Shooting in CA?

[jamesbeat]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here, although I have been 'lurking' for some time now.

I am from the UK but I am currently on vacation in LA.
I hope you'll take pity on me, I have been unable to shoot a handgun since 1996, except for 50 rounds of .22LR when I was on vacation a few years ago.

As you can probably imagine, I'm pretty eager to do some pistol shooting now I'm in the States!

I'm here with a friend who is not a gun nut. She's quite interested in giving it a go, but doesn't share my enthusiasm.

She'd be more than happy to go shopping and leave me at the range, but I have discovered to my dismay that in CA, I am not able to go into a range and hire a pistol unless I am in a party of two or more.

Can anyone confirm whether I have got this right, and if so if there's any way I can go shooting while I'm here? I'm half considering hanging around outside a range and hoping someone takes pity on me!

[dave from mesa]

Not sure if that is a law or not but at one place in San Jose they require that because of too many ppl renting guns and committing suicide. Now unless you belong to a league or shoot there real regular you need 2 ppl to rent one.
good luck and welcome

[TAB]

There is no law that stats that, just policy of the range. Sadly lots of people have killed themselfs with rental guns.

[dave from mesa]

Not sure if that is a law ( wouldn't surprise me tho) or not but at one place in San Jose they require that because of too many ppl renting guns and committing suicide. Now unless you belong to a league or shoot there real regular you need 2 ppl to rent one.
good luck and welcome

[jamesbeat]

Yeah, I tried to find a gun shop for just that reason, but unfortunately the only one I could find in the local area has closed down!

I get the feeling that Hollywood is perhaps not the most gun friendly place in America, and I'm going to have a hard time finding somewhere.
It doesn't help that unless I'm with my friend, I don't have a car, so I can't go very far :mad:

My only consolation at the moment is that I'm moving to Ohio permanently soon so I'll get all the shooting I want eventually. It just seems to be a waste being here and not shooting, especially as it has been so long.

Would you believe that I bought an old worn out GI 1911, deactivated so it can't fire, for £450 (about $900 at the time) just so I could practice dry firing, field stripping and mag changes?
I hope you guys realise how good you have it here :D

[Eschaton]

You should have vacationed in Arizona. Much better shooting opportunities than California :P

[jamesbeat]

I'd have loved to go elsewhere, but the reason we came here is because of the Oscars.
I couldn't give a hoot about them myself, but my friend has a weird fascination with celebrities :rolleyes:

I have a friend who recently moved to AZ. I'd really love to go there but she's pregnant at the moment and I'd just be in the way. I'll visit when she's more settled.

[jamesbeat]

Lol, thanks for the offer wrc376, but without a means of transport it would be a long walk....
I guess I'm gonna have to pull sad faces at my friend until she takes pity on me and then wait till I get to Ohio to do the real shooting.

I have about 14 years of shooting to catch up on....

[jamesbeat]

It's pretty bad here. I had an air revolver (takes cartridges that you pump up with air) and they got banned. I had to turn mine in or risk a mandatory 5 year jail sentence. Cost me the equivalent of $2000/
Now they've banned anything that looks like a gun. No replicas, no airsoft guns no nothing.
Air weapons are still allowed, but they are trying to licence (and eventually ban) those too.
I know this may sound a bit silly, but my love of shooting was a major factor in my decision to move to the States.

[jamesbeat]

I removed this post because I remembered that this is a gun forum, not a political one.....

[HippieMagic]

If you move to Southeastern ohio feel free to visit me in West Virginia... It is almost an armory down here haha. I don't really know where you could possibly rent guns near me but nobody really cares if you are alone or not... The main thing is as long as you aren't pointing the gun at anyone... nobody even pays attention to you. I know a WV CCW permit is recognized in OH now but I am not sure if it is the other way around or not...

I understand you coming to the states for the ability to shoot... I have no idea wtf they were thinking to ban them in the UK... I mean it is proven fact that CCW states have lower crime rates... Guns really lower the crime rate instead of raising it... When you make it a crime to own guns only criminals will own them... What part of Ohio were you moving to anyway?

[tuckerdog1]

Somebody take the man shooting. I'm sure he'll pay for the ammo.

If you make it to central Texas, no need to rent. You bring the ammunition, I'll supply the firearms.

Tuckerdog1

[CWL]

Some gun ranges also have rules where you need USA ID to rent, so make sure whoever you find to take you has a US drivers license at least.

Yeah, because of 3 separate suicides that happened in a row at 2 ranges in the Bay Area, owners started the policy of 2 or more people to rent in CA.

[easyrider6042004@yahoo.ca]

Hey jamesbeat, if ever you find yourself in Vancouver, British Columbia,which is just across the border from Seattle, Washington, you are welcome to shoot with me. No need to bring anything. Brits do not need visas to come to Canada.

[twoclones]

If you were to drive over to Las Vegas you could rent and fire a machine gun at several ranges.

[Rob P.]

Easiest way to go shooting by yourself is to take a firearms instruction class. There are several instructors in the LA area who teach basic pistol classes and who have handguns that the students can "rent" during the class.

Try Greg Block at Firearmstraining.com I believe he uses the Burro Canyon range near Azuza for his classes. From the schedule he has a Basic Handgun class on Saturday March 7. Class costs $70 and is 7 hours long (includes classroom time). Ammo is not included in the class tuition costs.

http://www.firearmstraining.com/

[jamesbeat]

Well thanks for your words of encouragement and invitations guys, you've all made me feel welcome :)

It didn't even occur to me that we'd need proof of US citizenship, maybe I won't get to go shooting after all :(

I'm moving to Cincinnati OH and the laws there are far more sensible. I guess I've waited 14 years already so anothe month or two won't hurt, just seems such a waste being in the States and not being able to shoot.
I don't think I would have come on this vacation if I'd known.

Good news is that when I'm in Ohio I'll be a legal permanent resident so not only will I be able to shoot to my heart's content, but I can apply for my CCW too :D

It's a shame CA is so anti gun, it's a really nice place.

[jamesbeat]

Rob P, do you mean that if I take a lesson I won't need a 'buddy'?
If that's true, I'm gonna come over there and kiss you :D
I was going to have a couple of lessons anyway because it's been such a long time, so it makes no difference.
I'm pretty well versed in firearms safety anyway, but it certainly won't hurt for me to have a couple of lessons to get rid of the cobwebs.

Unfortunately march 7th is when I fly back to the UK, but I'm sure if I look around I'll find something similar.

I'll look into it right now and maybe make some calls....

[Rob P.]

Rob P, do you mean that if I take a lesson I won't need a 'buddy'?
If that's true, I'm gonna come over there and kiss you

Down boy! DOWN! Down I say. :evil:

Seriously, make some calls to various instructors. Not all have set schedules and can give a one-on-one class for a fairly reasonable cost. And, I believe (but don't quote me) there are several instructors who meet on Friday evenings at Burro Canyon for a weekly get together type thing.

[jamesbeat]

Hmm, I just phoned the LA gun range and they confirmed the buddy rule thing. The guy explained to me that it's not in fact a legal requirement, but it's range policy to prevent people using their range as a suicide booth.

While this is perfectly understandable, it doesn't help me much :(
I asked about tuition to see if they would make an exception to their rule, but although they do offer a free basic safety course you still have to be in a party of two or more.

I don't seem to be able to find an instructor that is local enough and free during the time that I'm here, so it seems that my only option is to persuade my friend to take some time out of her celebrity stalking schedule to accompany me to the range.

The good news is that there is no requirement for either of us to be US citizens, so providing we have ID (our passports are fine) we can shoot :D

[catspaw]

For jamesbeat have come all this way, and maybe not be able to indulge in some trigger time, finally pushed me to register after a lengthy career as a lurker...
Anyway, a PM has been sent to jamesbeat regarding some range time while he is in L.A.

Michael, aka catspaw

[jamesbeat]

Sounds good to me Catspaw, I've sent you an email....