top this?

[Tried'nTrue]

Not too bad, here in New Mexico. Since I'm new to firearms and am just learning my way around, I've been reading up on state laws, too. Here in NM, we do have open carry, but I don't believe we can carry in Nat'l. Parks or Forest; perhaps that's the case across the nation. I'm not sure about State Parks.

Our CCW license is shall issue, but it costs some $$ to get it (that's the way of most everything in this state).
-required training class by a state licensed CC trainer, usually $150-$200
-$200 non-refundable application fee
-Re-certification is every 4 years, for $75

CC is banned in any place that serves or sells alcohol, including grocery stores, Wal-marts, normal restaurants, etc. I think that's a total crock.

Incidentally (an axe I've been grinding...) last summer we had a CC shooting, in which a 72-year-old man legally shot and killed a younger man who was in the process of repeatedly stabbing his ex-girlfriend, a Wal-mart employee, while she was working behind the deli counter. Many of y'all read about it here on THR. This occurred in the only Wal-mart in Abq that doesn't sell alcohol. About 5 months after that, every Wal-mart put up signs on its front doors expressly forbidding the carrying of firearms on the premises. *A Wal-mart employee was saved from being murdered while on the job and Wal-mart Corp. follows up with a ban on all firearms?!?! That's gratitude for ya :cuss: I know who I DON'T want to have my back! Simply sickening. (rant now off)

- the general attitude towards firearms seems to be about the same as anywhere else: in the country, there's more recognition and use, in the city (namely, Albuquerque), there's a higher incidence of communists-in-training (those who would impose their will on all society for the "greater good").
- we can carry loaded firearms, I believe in whatever manner we wish, in our vehicles.
- we do not have a "shall declare" law for CCW holders at traffic stops
- reciprocity ain't too bad; currently 20 states are on our list, including all of the neighbors: Texas, Colorado, and Arizona.
- there are a fair amount of gun shops and dealers in Abq. Prices, from what I've seen, aren't terribly expensive.
- we have a large ranching community in NM, which helps.
- there's not much more to do here than hunt and camp :o which keeps firearms usage more wide-spread
In general, it's a decent place for firearms owners.

[MikeH]

Not that I'm claiming Maryland is gun-friendly, but I'd like to clarify on a few minor points:

You can buy one gun a month, whoopie.

One handgun or "regulated firearm" per month. You can buy as many non-regulated long guns as you can afford. Also, you can get a waiver from this by applying for designated collector status from the MDSP.

The gun you buy in Maryland must meet a strict approved list by the state.

There is an approved handgun roster. Also, there is a list of "assault pistols" banned in MD. However, there is no list for rifles/shotguns.

[Tried'nTrue]

Boomstick,

that's simply rotten. I don't know how long it'll be as free as it is here in the States, either...

[jrou111]

Can anyone top this?

Japan?

[Joe7cri]

Not great but not horrible here in NY. If you live north of Westchester County you get an unrestricted CCW and can carry anywhere except NY city. If you live in Westchester County you get a restricted (hunting/Target) permit, but there are plenty of 24 hr pistol ranges:D

As far as our AWB, you can't have a flash suppressor, bayonet lug, or high capacity magazines (post ban), but I have my bushmaster and plenty of 30 rd. clips. The local gun store has a huge stock of Brand New "pre ban" English 30 rd. Military Magazines.

So all in all not horrible yet, but definitely not Florida.

[Lou629]

It's not all that gun-friendly here in Corzineistan. ( AKA: New Jersey )
This states' laws on guns go to some trouble to make YOU go to some trouble in order to buy and own firearms.

There is no possibility of John Q citizen getting a carry permit.
In order to do that you have to be an FBI agent, local LEO, politician, or rich celebrity.

You need a state-issued firearms ID card just to purchase a long gun or ammo. You need to show this ID in some of the local stores before they'll even let you HANDLE a long gun that you may be considering a purchase on, or buy ammo for it.

You need a seperately issued, one-at-a-time permit to purchase a handgun. This is in addition to having the state FID card. The first one takes about 90 days to get, hopefully the cost of the gun you want doesn't go up 15% while you wait. Additional permits can take up to that long, although a follow-up may only take a week or so. There's even talk of requiring a permit for a pellet gun!!

There are magazine capacity limits (15). There is a state mandated 'verboten' list of guns that are not allowed to be sold in this state. It is a LONG list.

These measures are designed to make things difficult for both the shooters & the sellers, and are partly to blame for being treated like a criminal when you go to some of the local gunshops / ranges until you can prove otherwise to them.

There are a lot more but those were some of the 'lowlights'.

When i consider how easy things are across the river in my native state of Pa., and how easy things COULD be over here if the locals weren't so paranoid, it makes me shake my head. It also makes me sure i'll be re-locating back to good old Pennsylvania just as soon as possible.

[Gordon Fink]

A Wal-mart employee was saved from being murdered while on the job and Wal-mart Corp. follows up with a ban on all firearms?!?! :eek:

Yet another reason to not shop at Wal-Mart.

~G. Fink

[Black Majik]

I live in CA

Pretty crappy in terms of gun ownership. Approved handgun list, 10 day waiting period, 1 new gun per 30 days.

HSC required for handgun

Longgun no shorter than 18" barrel

Handguns now require loaded chamber indicators and mag disconnect

Banned .50 BMG

Banned AR15, AK class and any other guns too dangerous to own but every other state can :scrutiny:

Almost tried to ban handguns in SF

No NFA firearms

Dianne Fienstein :fire:

No firearms sold at Walmart

Mostly non CCW state. "May" issue.

10 round magazines only after 2000


At least my Sheriff was good to me and approved my CCW application :D

[America_without_liberals]

I will agree with the others that PA is good but there is still one quirk that I just don't agree with. If you do not have a CCW, when transporting any firearm it must be clearly in the open with the action open with the ammunition in another compartment of the vehicle. I think this was mainly put into place to stop poachers but this means that when I go to the range I have my rifle out of the case laying on the back seat with the action open and the ammunition on the front passenger seat floor. Not really concerned about the ammo separation but damage to the gun or zero on my scope.

Another issue that really heated me was that I watched a female wearing a burqa buy a pistol. She never showed her face. I'm not trying to say that all Muslims are terrorists but if I have to show my picture ID so they can run instacheck against it and have visual reference of who I say I am she should too. :fire:

[Yakko]

Oregon is good!

DoubleTapDrew is correct on everything. I'd like to add that our CCW rules don't have any special circumstances for carrying in a car. We also have a state law/or it is in the state constitution that no city or county can make their gun laws more restrictive than the state's. It kills the confusion factor.

[Mr_Dictionary]

ND is great. Guns are still seen a tool by most of the people and no attempts to demonize them has been successful. It's really nice to hear the authorities blame the criminals for their crimes not inaminimate objects. Especially with all the stupidity that I see in the national media.

Positives:
Open carry is legal during daylight hours.
Shall issue CCW and cheap (<$100)
Recognition of the inherent right to possess firearms regardless of reason.
Recognition of the right to self defense and immunity from civil prosecution for all self defense shootings.
Huge open areas for lots of practice.
All unloaded longarms are incapable of being considered concealed during vehicle transport.
Excellent hunting for the hunters.
Firearms rarely get a double look. (Unless you're doing something stupid.)


Negatives:
Must "notify" the state of all machine guns.
Some of the restricted areas for CCW need clarification.
No reciprocity on CCW with surrounding states. (need a Utah CCW)
There is one more minor murky issue that I can't remember.

[Cato the Younger]

As Gator said, life in NE Illinois is not too great. Illinois has a great deal of restrictions
1. No CCW
2. Guns must be cased and unloaded in a trunk (if you are in a vehicle w/o a trunk- i.e. a van, they must be as far in the back as possible)
3. Need a FOID card just to posess firearms and ammunition (The conventional wisdom is posession of so much as 1 round of ammo w/o a FOID=instant felon)
4. 24 hr waiting period on long guns
5. 3 day waiting period on handguns
6. Some municipalities have banned handguns/ put freezes in place (i.e. Chicago)
7. Luckily, we don't have any "approved weapons list" or AWB here...yet:uhoh:

All in all, going to college in Indiana was an eye-opening experience- It showed me that not every state is as restrictive as IL

[the pistolero]

...Texas is pretty good, from my limited experience, that is. No firearm owner ID card, no registration, no waiting period. I go in the gun store, my gun dealer runs the NICS check and I am out the door ten minutes later with my gun...really, though, I am never out the door only ten minutes later because I usually sit there and chew the fat with him for a good 30 minutes every time I go see him. :D I believe we can also have Class III weapons here.
I do wish the CHL fees were a little lower, though ($140 plus whatever the instructor charges), but on second thought, if I hadn't bought so many guns this year alone, maybe I'd have the money! LOL.
There are, of course, the normal restrictions on where you can carry, from the DPS (http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/director_staff/public_information/Fast_facts/chl.pdf)....
Handguns and other weapons cannot be carried at schools or on school buses, at polling places, in courts and court offices, at racetracks, at secured airport areas or within 1,000 feet of the premises of an execution on the day of the execution. License holders are also specifically prohibited from carrying their handguns in businesses where alcohol is sold if more than half of their revenue is from the sale of alcohol for on-premises consumption, in locations where high school, college or professional sporting events are occurring, or on the premises of a correctional facility. A license holder may not carry a handgun in hospitals or nursing homes, amusement parks, places of worship or at government meetings if proper notice is given prohibiting such activity.

We can carry them in the car loaded and concealed, with the traveling caveat, though there's at least one district attorney in Texas (Chuck Rosenthal from Harris County) who will prosecute you if you're pulled over in his county and have a loaded firearm in your vehicle without a permit.

God bless Texas. I'd sure hate to ever have to leave.

[leadcounsel]

Colorado is good, but could be better.

CCW is shall issue. About $100-200 in fees, class requirement and wait to get the license. It took about 4 months total.

Only been stopped once while carrying. I informed the officer and he was indifferent; didn't even want to see the firearm (in my glove box, actually).

Can carry handguns concealed in car with no license. Can carry longguns in car (I believe with no round in the chamber).

Denver has an inane assault weapon ban. I'm hoping that will change.

Open carry allowed by law, but I wouldn't recommend it. I think it's an invitation to get harrassed.

Decent number of places to shoot in the metro area, and wide open country elsewhere to shoot.

[Live Free Or Die]

Not that I'm claiming Maryland is gun-friendly...

But to pull that thread just a bit more, I believe the original poster left out the following MD restriction:

7 day waiting period on handgun purchases :mad:

[S&WIowegan]

No one has chimed in yet on Iowa so I'll try to summarize:

1. Not a "shall issue" state. Each county sheriff "may" issue CCW at discretion. This leads to wildly varying practice. Most country sheriffs are pro-CCW and issue with some proof of "training". The city/urban counties tend to be anti-gun with the exception of Polk county where Des Moines (state capital) is located. Polk County's current sheriff will issue to anyone who passes an approved training class and passes the NCIS check. CCW permit is good for one year and is renewable for modest fee. Every two years, CCW holders must "requalify" by attending an approved shooting class. CCW also permits unlimited handgun purchases while valid. This can change in any county due to election of a new sheriff or a tragic shooting event that brings the antis out in droves.

2. All residents who do not have CCW must obtain an annual "Permit to Acquire" handguns from the local sheriff. Such permits are good for unlimited purchases while valid. Sheriff runs NCIS check and imposes a 3-day wait by mailing the permit out so you don't get it for 3 days.

3. Shotguns are pretty much universally accepted because of pheasant hunting and deer slug hunting. Pretty ironic since a shotgun blast to a human at close quarters is probably the most lethal.

4. Centerfire rifles are more suspect since we ban them for deer and turkey hunting. This is apparently due to the the idea a bullet may travel incredible distances and kill someone. A little weird in a state with wide open spaces.:confused:

5. The country counties are very relaxed about firearms in general and are mostly concerned about poachers.

6. This is NOT a stand-your-ground state.....we have a duty to flee if possible. In reality this means you're at the discretion/mercy of local LEOs and DAs.

7. Outdoor shooting ranges are plentiful. Most counties have a public range managed by the "sportsmens club". Membership fees help cover maintenance and rehab. costs. My local Izaak Walton chapter has a brand new range with club house, skeet and trap, 100 yd rifle and pistol range with covered firing positions. Indoor ranges in Des Moines do not survive.....I dislike them enormously for health and safety reasons.

Bob.

[MikeH]

But to pull that thread just a bit more, I believe the original poster left out the following MD restriction:

7 day waiting period on handgun purchases

Certainly true for handguns and regulated firearms. I had to wait 7 working days to get a STRIPPED AR RECEIVER. Simply ridiculous. :mad:

[ebd10]

As of 1 January, "shall issue" goes into effect. We just passed the "stand your ground" law. No Class III (yet:D ) but we're hopeful.

[MD_Willington]

For the most part, being a gun-owner -- and a gun-carrier -- in Washington State is a good thing. When I moved up here from California in 1994, of course my first order of business was to phone my local police department to inquire as to the procedure for registering my firearms in my new state. At this point, I was still remembering the horrible experience (and three visits to the main station of the Honolulu PD) when I was forced to register my guns upon moving to Hawaii prior to relocating again to California ...

Me: "Hi, I just moved to this state; what do I need to do to register my personal firearms which I brought with me?"

Woman answering phone at PD: "Uh, nothing. You must have moved up here from California, right? But if you come down here tomorrow and pay the $60 fee, we'll issue you a Concealed Pistol License."

No training requirement for CPLs. You'll get your first one within about 10 days. Renewal is $35 bucks (or was last time I renewed). Only thing is the lack of a training requirement is apparently what stops most states from granting reciprocity to those with WA CPLs. Currently, we've got reciprocity with only about six other states, although about a total of 10 recognize our CPLs.

One will find, especially once one leaves King County, that the local PDs, SOs and the WSP regard those who carry concealed pistols about the same as they do any citizen they would encounter -- it's just not a big deal for them. Of course -- WA was the first shall-issue state, way back when.

We can carry pretty much anywhere (except bars, courthouses, mental health facilities and stadiums) and hunting is not considered with horror by most of the citizenry hereabouts ... Gunshops are easily found, gun prices are on balance pretty good, gun clubs abound and range facilities are available most everywhere.

Except for the lack of support for open carry and ownership of Class III weapons here, gun-ownership and gun-packing is generally regarded as normal (except, as noted, in and around Seattle, Mercer Island, Bainbridge Island or any of the other liberal enclaves around here where the inhabitants are totally out of touch with what everyone else in the state considers normal).


I'm in a different boat, while those are all good, I have to acquire an "Alien Firearms License", a hassle but I do have one, no renewal at all, new one every 5 years, not allowed to do anything without it, can't even buy ammo...

Trust me with a Green Card... but have to get extra bits of paper for various other things :confused: They do trust me with a 4-wheeled assualt device though.. :neener:

[anotherinkling]

Here in north eastern Illinois (where Chicago casts its shadow) we are looked at as potential mass murderers....

I live in Chicago where gunowners are considered mass murderers...they just haven't found the bodies yet.

OK, it's not quite that bad, but consider this--I'm not even going to address the gun restrictions, which have been covered well elsewhere--I can't walk into a Home Depot and buy a can of spray paint here. And forget about discharging a BB gun in your backyard. It's forbidden. The government in Chicago does not trust its citizens with guns or anything else.

[Rexrider]

Looks like I will have to represent AZ.

In a nut shell......

We have all the good stuff with none of the bad.

-No type of AWB (no restrictions on rifles, handguns, or magazine capacity)

-Open carry if you care to.

-Shall issue concealed carry but does require an 8 hr course (down from 16 hrs)

-No restrictions on purchasing (beyond federal laws of course) and you can do face-to-face transactions.

-No type of handgun/rifle registration.

-We have still have land (BLM) where we are free to shoot firearms to your heart's content.

-We have frequent guns shows that are still worth paying to get into (but with plenty of beef jerky, china, toys, etc)

-AZ just passed a "no duty to retreat" law.

AZ is about as good as it gets (for now at least). I really do feel for you guys behind the wire (so to speak) :(

[Freddymac]

To buy a rifle all you need is to be 18 and a valid state ID & 7 day wait.
To get your purchase permit for a pistol you need to take a 50-question safety test & 7day wait.
For carry permit they are odd. Just because you want to exercise your right to- almost never. Show a “need”- not hard at all. To show a need you write a letter to the licensing department. Basically, if you handle cash or valuables, you have a need.

[pete f]

MINNESOTA not a bad place at all.

worst restrictions,

No full auto unless on C&R list, NO suppressors at all. Verboten.

Otherwise, shall issue carry permits. Good for 5 years, then need to retest and pay your money.

Permit to purchase cards. only for handguns.

More than 25 % of the state population gets hunting licenses. Supposedly one of the highest percentages in nation.

We have a nasty anti gun MSM in the twin cities metro, although this seems to be slightly changing as a couple of station managers have now understood that may be pissing off half the state or more everytime they blame an object not the person for crime might hurt ratings.

This was a majorly liberal state, still is in many ways, but the mood has started to change a good bit. Republican control of state government for much of the past two decades has really eroded the mindset that Democrats have that they have a right to control the population.

Gun sports are very big here. pretty much all outdoor activities are big.

No limit on number of guns bought at a time or in a time period.

Allowed transport of firearms pretty much anywhere.

Really liberal(in the good sense) carry law. can carry in places serving, can carry pretty much everywhere except school, courthouses, and the prohitibitive sign is really just a warning, you have to be seen carrying, asked to leave and then refuse, this gets you a $25 trespass ticket, and not a blem on your record. Open carry is permitted, not really used, but permitted, best part about the open carry law, is if you "print" it is no big deal. Yes concealed means concealed, but if your shirt rides up or someone sees it when you are loading the trunk, no penalty.

[308win]

Ohio has:

Shall issue CCW with some inconveniences regarding carry in a vehicle. Reciprocity with some bordering states and Fla and others.

No prohibition against open carry but if you do you are going to get highly individualized attention from LEs and may get an inducing panic citation.

No statewide lists or bans but rapidly developing a hodge podge of local ordinances; the good news is that the General Assembly is considering legislation to amend some of the inconveniences in CCW, prohibit local ordinances that are more restrictive than state, and other issues.

No duty to retreat in own home.

No 'good Samaritan' protections.

[Xigris]

I started collecting guns when I got out of school and started making some money. I now have quite a large collection. Over those 25 plus years, the
most restrictive laws have been the the federal laws (the Clinton years).
I have carried a firearm on my person and/or in my vehicle since I was 18
years old (as my father, and his father did). WV is a "shall issue" state.
I have not had a single problem as a result of being armed. I have been very lucky, but I give myself credit for a lot of that good luck. I possess plenty of common sense and I don't have a short temper. Things are relatively good
here in "The Mountian State".

[Standing Wolf]

Open carry allowed by law, but I wouldn't recommend it. I think it's an invitation to get harrassed.

I carry openly in Colorado about a third of the time. Nobody notices.

[entropy]

Some feller named Doyle in Madison thinks that because he cannot be trusted to carry, I cannot be trusted to carry. And he's used coersion on his fellow Party members to enforce this.:fire:

[stevelyn]

Alaska

No purchase or possesssion restrictions other than federal.
Concealed/open carry with or without CHL.....your choice....... for resident and non-resident alike. No vehicle restrictions. Very short list of no carry areas.
Class 3 friendly.

Pretty much anything goes until you misuse it.

Xigris,

I grew up in WV, have they lightened up on the carrying of handguns while hunting?

[KINGMAX]

North Carolina as a whole treats gun owners fairly well. A non-felon can go down to the local courthouse, apply for, wait a week, and if approved :uhoh: can obtain 5 permits, (10 per year), good for five years, to purchase a pistol, long gun or shotgun. :rolleyes: As far as carry, have it out in the open, or have current valid CCW permit. :cool: The CCW permit and places you can carry into are a little vague, inconsistent to me. :confused:

I am glad we have laws for the person that wants to carry. Thanks NC. :)

[Roadkill]

Again for Alabama. CCW costs $20. Took ten minutes. Shall issue state. Period. No classes, no waiting periods, no local additional BS. Takes ten minutes (think I've got it down to eight) to walk in gunstore, fill out form, pay, then leave with any gun you can afford. Castle doctrine law/no retreat just passed. Backing down is no longer a requirement.
I open carry when hiking/canoeing/camping/hunting and going to and from same. Have never had a second glance. Last year I got stopped in a rural license/tag check. Had a AR15 with loaded magazine inserted (no round in chamber) and a hosltered loaded Colt Trooper .357 in the truck cab with me. State Trooper walks up , sees guns " What ya been hunting?" Coyotes. "Get one?" Not tonight. "License, registration, insurance please." I handed them over, he checked them. Handed them back "Take care. Hope you kill a few."

rk

[06]

Ditto on what KingMac said. I usually pick up five permits at a time($5 each). Open carry is legal except some cities-Charlotte is OK except uptown. Absolutely none near schools,fed buildings,state offices,etc. CCP is $200($100 for the course and $100 for the permit) and is good for five yrs(I think). Firearms have to be in open sight if stopped(not concealed) and there is usually no problems as most are pro gun.
Headed to Gulfport soon-what are the laws there(LA)???

[gezzer]

New Hampshire

No waiting periods

Open carry legal except must be unloaded in vehicle

CCW shall issue. $10.00 for 4 years

CLEO sign offs on C3 easy

Silencers legal with Federal reg not for hunting

Machineguns legal with Federal Reg not for hunting

Short barreled rifle or shotgun legal with Federal reg

AOW legal with Fereral reg.

Carry with CCW everywhere but Courts or Jails and Fed bldgs

Recognizes many other state CCW if reciprical

Easy non-resident CCW expensive at $20.00 for 4 years.

Only major problem is we border MA and have to hear Mumbles Mennino whine about our gun laws or lack thereof.

[shooter94]

I live in California as well. This statement in itself answers the thread topic. Anywhere there's a large concentration of foreigners, and society's new genteel folk...there will be general paranoia concerning firearms and those who choose them as recreation.

It's all about fear and ignorence.

[gripper]

I live in Masachusetts:barf: ...Eddie pointed out earlier that it could be worse.Up to a point I agree...on th eother hand;it varies incredibly from city&town to city&town.Chiefs of Police swing WAY too much weight(they are the issuing authority under CH180;and INTERPRET the law instead of read it ).:cuss: :cuss: :cuss: :cuss: :cuss: :cuss: :cuss: :cuss: :cuss: :cuss: :banghead:

[1911jerry]

For those who live in Texas...

If I move there from California, do I need to register my guns with the state, or anybody else?

How long do I need to be a resident before I can purchase a handgun?

Thanks - just received notice that I am transferring to the free state of Texas.

Jerry

[Big_R]

Pete f summed it up pretty well for MN. Another thing to mention is the shooting range protection law. It's pretty good.

Ryan

[drbironhead]

I live in FL never moving. Great state for gun owners and ccw. Wish we can open carry i wouldent but its a right that i think we should have non the less.:D

[tegemu]

FLORIDA - Need I say more?

[Rey B]

Shall issue LTC no training fee is $30 for 5 years and a new lifetime license was just approved and signed by the governor (not sure on price I think about $100.00)

State constitution says: The people shall have a right to bear arms, for the defense of themselves and the State.

Open carry if you have a license although concealed is recommended

45 state licenses recognized as valid (and New York City)

Castle Doctrine, and Stand Your Ground laws enacted in the last few months

Lots of free shooting ranges in state fish and wildlife areas

Class III legal with federal license

We can't use centerfire rifles for deer hunting but you can blast coyotes with what you like

For better details http://www.packing.org/state/indiana/

[Punkermonkey]

If I equated my states gun laws to a crime, I would probably have to go with Domestic Violence. They get drunk, smack me around and leave me with two black eyes and a split lip. I stay with them because I think they will change and I love them but do nothing about it the whole time. When the cops show up, I say it's all my fault and refuse to press charges. After a good beating every November, I'll go spend a week at my sisters place out of state to get away. The whole time I'm there she will try to convince my to leave the jerk and come live where it's safe, but I won't listen.

[Rexrider]

If I equated my states gun laws to a crime, I would probably have to go with Domestic Violence. They get drunk, smack me around and leave me with two black eyes and a split lip. I stay with them because I think they will change and I love them but do nothing about it the whole time. When the cops show up, I say it's all my fault and refuse to press charges. After a good beating every November, I'll go spend a week at my sisters place out of state to get away. The whole time I'm there she will try to convince my to leave the jerk and come live where it's safe, but I won't listen.

Textbook case of BVS (Battered Voter Syndrome). :(

[espanola]

Long time lurker--first time posting.
Grew up in eastern Washington state and lived in eastern Oregon in the 90s--both good to and for gun owners--CC and open carry.
Live in Tennessee--good here, too. Not as many carry, and have never seen anyone open carry here.
But, I think in Tennessee most folks EXPECT you to have a gun!

[Squawker]

Nevada is pretty decent. Shall issue state, though the local Sheriff has up to 120 days to issue, and the Sheriff of Clark County usually takes the full amount. registration of hand guns only in Las Vegas and Reno area. CCW requires an 8 hour course, and the CCW permit exempts you from the background check (and $25 fee). If you don't have a CCW, the blue registration card eliminates the waiting period. You can carry the weapon concealed in a car without a CCW, as long as it's not on your person (the city of North Las Vegas however, does not allow this). I believe that open carry is legal, but unless you want to meet the Metro police "up close and personal" I wouldn't recommend it. Clark County (Las Vegas is in Clark County) is building a public outdoor shooting range, probably the best use of public funds I've seen in a while (we have the best local government money can buy). It's a shame that Nevada doesn't offer reciprocity to other states, but a nonresident permit is available, and you can shorten the waiting time by applying to a Sheriff of a county other than Clark (residents don't have that option. Unsure of Class III.

[Quaamik]

Michigan

"plusses"
- Shall issue
- CPL (concealed pistol license) valid for 5 years
- CPL acts as exemption from NICS
- no formal re-traing required for CPL renewal
- Open carry legal
- Full auto legal (as of about 3 months ago)
- Castle law in place as of July 1
- No magazine or ammo restrictions, other than for hunting
- Preemption (cities cannot restrict more than state law)
- Target shooting legal on most state land (NOT state "parks")
- Hunting legal on most state land (not "parks" or where population
is too dense)
- Hunting restrictions are sensable:
- Shotguns & pistols only in lower 1/3 of state for deer
- pistols in lower 1/3 limited to straight walled cartidges for deer
- Rifle, shotgun & pistols legal for deer in upper 2/3 of state
- rimfire legal for small game all over
- no rimfire for deer
- semi auto rifles limited to 5 rounds in mag for deer hunting
- pistols limited to 8 rounds or less in mag and chamber for deer
- pistols limited to .35 cal or larger for deer
- shotgun only for turkey
- no explosive, incinderary or FMJ for hunting

"minuses"
- pistols (defined as rifled barrel and overal length under 19 inches) must
be regstered ("safety inspected")
- purchase of pistol requires CPL or purchase permit
- purchase permit is only valid for 10 days
- carry of pistol in or on a vehicle requires CPL or unloaded, cased & in trunk.
- transport of a long gun in vehicle requires unloaded, cased and in trunk.
- CPL costs ~$100, plus the cost of a training class (say another 100 - 150)
- suppressors not legal (yet - AG is still debating)
- SBRs and AOWs not legal.
- open carry in highly populated areas is not advised (hassles)
- CPL not valid in:
- schools
- day cares
- bars (places with more than 50% of revenue from sale of alcholol for
consumption on premises)
- Sporting events
- entertainment venues with seats for more than 1500
- hospitals
- court houses
- churches (unless you get permission)

Overall, most people treat gun owners as normal folks. In the urban areas (Detroit, Flint, Pontiac) the papers say all kinds of bad things against gun owners. Some city goverments (especially urban areas) try to find ways to make life difficult. Very few businesses are openly anti gun.

AKs ARE occasionally used for deer hunting (with limited capacity magazines). The magazine capacity limit for huning applies only while hunting. A dowel placed int he mag to limit capacity is perfectly legal, and can be removed as soon as you are done hunting.

[Jeff]

VERMONT

Superb gun freedom:

No waits.
No permits required for carry, concealed or exposed.
No purchasing limits.
Plenty of shooting ranges.

However, no class III ownership. :(

Vermont is very odd in that the state is literally crawling with liberals-- not classical liberals or even just old fashioned liberal-Democrats-- but honest to goodness Progressive Liberal Socialists; yet we have been able to maintain a state with superb gun freedoms. It helps that we have very little crime, and what few murders we have are usually performed with sharp or blunt objects, not firearms.

It also helps that we have a superb State Constitution which would make it very difficult to tamper with our RKBA.

The bottom line is that Vermont is at the top for Liberal/Socialist government with the anomaly of being as pro-gun as any other state. It's a strange combo.

[BigFatKen]

I once had a Milwaukee Policeman detain me and question me for 30 minutes because he saw a rifle case through the rear window of my station wagon. He called it "readily accessible", a crime.

More recently, my wife was driving south on I-75 in FL. She had to use the wayside restroom ~11pm. These punk kids hassel her so she pulls out her gun and points it towards ground. They start screaming call 911, so one of them does. LEOs arrive and are very nice to her. They found drugs or something on one kid. All punks hauled away. LEOs were looking for a reason to stop these hasseling kids for a while and its them who call 911.

[Hal Romberg]

Hey Boom Stick,

At the risk of becoming personna non grata in the UK, it sounds like it's time for a good shake-up over there. I know there's no constitutionally protected right over there to stand on, but flat out denying a person the right to defend himself seems downright totalitarian. Y'all need a new constitution. "Try to remember the 5th of November".....:evil:

[BHPshooter]

Nobody has touched on Utah yet. :)

Purchases: no waiting, no restrictions, no limits, no bans. If the feds say it's okay :scrutiny: , you can get it in Utah.
Our CFP is the 2nd most recognized and reciprocated, right behind Florida.
Getting the CFP isn't too bad, but could be better -- take a concealed carry class (4 hrs, IIRC), fill out the paperwork, get fingerprinted, get it notarized, take some passport photos, and pay the Bureau of Criminal Investigations $55 bucks. The wait can vary from 2 weeks to 2 months. I got mine in about 3 weeks.
Utah is the only state in the union (last time I checked) that you can take your concealed pistol into a school. Yep, teachers can carry. :) We are only restricted from carrying into a jail/mental health facility, secure areas of airports, and secure courthouses -- my town courthouse only has metal detectors for the district court. My mother works at the county court, where the judge and many of the other clerks have their permits. :D I'm working on my Mom.
We've got lots of gun stores. We have quite a few ranges, and TONS of BLM land to shoot on if you don't like actual ranges.

The communists on the UofU campus have been trying to make life harder for us CFP holders, but for the most part, the state has told them to shove it. :neener:

Best of all, there are a lot of high-quality shooters here. We've got many THR/TFL folks around, too.

Utah's a great place to be. :)
Wes

[jamz]

Maine Report

Overall, I'd give it an A-.

Good:

Shall Issue, need training, permit cost is $35.00 for 4 years
Open carry a-ok except in Portland
Hunting is a way of life up here, so lots of firearms
Class III a-ok
No gun bans, restrictions, lists
No waiting
No paper required to buy, possess, own, use a gun (other than photo ID to buy to prove age)
Heckova good gun shop in Kittery
Lots of available land to shoot on
State Preemption
*****************
**Maine State Constitution Article I, Section 16**

Every citizen has a right to keep and bear arms and this right shall never be questioned.
*****************
Could be better:
Not much reciprocity, nothing local. You'd think ME and NH would get it together.
No Castle Doctrine or stand your ground law
Can't CCW in schools