[zaijian]

I'm thinking about getting the heck out of Ohio, having spent all of my 24 years here - so I'm wondering, which states are the most or least gun-friendly? In terms of CCW, open carry, LEO harassment, blissninny levels, etc. etc.
Of course, I should also take into account the other laws, and the taxes, other various criteria.

Ok, might as well change the question to "If you could move to any state, where would you go and why" :)

[Stebalo]

Avoid DC, MA, CA, NJ, NY if at all possible.

Best might be AK and VT (regarding CCW).

[aguyindallas]

zaijian

Texas is great. I moved here from California about 4 years ago. Gun friendly, and we don't have state income tax. My girlfriend moved here (from Ohio) last year to be with me in Texas....she sure doesnt miss the snow. Also, the job market in Ohio is pretty bad...that alone is enough to want to leave for me.

Lots of ranges, good food, and good folks if you ask me. I am 27 myself, so we are relatively close in age. Hop on a flight and see for yourself.

[jobu07]

Gun laws aren't too bad in new york. Just no full autos unfortunatly. But, if you are taking all other things into consideration... steer clear. I beleve we are the highest tax state in the union...:uhoh:

[aguyindallas]

Oh, and by the way...our Kroger stores let you carry! Licensed of course!

[mhdishere]

A clarification to jobu07's post, New York State isn't too bad, but New York City is horrible. Last I heard the time to get a pistol license is over a year (it took me nine months when I lived there), and you can only take it out of your house two days a month (on preselected dates, the same dates every month).

[boofus]

Texas is great. No waiting periods, no limit on number of guns you can buy. You can get AKs and ARs to your heart's content. Not even a NICS check if you get a Texas CHL. All NFA items are allowed too. Loaded rifles need no license to keep in your car. It's technically legal to use deadly force to prevent theft of property too. No state income tax and all the Tex-Mex food you can eat. :D What else could you want?

Houston and Austin are liberal cesspools though. If you want to own NFA items you will have to incorporate because the sheriffs and chiefs won't sign Form 4s. Other than that it's pretty gun friendly.

[zaijian]

Hmm yah, TX is definitely high on my list. I used to have some relatives who lived in Waxahatchie, visited during many summers in the 80s. I'm starting to think I'd like to be near the Gulf somewhere, maybe San Antonio, or even the FL panhandle. How does FL compare to TX?

[Old Partner]

Arizona is pretty good about guns. I carry openly just about everywhere. If posted, I conceal and carry anyway. :p

[RustyHammer]

Louisiana is very gun friendly.

[Valkman]

Nevada is pretty good, especially when you come from CA like I did. :)

Clark County, though, is more restrictive than the rest of the state, and that's where Vegas is. You can't just go out to the desert and shoot, they delay CCW's as much as possible and there is handgun registration.

On the other hand full auto is legal as is open carry, although open carry wouldn't be the smartest thing to do in the city of Vegas.

[Heraclitus]

Texas!

Beside what others have already said, we've got the best whitetail and javelina you've ever dreamed of. That is, of course, if you're into hunting.

How does FL compare to TX?No state income tax. Similar cost of living. Similar (coastal) weather patterns. Spanish intensive (culture, history, language, architecture, music, and food). Oh, and yes... virtually the same CCW laws.

Fewer con artists in Texas, though. Florida seems to coddle them.

[Reno]

Colorado is pretty good. It could be better, but the same can be said of approximately 48 states ;)

[Dbl0Kevin]

Come to New Jersey!! It's awesome here! You can get your permission card from the state to buy most rifles and shotguns in less than 14 months, maybe even 6 if you're really lucky! You can EVEN beg and plead for an assault weapon license if you want to be a pre-ban AR, M1 carbine, CETME or HK91. No one has got one of these licenses yet but that doesn't mean you won't be the lucky one! We even get to go down to the police dept and get a cool piece of paper that says we can buy ONE handgun....I mean what other state gives out cool documents like that!?!? And the best part is you get to get another one each time you want another handgun......it's like a neverending supply of cool documents!! Oh OH how can i forget...after the first "smart gun" is on the market in only 3 years they will be the only handguns that you can buy....cause I mean who would want to own a dumb gun??? And on top of all that we can have magazines that hold 15..yes that's FIFTEEN....rounds unlike you silly other states that can have any amount you want. That's just cause all the best shots are in NJ and we don't need more than 15 rounds!

:banghead:

[Knives]

Pennsylvania is pretty good unless you go to Philadelphia.

[NHBB]

NH has always been kind to me, applied for my CCW online and picked it up 2 weeks later. no restrictions on carry except for courthouses, and all firearms including class III weapons are legal to posess.

[Treylis]

AZ is pretty good. You folks in Texas need to get rid of your ridiculous lack of open carry--which means that adults under 21 are disarmed unless they're breaking the law or adults any age are disarmed unless they feel like forking over huge amounts of cash and time for a nanny-state permission slip, plus some of those funky knife laws.

[Stebalo]

Regarding the NJ smart gun thing, how does that effect guns bought out of state and transferred to an FFL? Will that also be verboten?

[Dbl0Kevin]

Regarding the NJ smart gun thing, how does that effect guns bought out of state and transferred to an FFL? Will that also be verboten?

The way the law read to me was as follows. After the first smart gun is on the market, even if it is later discontinued, three years to the day afterwards all gun sales through FFLs must be smart guns in the state of NJ. Any guns already owned at that point are fine, and by the way I read the law I don't see it prohibiting individual sales of non-smart guns, but there have been others who disagree with this.

Let me see if i can dig up the exact statue.

[Wildalaska]

Come to Alaska...friendly people, good hunting and fishing, long cold dark winters, awesome summers...anything goes for weaponry..hell the Seante candidates fight over the gun owner vote...

No taxes. They give you money to live here. Causal lifestyle. Everybody is sort of an hippie.

Of course, based on what I have seen on the Board regarding the definition, the blisninnie level is high in the cities, but we are at least blissninnies with guns.


WildlikeithereAlaska

[Stebalo]

Good lord. I can't believe I'm actually looking to buy a house here.

[Third_Rail]

MA is awful. I can't believe I have to wait 120-240 days for an FID!!! Anyway, VT, TX, and AK seem great for firearms laws.

I plan to visit all three and take my pick.

Wild, are homebuilt MGs legal in AK? I heard that they were. Oh, and how's the job market??

[Dbl0Kevin]

DATED: NOVEMBER 7, 2002

The Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee reports favorably and with committee amendments Senate, Nos. 573 and 890 (1R/SCS).

The Senate Committee Substitute (1R) for Senate Bill Nos. 573 and 890 regulates the future sale of handguns in New Jersey. The substitute specifies that three years after it is determined that personalized handguns are available for retail purposes, it will be illegal for any registered or licensed firearms manufacturer or dealer to transport, sell, expose for sale, possess for sale, assign or transfer any handgun unless that handgun is a personalized handgun.

Retail dealers who violate the provisions of the amended bill would be guilty of a crime of the fourth degree. A crime of the fourth degree is punishable by a fine of not more than $10,000, imprisonment for a term of up to 18 months, or both.

Personalized handguns, which commonly are referred to as "childproof" handguns, are defined in the amended bill as handguns that incorporate within their design, and as part of their original manufacture, technology which limits their operational use so that they can only be fired by an authorized or recognized user. The technology may involve a variety of systems, such as biometric, mechanical or electronic systems, which restrict the operation of the handgun through radio frequency tagging, touch memory, remote control, fingerprint, magnetic encoding or other automatic user identification programs.

The definition of a personalized handgun specifies that the handgun must meet the reliability standards that the manufacturer requires for its commercially available handguns that are not personalized. If the manufacturer does not have such reliability standards, the handgun must meet the reliability standards generally used in the industry for commercially available handguns. The Attorney General is permitted to consult with any "neutral and detached public or private entity" to provide assistance in determining whether a handgun meets the statutory definition of a personalized handgun.

The Attorney General is to biannually report his findings to the Governor and the Legislature. The substitute specifies that personalized handguns are to be deemed statutorily "available for retail sales purposes" whenever one manufacturer delivers at least one "production model" of a personalized handgun to a wholesale or retail dealer in New Jersey or any other state. The substitute defines a "production model" as a handgun that is the product of a regular manufacturing process that produces multiple copies of the same handgun model.

Two years after it is determined that personalized handguns are available for retail sales purposes, the Attorney General is to direct the Superintendent of State Police to prepare a list of the personalized handguns that may be sold in New Jersey. The bill affords the superintendent six months in which to prepare the list and make it available to firearms dealers in the State. The substitute requires the Attorney General to notify within 60 days the Governor and Legislature when a handgun is determined to meet the definition of a personalized handgun. The personalized handguns that may be sold are to be identified on the list by manufacturer, model and caliber. The substitute authorizes the Attorney General to require manufacturers who want their handguns included on the list of personalized handguns eligible for retail sale in the State to: (a) provide the necessary handgun or handguns for testing, (b) pay a reasonable application fee and (c) pay the costs incurred in, or associated with, the actual testing of the handgun.

On the first day of the sixth month following the prepared list and its delivery to firearms dealers in the State, the sales restriction takes effect. Thereafter, only personalized handguns may be sold by registered and licensed firearms dealers in New Jersey.

The substitute provides for limited exemptions for antique handguns and replicas of these handguns; handguns used in duly sanctioned state, national and international shooting matches and handguns used in competitions sanctioned by the Director of Civilian Marksmanship of the United States Department of the Army; and handguns used in shooting matches and competitions duly sanctioned by the Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS:

The committee amended the bill to:

(1) to require the Superintendent of State Police promptly amend and supplement the list of handguns that qualify as a personalized handgun.

(2) delete section 4 and add new section 4 which provide an exemption for handguns to be sold, transferred, assigned and delivered solely for use in competitive shooting matches sanctioned by the Civilian Marksmanship Program, the International Olympic Committee or USA Shooting and establishes a seven-member commission to determine whether personalized handguns qualify for use by State and local law enforcement officers.


It's gonna be a HUGE mess if this law actually kicks in. I just hope I'm long gone out of the state if it ever does. Right now it appears to just effect FFL dealers, but I suspect once it goes into effect there will be a push to close the "loophole" of the private sale. :fire:

[kwelz]

Indiana ranks pretty highly up there. No open Carry but Concealed with a permit and permits are easy to get and only cost 30 bucks for 4 years. I believe we also have the oldest CCW law in the country.

[Wildalaska]

Third, machine guns are legal under state law, unfortunately, Feds arent signing Form 1s for new manufactures..

Job market depends on what ya do...medical related stuff is really big, as are aircraft mechanics, pilots, experienced truck drivers, diesal mechanics....

What do ya do..

Obviously a standing offer to any Board member thinking of relocating is to answer any questions you may have...

WildtourguideAlaska

[NHBB]

wildalaska... was curious as to what you were saying about how they pay you to live there lol, also whats property prices like?

[zaijian]

I'm a Java/Web Application Developer, doing mostly AF/military contracts. Looks like there's AF bases all over the gulf area... Intriguing...

[Stebalo]

Dbl0Kevin,

Thanks for quoting the law. I hadn't read it before in its entirety. This may be a means to challenge it

The definition of a personalized handgun specifies that the handgun must meet the reliability standards that the manufacturer requires for its commercially available handguns that are not personalized. If the manufacturer does not have such reliability standards, the handgun must meet the reliability standards generally used in the industry for commercially available handguns.

Some of my associates work directly with biometric security devices, specifically fingerprint sensors. There is no such thing as 100% reliability. Even a single false negative out of 100 could cost you your life. We will have to see if 1% or 10% failure rate is acceptable by the AG and the courts. You could draw your weapon in half a second but take 5 seconds of repeated readings to try to unlock the gun.

I'd only accept such a law if it required the police to use them too. Because you know, that law won't be around long then.

[Third_Rail]

Wild, I'm a jack of all trades, but without certifications of any type. I'll be getting all sorts of certs over the next three years or so.

I've always wondered what it takes to go into gunsmithing. Care to clue me in?

[Wildalaska]

We get our share of the oil wealth every year ($1000 +)..

In Anchorage, 3-5 bedroom houses on nice lots for $300,000

Condos running $90-200K...

WilddependsonwhatyawantAlaska

[Kodiak AK]

When Wild says no taxes he means it . There is no state tax , and Anchorage has no sales tax . Here we have a 6% sales tax , and the free AR every year is kind of nice . There is a lot of jobs over in Anchorage , not so much here on island but there is always work . I don't know what Anchorage has as aminimum wage , but here it runs about $7.50/hr no matter what you are doing .

[Realleycat]

Indiana ranks pretty highly up there. No open Carry but Concealed with a permit and permits are easy to get and only cost 30 bucks for 4 years. I believe we also have the oldest CCW law in the country.

You might be right about being first, but I think that I read somewhere that Florida was???? If it was, it happened before I moved here in '97. 1997 that is, not 1897:D

[Rockrivr1]

I have to agree that when it comes to gun laws and the overall political view of firearms, Massachusetts stands out as one of the worst. They create a list of what can and can't be bought and actively go after internet ammunition sellers for shipping ammo to this state.

[Third_Rail]

AK sounds better than VT now. A job shouldn't be too hard to get, I suppose, unlike most of VT (from all my looking, I found VERY little in the way of work). How much land could one expect to get with a 2 bedroom house? 3 acres? Less? More?

4 years may seem far off, but I believe in doing a LOT of research beforehand.

[spacemanspiff]

you'll be even more welcome to alaska if you bring up some single female siblings (or moms, aunts, cousins, whatever) for those of us city savages that are still single.

[Kodiak AK]

Keep in mind you are paid more up here because eveything costs more up here . You will probably go into sticker shock like I did the first time you walk in to a grocery store . $5 for a gal of milk?:eek: $5 for a box of cereal?:eek:

The prices up here are insane , but they pay just enough to not realise how bad you are getting gouged because of the shipping costs .

:cuss:

[Third_Rail]

Kodiak, I live in MA. I already know of the price gouging, for it happens here (not quite as bad) too. I pay $3 for a gallon of milk, and I don't eat cereal because it's too much.

You get the point, though.

[Roadkill]

Alabama State Constitution
Article I, Section 26

Right to bear arms.

That every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of himself and the state.

I got stopped at a traffic "safety" checkpoint a few weeks back. Had a loaded AR15 in a guncase and a .357 in a shoulder holster, all in plain sight in the cab of my camo painted 85 Dodge pickup. Didn't have my hunting or driver's license or any ID at all. Left them in my pocket when I changed into my hunting clothes. I stopped, turned off engine (I knocked the muffler off along with the right side rear view mirror, the inside rear view mirror has been broken off for years), deputy walked up, "How you doing?" I said "Fine until now". "What's the matter?" I told him. He said" Nice guns. Going hunting?" "Yup. Coyotes in the valley." He said" Good luck". "Thanks" I said and drove on.

nuff said.

rk

[Tom Servo]

We may actually be more gun-friendly than Texas here. CCW is shall-issue with no training-requirement or qualification and costs $41-47. The weapon is not REQUIRED to be concealed, though a passing cop might ask you to cover it up.

Your CCW is good for five years and qualifies as a NICS-check for buying. There is no waiting period or limit on the number of guns you can buy at once.

What's even better is the general attitude of LEOs towards civilian carry here. I've actually been asked, "You've got a permit, right?" without having to show it. I work late hours, so traffic-stops and roadblocks are the norm for me, and as long as I inform the officer right away, I never get so much as a raised eyebrow. In fact, some are quite talkative. I've only once had a rookie ask to hold on to my gun while he ran my license, but he gave it right back afterward. Even nicer is the fact that 4th-amendement rights are taken VERY SERIOUSLY, and they cannot detain you just because you're printing.

The general consensus of law enforcement here is that civilian gun ownership and carry reduces crime, so don't fix what isn't (sorry, ain't) broke. Some officers and city-council types in downtown Atlanta are a bit on the Liberal side, but they don't have enough influence to do much but whine.

Georgia also has home-invasion provisions to allow a pretty loose definition of self-protection, and the courts are very sympathetic to self-defense shootings.

[Wildalaska]

Kodiak dont scare em those are bush prices here in town its cheaper than on the east coast...

you'll be even more welcome to alaska if you bring up some single female siblings (or moms, aunts, cousins, whatever) for those of us city savages that are still single.

Spiff I thought you were...

OOOps never mind :)

Yeeeeeeee haaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh.....pumpin fist!!!!!!:neener:

WildoyeahbabyAlaska

[spacemanspiff]

thought i was what? the chairman of alaskas pink pistol chapter?
:neener:

if i was would i be rubbing it in your face every time i go to the bushco to 'donate' to 'noble' causes?

now that you know the truth about me, will you be calling me up more often or less often?

:evil:

[quick68]

like Eric F said Ga. is pretty good on guns. They put an interstate around Atlanta so you can avoid it, which is a good idea for many reasons. The only problem I have found with Ga. concerning guns is when i take them outside from my 63 degree house to the 100 deg weather the 100% humidity makes my guns dripping wet. I wish they would lower the humidity here but congress cant get enough votes to override a veto.

[Hugo]

How sympathetic are the courts in the Dallas, TX area to self defense shootings? I haven't really seen much in the news about it lately but I know a lot of newsworthy things don't make the news sometimes. I'm pretty sure home self defense shootings are handled well but just curious. Frisco and Allen are certainly growing like crazy, hopefully not too many sheeple liberals moving in will screw up this great State. :)

[Roadkill]

"They put an interstate around Atlanta so you can avoid it ", I think Sherman did the right thing when he burned that town down. Someone needs to catch the wind right and do it again. I lived there for about a year. I never want to go back. Ref Alabama laws, a concealed permit costs $10.00 per year, is good state wide, consists of a local police phone check. Takes ten minutes. No waitng period, no training course, ect. To buy as many handguns as you have the money for takes only a phone call to the Feds, ten minutes, walk out with them.

rk

[rde]

Alabama is very gun friendly. $10 per year CCW permit..usually no waiting. A decent number of recipricating (sp?) states. It is actually kind of surprising to find someone that actually doesn't own at least 1 firearm...and that is usually because they sold what they had because they were short on money. Economy here is not that great. But gun friendly for sure.

[Tom Servo]

I wish they would lower the humidity here but congress cant get enough votes to override a veto.
You think it's bad here, try Florida! I lived a few years in Jacksonville. Euwww...

At least, in the northern part of the state, it's usually not too humid.

[Kim]

O:K is it true there are more men in Alaska than women. If so maybe someday I will wonder up that way. Are the mosquitoes as bad as they say? And surely everyone is not as liberal as you. Do you know any good conservative men?? Somewhere between the age of 35-55y/o. I always think of that old song "North to Alaska". Now I want a Manly man. Do ya'll need any southern physician women up that way by chance that like firearms? ;)

[spartacus2002]

VA isn't too bad. Open carry (especially inside bars and alcohol-serving restaurants), shall-issue concealed carry, full auto is OK, and a gun-friendly culture (outside of Northern Virginia). Plus, a rabid pro-gun group, Virginia Citizen's Defense League (VCDL) fighting for our rights to carry.

Just stay tha heck outta Northern Virginia (aka Occupied Territory). Soccer mom blissninnies, cost of living that makes San Francisco look cheap.

[Wildalaska]

now that you know the truth about me, will you be calling me up more often or less often?

More...baby :evil: :neener:

O:K is it true there are more men in Alaska than women

Dunno...I imported one from Japan though :)

Are the mosquitoes as bad as they say

They arent called mosquitos...we call them Hueys

And surely everyone is not as liberal as you.

No actually Im more conservative....

Do you know any good conservative men??

Theres Spiff...hes a lot of man :)

WildmatchmakerAlaska

[spacemanspiff]

Do ya'll need any southern physician women up that way by chance that like firearms?
gotta love those rhetorical questions!
dont take your time getting up here though. a good catch (not unlike myself) might be already taken if you dilly dally too long down there in the south. :D



p.s. can we see some pics of the guns you'd be bringing? you dont also happen to have a riverboat, do you? four wheeler? snow machine? if so, please post pics of those as well. thanks in advance.


:evil:

[stevelyn]

Can we see some pics of guns you'd be bringing? You also don't happen to have a river boat do you? A snowmachine (snowmobile or as we say in the bush......sno-go) Four wheeler?(I prefer like Argos) If so please post pics of those to.

Can you clean and cook wild game and fish? Bait your own hook? Chop wood? Pitch a tent? Use a come-along? Build and maintain a fire in a woodstove without burning the place down?:D


Do ya'll need any southern physician women up that way by chance that like firearms?

There's always people up here in need of some doctorin'.:D :evil:

[Akusp]

There are supposed to be more men than women here...but you won't need anyone but me! And I agree that Alaska is a very gun friendly state.

[spacemanspiff]

i'm pretty sure i've got seniority over you akusp...seeing how that was your first post and whatnot.

:neener:

[GunGeek]

Re: NJ Law - The way the law read to me was as follows. After the first smart gun is on the market, even if it is later discontinued, three years to the day afterwards all gun sales through FFLs must be smart guns in the state of NJ.

Actually the way I read it it could be as short as 2 Years 5 Months 1 day.

Follow me here, the Superintendent of State Police has up to 6 months to prepare the list, and it takes affect 6 months after that. He knows it was coming so why not have it already prepared so he could in theory fax/email it out the same day to all stations with orders to have it hand delivered to all gunshops within hours. Nothing says he HAS to wait 6 months. Besides he can authoize/test that first gun sometime in the past 2 years, he can worry about updating the list later, as long as something is out the clock starts.

Also it states "the first day of the sixth month" so that could be read to mean calender months, release the list on Jan 31 and Feb 1 could be interprited as the first day of the first month, that leaves 5 months to go.


Example:

-Gun comes out Jan 30th 2005

-The Attorney General tells Superintendent of State Police his six months starts Jan 30th 2007

-Always prepared, anti-gun Superintendent of State Police has list prepared already and has it delivered on Jan 31st 2007 (We will give him a day to get it out for our example)

-June 1st 2007 is determined as "the first day of the sixth month" 2 years 5 months 2 days after then first gun is delivered.


God forgive the gun is delivered around christmas time and they decide to play with the definition of "Two years" but the wording isn't as specific so they might not be able to play the same game they do with months.

[Rickstir]

Missouri is getting better. CCW now. Open carry in almost all of the state. Will want to avoid St. Louis metro area, the same for KC. I hold my nose when in Columbia. Lots of liberals in the college town. We don't pay near what others are paying for gas. Right now 1.77 for regular unleaded. Jobs are getting much better too. Liberal hunting and fishing seasons, lots of public land and several large lakes and miles of rivers. Born and raised here. Never lived anywhere else but have traveled extensively . I just like the Show Me state.

[MLH]

Nobody said Kentucky!!! We have great laws, CCW and open carry(although you might get harrassed in the big cities) and if you can conceal it you can carry it. We have pretty horses and fast women(or is it the other way around?;) ) AND we have Knob Creek!:D I believe that our CCW licence is good in 25 or more states. Lots of good hunting , too. Come on down and check us out.

[goldpan]

i own full auto weapons but can't get a ccw from colorado got a ccw from utah
i guess the feds trust me with a full auto machine gun but colorado doesn't trust me with a ccw:cuss:

[scubasteve]

TX is good. Aren't the worst states CA and MA?

btw,

"I'm starting to think I'd like to be near the Gulf somewhere, maybe San Antonio, or even the FL panhandle. How does FL compare to TX?"

1. San Antonio isn't really that close. I'd say you've got about a 2.5 hour drive to get to the coast. (Although yes, obviously its a lot closer than Waxahache)

2. Have you seen the Gulf? It's not exactly the pretty blue water and serene beaches of California. Gulf= brown water, seaweed+tar covered beaches, hazy skies.

[Dbl0Kevin]

i own full auto weapons but can't get a ccw from colorado got a ccw from utah

I thought Colorado just passed a shall issue carry law? :confused:

[dobbs23]

Well, don't even think of coming to Hawaii. No open carry, no CCW, but we do have cops and prosecutors who love harassing lawful citizens and coddling criminals. Our gun laws are some of the most prohibitive in the nation, and it only looks to get worse....They have even tried to close the one public gun range we have in the county I live in!
But not to worry, the cops keep us very safe here. After all they are able to close 9% of all major cases they handle.....

[MICHAEL T]

Just get on I-75 and go south to Ky Were gun friendy . I left northen Ohio in 1964 and never looked back I consider Ohio to be Ca. of the east. A lot of good people there but they never seem to get in power. I will advise you ,need to get around 60 miles over river to get away from Cin. bleed over. Good hunting, fishing, machine gun shoot. CDWP[ means you can carry more than just a handgun] Come spend a weekend.:D