[Quartus]

Well, a few months back I thought I had a good shot at a job in Tennessee, but it didn't happen. Those folks are STILL dithering around and haven't hired anybody. :rolleyes:


Now I've got a promotion that is taking me to the Reston, VA, area for a very welcome change from the traveling I've been doing. No more trips to China! No more leaving crying wife & kids at the airport! I might even get to shoot the .22 I bought from a fellow Uthan TFLer before it shut down. (Haven't capped a round yet!) Yay! http://www.thehighroad.org/images/icons/icon14.gif


So I've done the research on the gun laws in VA, and they look pretty good.

But what's the real story? Anybody from around there? What's it really like?




'Course, I do have an application in for a job in Spokane, which would be much better, so this MAY be academic! :D

[Mike Irwin]

Well, last weekend a group of us went shooting at the Fairfax-county owned and operated shotgun shooting center.

Then we had lunch, and finished up the day with almost 2 hours of shooting at the NRA Range.

There are a number of gunshops in the area, some good, some not so good.

The gunshows are kind of weak, but we're close to Richmond, and those are generally pretty good.

We're kind of shy on rifle ranges. Isaac Walton league is one option, and Clarke Brothers in Warrenton, about 40 miles from DC, is another, but you have to buy their obscenely priced ammo to shoot there.

Virginia is a shall-issue state, with largely state pre-emption of local anti-gun laws (there are some exceptions, though).

[Quartus]

Virginia is a shall-issue state, with largely state pre-emption of local anti-gun laws (there are some exceptions, though).

Yeah, as I read it, older local laws are basically grandfathered. Is that a correct understanding?

Say, Mike, didn't you used to be in Utah? Or am I having a Senior Moment? :D


If the Spokane thing doesn't happen, I should be in VA in about 2 weeks or so. Once I get settled we should get together and argue about something. ;)

[Mike Irwin]

As I understand it, only some local laws are grandfathered. Not all of them are.

As for Utah, no, you're having a senior moment.

"Once I get settled we should get together and argue about something."

No, we shouldn't.

This is abuse. Arguments are down the hall on the right. :neener:

[Gray Peterson]

Explanation of the preemption law in Virginia:

Virginia law preempts any further gun laws at the local level made after 1987. Laws that are grandfathered are still in effect.

However, no grandfathered ordinance may effect a person carrying a firearm openly in their own car without a permit.
Nor can any grandfathered ordinance affect Concealed Handgun Permit Holders in terms of carrying their firearms. This essentially means that a person may carry statewide openly if they have a CHP, no matter what ordinance is in effect where they carry.

[Quartus]

One thing that's not clear to me from reading the stuff on the NRA-ILA site:

What about buying and selling between private parties? Is any paperwork required like in Socialist Kalifornia, or does Virginia still recognize private property rights?

[JohnBT]

Private sales are legal. The only exception that comes to mind is the City of Richmond which requires both parties to go downtown and get permits for each transaction. As you might imagine, it's easier to drive across the City line and do the deal in the nearest county than go downtown and pay for parking.

JBT

[Quartus]

Now, we wouldn't want to be avoiding compliance, would we?


:D

[Gray Peterson]

Also, you cannot sell a handgun more than once in every thirty day period. This affects private sales.

[JohnBT]

re: Richmond City

It's not a matter of avoiding compliance. If the sale isn't completed within the city limits the law does not apply. The law deals with the geography of the transaction, not the residency of the parties involved.

JBT

[JohnBT]

Lonnie -

I think the law says we can only BUY one handgun every 30 days. I don't believe there's a limit on selling - or at least I've never run across it in my research.

JBT

[Mike Irwin]

"Now, we wouldn't want to be avoiding compliance, would we?"

So what if we are?

I'm a resident of Fairfax County, which has a 3-day waiting period and background check.

I buy all of my handguns either at gunshows, or have them shipped in to a dealer in Manassas, where there isn't a waiting period.

No laws against it.

We do definitely have a "one handgun a month" law on purchases, but I've never seen anything about selling more than one handgun a month.

You can get around that by getting some assnine form from the state police, but it's as much of a hassle as waiting a month.

[Quartus]

Whoa! Easy, guys! Of COURSE I'm in favor of not complying with any gun laws where there's a perfectly legal way to avoid them. Driving a few blocks to avoid paperwork is A Good Thing, even A Patriotic Thing, in my book. I haven't bought any guns with paperwork in a while, and I don't intend to. And I don't break any laws either.

I just make sure I do my buying where such transactions are perfectly legal. Burning some gasoline to do it bothers me not at all. If I can do that in an SUV, so much the better! :D


I does sound like VA gun laws are a convoluted mess. I'm sure it would be worse without the state preemption!

[makarov1]

I lived in Va for 27 years before moving deeper in Dixie. VA is more pro-gun than most states, and dramatically more pro-gun than its communist neighbor to the north. If I'm not mistaken, private sales are perfectly legal. With the exception of some suburban counties around D.C., Virginia is culturally conservative, and has an active RKBA movement, to counter the the flow of northerners that keep moving into what is still a largely rural southern state. The only annoyance is the one gun a month law, which serves to keep many Virginians broke, as they think they are required to buy one gun a month. In nearly all of the state's 15 regions, from the rural Eastern Shore to the Appalachian coal fields, Virginians overwhelmingly support a pure interpretation of the 2nd.

[Quartus]

they think they are required to buy one gun a month.

They're not ?


:D

[BigG]

I know I used to buy one a month before I left the environs of that corner of hell, NoVA. :o

[Quartus]

What didn't you like about it, Gary? Aside from too many yuppies, that is.

[Leadbutt]

You can buy more than 1 a month, but you have to go to the Troopers and pick up the mutiple permit, and it has to be from the same dealer

[Partisan Ranger]

VA is solidly pro-gun but we have some effed-up laws here and there.

Example:

1. One handgun purchase only within any 30 day period.
2. No CCW in restaurants that serve booze (but you CAN carry openly! ***?)
3. Some counties have waiting periods, like Fairfax. Seems really stupid to me, I simply don't do business in Fairfax. The country next door, Loudoun, has no waiting period.

[XLMiguel]

Q-
It sounds worst than it is. VA gun laws are pretty easy to live with all-n-all. If and when you get here, there's a book put out by Bloomfield Press called Va Gunowners Handbook [www.bloomfieldpress.com] that lays it all out in plain English.

If you're out here on a scouting expedition in the near future, e-mail me (see profile), be happy to catch lunch or dinner, or chat on the phone. We do Southern Hospitality here.

[Quartus]

Thanks for the invitation, Mike. I am looking forward to a lot about VA. Not the cost of housing, for sure! :what:

But I've seen real southern hospitality before, and that is one of the things I'm looking forward to. Hmmm. Not so sure about Mike Irwin's abuse, though! :D


I'll take you up on that, and thanks. If I don't get the Spokane job, I expect to be arriving in VA in about two weeks or so.

[Quartus]

Well, the deal seems to be done. Spokane didn't happen, and I leave in a few minutes for Salt Lake, then on to VA mid next week.


Looking forward to it!

[mtnbkr]

Thanks for the invitation, Mike. I am looking forward to a lot about VA. Not the cost of housing, for sure

Nice thing about the housing situation here is that you're probably going to make money when you sell unless the economy really tanks or you are unlucky enough to buy in a place that get's hit by the bad luck fairy (things like a highway coming through your backyard, etc). I've had friends who made enough money on their home after 2-3 years to buy a house in lower priced markets for cash. Those tend to be single family homes (instead of townhomes), but the townhomes do well also.

Let us know when you get here. Mebbe we can all get together at the NRA range or even take a day to go squirrel hunting in the George Washington National Forest (about 1.5 hours away).

Chris

[Ironbarr]

Mine have been hours - sometimes daze --- er --- days.

Hmmm. - where am I... Oh - L&P. Okay - I don't have to use the words "gun" or "ammo" here.


PHEW!

[Quartus]

:D



OK, how about pepper spray? Anyone know the local laws? Fro some strange reason, the NRA doesn't seem to have much to say about that...

[The Reaper]

The short answer is pepper or OC spray is ok.

§ 18.2-312. Illegal use of tear gas, phosgene and other gases. If any person maliciously release or cause or procure to be released in any private home, place of business or place of public gathering any tear gas, mustard gas, phosgene gas or other noxious or nauseating gases or mixtures of chemicals designed to, and capable of, producing vile or injurious or nauseating odors or gases, and bodily injury results to any person from such gas or odor, the offending person shall be guilty of a Class 3 felony.

If such act be done unlawfully, but not maliciously, the offending person shall be guilty of a Class 6 felony.

Nothing herein contained shall prevent the use of tear gas or other gases by police officers or other peace officers in the proper performance of their duties, or by any person or persons in the protection of person, life or property.

(Code 1950, § 18.1-70; 1960, c. 358; 1975, cc. 14, 15.)

Here is the releveant bit of VA Code. Since you are relocating to VA here is a good link you may want to refer to in the future for dealing with the state and local governments.
http://www.vsp.state.va.us/faq.htm

If you decide to live in Loudoun County let me know, you'll be able to join the Loudoun County Ikes with the only non-LEO accessible range facilities in the county.

[Quartus]

vile or injurious or nauseating odors or gases


Whoa! So farting is a FELONY!?!?! :what:

Oh, wait. I see - it has to cause bodily harm for it to be a felony. Gotcha.


:D


Thanks for the info - Loudon is certainly possible. I've been searching on the 'Net, and will do first hand looking when I get there.


Any good tips on places to avoid or referrals to good real estate folks are welcome. We plan to rent for 6 months to a year first, unless a REALLY good deal comes along.

[Cortland]

You've forgotten the best part: we're a machine gun state, too. Ok, ok, so there is machine gun registration...

A pretty damn nice state of affairs, I think. Virginia meets my checklist: right-to-carry, preemption, machine guns, right-to-work, open carry. The one handgun a month thing sucks, but as others have stated you can get around it.

[Quartus]

Theoretically nice, but I can't afford the ammo that a habit like that would cost me!!! :what:


:D


Thanks for all the input, gentlemen. I've gotta go pack now...

[Quartus]

Whoa! Long time no post! I made it to Virginia, and we're renting in Loudon County. We'll get to know the area before we buy.


Reaper, thanks for the realtor referral. Mark turned out to be as good as you said. I intend to call on him when I'm ready to buy.


Got no Internet access at home yet, and very busy at work, so just a quick post to say hello Virginians!


Nice place ya got here! :D

Now to get unpacked enough that I can sneak in some range time....

[Mike Irwin]

Glad to hear that you made it, Quartus. I was beginning to wonder if you got swallowed up.

Where are you renting in Louder?

This calls for a group shoot at the NRA range soon.

Oh, and don't worry, my abuse masquerades as good natured ribbing. You'll still be pummeled, but you'll feel good about it. Just ask Mtnbkr! :neener:

[The Reaper]

I was wondering what had happened and was going to PM you today.

Glad to hear you're all moved, even if into a rental. Not a bad way to go to figure out where you want to live or can live, whichever it may be.

Let me know when you've got some time on your hands we can go shoot or get a THR group together.

[mtnbkr]

Welcome!

We definately need to schedule some range time.

What's everyone's time like before Xmas? Most of my weekends are relatively free except for this Sunday. After New Years, I'm wide open.

Chris

[MJRW]

I'm wide open, more wide open than I used to be. Lemme know.

[Mike Irwin]

This weekend's no good for me. Going to Pennsylvania, weather permitting, for Grandma's 90th.

[Quartus]

Thanks for the welcome, folks. I'm in Broadlands for now. I'd like to eventually get farther west where it's not so crowded. Yet. I'm hoping I can turn this into a 70 or 80 per cent telecommuting job in a few months...


No time for shooting this weekend, but mebbe after that. Got a loooong to-do list these days! Unpacking, building a new set of bunk beds for my boys, finding a new family car... (Didn't make sense to ship the van here when we'll be outgrowing it with the latest addition in January)

Anybody know where to buy 12 passenger vans at auction prices?


Oh, btw, Mike, I ain't worried. I can take it. I've been known to dish it out, too. ;)

'Sides, anyone who understands the S&W issue can't be all bad, even if he doesn't know what ARMS means. :D


Looking forward to burning some powder. Any good gun stores in my area? I've got that .22 to sight in, and my Sistema needs a workout.

[mtnbkr]

My favs in no particular order:

Loudoun Guns in Leesburg
Virginia Arms in Manassas
Potomac Arms (or is it Potomac Guns?) in Old Town Alexandria
Green Top outside of Richmond (this side of Richmond, about 1.25hrs or so from Manassas).

If you have time for a 3 hour drive (from Leesburg), Cabelas is in Hamburg, Pa. Well worth the trip if you've never been to one (want that Rigby double rifle in 500NE, they have one if you have $23,500!).

Chris

[XLMiguel]

Welcome to the Old Dominion. Did you have anything to do wth that earthquake today??;) ;)

Seriously, it's about time for another THR shoot, my schedule's pretty open, I've got Xmas pretty much under control . . . .:cool:

[Quartus]

:confused: There was an earthquake? Didn't notice it... After 40 years in Southern California, it takes a bit of shaking to get my attention! Anything less than a 4.0 right under me is likely to go unnoticed. :D

And NO, I didn't bring it with me! I've been in recovery in Utah for 3 1/2 years, and I didn't cause any earthquakes there, so I know I'm clean. :D

Hmmm. Mebbe some local Democrat had a thought. THAT would make the earth move! :what:




Been to Cabela's in Michigan, while on a project there. Incredible! In fact, I'm wearing the boots I bought there. Good to know there's one within reasonable distance.