Rate your state

[The Lone Haranguer]

1. a shall issue state
2. No state AWB
3. No waiting period
4. No purchase limits
5. No registration
6. Good hunting opportunities

Arizona -- all of the above.

I am a native of California and lived there until 2003. Little needs to be said about their ridiculous hoops you have to jump through. I tried the Las Vegas, NV area and didn't like that at all. In Clark County (where Vegas is located) you are supposed to register all your handguns upon arrival, as well as any handguns you purchase, with the LVMPD. Another form of registration is the requirement to qualify with your prospective carry gun, which is listed on your permit right down to the physical description, caliber and serial number. After a series of crap jobs I said "screw this," went to Arizona in mid-2005 and have been very pleased. Now if their taxes and car insurance rates were lower ... but that was not addressed in the topic.

 

[Sean Dempsey]

Utah

Utah!

Shall Issue - Permit is 60 dollars and then 10 dollars every few years to renew.

High capacity mags - sure!

can carry most places, even bars (not federal bldgs, church grounds, posted places, secure areas of airport)

Umm, yeah it's actually been a pretty good state for guns and CCW. Something like 60,000 permits have been issued since the start of them in 1994.

Of course, there's the other side of utah which you'd have to consider, but /shrug, I've lived here my whole life and gotten used to it.

 

[Ala Dan]

I'm In Alabama, As Well

but states I'd move too in a heatbeat: (in order)

01. Tennessee, obviously 1st choice
02. Montana
03. Wyoming
04. North Dakota
05. Idaho
06. Arizona
07. North Carolina
08. Nebraska
09. Colorado
10. South Dakota

 

[garyk/nm]

New Mexico

Like Texas, only better!!!
Open carry OK statewide, though not advisable in Santa Fe.
Concealed in vehicle is perfectly fine.
Class 3 and AOW, it's all good.
Shall issue, and very easy to get.

Cons:
Can't CCW anywhere that sells alcohol. This means no carry in Wally or most any grocery or stop-and-rob. We're working on this one.
The Governor is a major dorkwad. His ambition to become pres is clear for all to see, and he caters to all manner of special interests (mostly himself, though).

Oh yeah, the hunting is world-class.

 

[SoCalShooter]

PRK

I live in California 'nuff said'

 

[Banshee]

Tennessee

1. a shall issue state....yes
2. No state AWB.....No AWB
3. No waiting period....No waiting period
4. No purchase limits......no purchase limits
5. No registration..... just the background check
6. Good hunting opportunities..... good hunting

 

[KnifeLawGuy]

New Hampshire:

Pros:

+ One of the friendliest "shall issue" states: $10 permit, valid for four years, no fingerprints, no training requirement, permits issued (or denied) within 14 days by law (often less in practice), with denials appealable to district court.

+ open carry state

+ No assault weapons ban, class III friendly -- machine guns, suppressors, etc.

+ No waiting periods -- fill out your Form 4473, pass the NICS instant check, pay for your purchase, and walk out the door with your new gun! Often takes ten minutes or less!

+ Good hunting. In fact, hunting is one of the state's big income generators (along with all the visitors who come to see the spectacular Fall foliage).

+ No state income tax

+ No sales tax.

+ Sparsely populated for an Eastern state (approx one-fifth the population of Massachusetts, with about the same land area)

+ Enjoy actual seasons!


Cons:

- Gets cold in winter, with lots of snow some years (unless you like snow, then this is a plus!)

- Skiing in the East not like skiing out West. Hint: lots of ice! (on the plus side: you learn to use the edges of your skis really well!)

- Property taxes high, although still compares favorably with Taxachusetts, er, Massachusetts, our Southern neighbor.


Good luck with your choice!

 

[razorburn]

Go where you can find a job, man. You won't care about any of that stuff if you don't have any money to pay the bills. A friend of a friend just left today for Mississippi after completing his PHd in economics, he's been looking for a job for over a year. He hates mississippi but where there's work....

 

[SAG0282]

Washington State, the original shall-issue!

1. a shall issue state- Yes, with EXCEEDINGLY few restrictions.

2. No state AWB- None, though MGs are banned

3. No waiting period- 5days on handguns w/o CPL, otherwise no

4. No purchase limits- None

5. No registration- None

6. Good hunting opportunities- Many, though not as good as ID or AK in my experience.

One wacky law is that suppressors are legal to possess but not mount/use.

I would also like to see the ban on auto knives done away with....I can carry a GLOCK 19 w/ 16 rounds but not a knife?

 

[kungfuhippie]

Thanks everyone I hope it has helped everyone who is looking to move.

I'll be working as a civil engineer, so work is everywhere, though some is more desireable than others.

I may get a job with the Army Corp of Engineers, and they have postings for jobs everywhere. If not I'll work for a private office.

The reason I want this list is that for example if I get a job offer for Washington and Illinois It won't be a hard pick.

I believe that a job is to fund the family/life not the sole purpose for existing. If I had to work as a (insert crappy job here) to feed my family I'd not hesitate.

 

[Ian Sean]

Pennsylvania

1. a shall issue state

Yes, $20 and 20 minutes, month later, 5 year CCW

2. No state AWB

What's an AWB?...

3. No waiting period.

10 minutes is a long wait while they call you in (PICS)..if your in a hurry that is.

4. No purchase limits.

As earlier mentioned, only limit is the wallet or wife...

5. No registration.

Not really, handgun records go to state, but no requirement on your part to register a darned thing...other than to vote out gun grabbers.

6. Good hunting opportunities
PA has pretty darned good hunting, and our state gamelands comprise millions of acres.

Overall PA is great, if you are pro gun and pro freedom please move here and help offset the sheep and nanny staters moving in from NY and NJ! PLEASE!

 

[JackW]

Kentucky

1. a shall issue state -Yes ($60 for 5 years), Open carry OK, very short list of prohibited places (Courthouses, bars, schools, off limits. Restaurants serving alcohol OK, but stay out of the bar area and in the dining room)

2. No state AWB - Anything you can OK with the feds is allowed

3. No waiting period -Yep

4. No purchase limits - Affirmative

5. No registration - None

6. Good hunting opportunities - Yes (just don't shoot the horses )

Only downside might be employment. But that really depends on your occupation.

 

[mike101]

I give New Jersey a Z-. Anywhere else is better, but I think I'd move to PA, when possible.

 

[toivo]

I give New Jersey a Z-. Anywhere else is better, but I think I'd move to PA, when possible.

Sorry to rub it in, but in New York State we think New Jersey is just there to make us feel better about our own laws. Have they settled the issue of whether a Marlin Model 60 is an "assault weapon" yet?

 

[kungfuhippie]

marlin model 60?

They think a semi-auto 22 rifle could be an assault weapon? Thank God that California doesn't have the worst gun laws...But we do have the worst smelling hippies! And Diane Feinstein , and Barbara Boxer and ANtonio Villareconquista. Bad enough here already.

 

[jenniferjane]

I'm sorry if this has been mentioned already, but I didn't see it. There is a book, the Traveller's Guide to Firearm Laws of the 50 States by J. Scott Kappas, Esq. that does a nice job of rating each of the states. It basically gives a one page summary of the laws of each state, along with notes regarding important court decisions and other considerations, and it gives a numerical rating to each state. I found a copy at Sportsman's Warehouse.

More info in this link:

http://www.gunlaws.com/travel.htm

 

[cbsbyte]

Massachusetts

We have a cople of other things going for use that I forgot to add:

We have a overall lower tax burden than Connecticut, Rhode Island. And lower property taxes than New Hampshire.

We also have legal open carry though it is not advised in public.

We have less severe winters than Northern NE.

We have an excellent public education system in the state.

And an excellent medical system.

It is a good state to live in as long as one does not live in any large city.

 

[El Tejon]

Indiana has what you are looking for--no awb, no purchase limits, no registration, very strong self-defense laws (we elminated the duty to retreat in 1865 just a bit before Florida became the 1st state in the Union to do so in 2006) and Hoosier gun owners have the antis on their heels (within one year we have had 3 major victories including lifetime carry licenses and repeal of the no carry in state parks rule).

Contrary to earlier posted information, centerfire rifle can be used for deer if you have a predation permit (get to know a farmer or orchard owner).

 

[mpmarty]

OREGON!

Lets see...

PROS:
shall issue Y
no AWB ok
no waiting periods
no purchase limits
no registration
hunting & fishing good
automatic knives are legal (Benchmade made here)

CONS:

Liberal idiots in Portland, Salem and Eugene want to take over the state

9% personal income tax on top of federal taxes and no or almost no deductions for anything. Make $10,000.00 hand over $900 to the state.

Tree huggers come up here from California and try to run our lives.

We have a liberal governor who doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground

We have one liberal jackass in Washington DC that voted to allow illegal aliens to get Social Security and voted against making English the official language of this country.

 

[DRMMR02]

No suppressors in Michigan

 

[Oregongundude]

+1 for Oregon

Good hunting for Elk, Deer, Black Bear, Mountain lions, ducks, you name it you can hunt it here. Great Salmon and Steelhead fishing close to home. Great ocean fishing on a beautiful coast line.

No waiting period on gun purchases, background check on purchases of guns, no big deal. High capacity mags OK here as well.

CHL licenses issued to anyone with a background check. Reasonable price. You can own Suppressors here and any kind of gun for the most part.

NO SALES TAX!!!

Beautiful summers with low humidity and mild winters with lots of snow in the mountains. I agree with MPmarty's Cons about the politics in Portland, Eugene and Salem. I personally hate are Governer he is worthless.

 

[armedpolak]

+1 for Florida

I've been living here for exactly 3 weeks and 3 days. Applied for CCW while still in NYC. Got CCW in the mail (with new address on it) thursday last week. Bought my first handgun an hour after I got my FL Drivers License (3 weeks ago). Bought my second handgun day after got CCW... couldn't find a holster for the first gun plus GF got what she wanted, so I got what I wanted (aka ring for a gun )

So far great! Except can't carry in bars, and no open carry (which kinna sucks, since I'm paranoid about printing, but I'm slowly getting used to it), and of course no carry at work, boooo, bad new job, bad!

Living is absolutelly amazing! I'm in Ft. Lauderdale on A1A right accross from the beach. 8th floor apartment with ocean view (as opposed to my neighbour view in NYC). I comute 25 minutes to work (hint: Spectrum Park, as opposed to 1 hour of the F train from Queens to downtown Manhattan ). Living ain't cheap though, at least apartment cost, same price as NYC one bedroom in Kewgardens, NYC, but with a much nicer view, so I can live with that. Also, I happened to land a nice (IT / development) job, and actually took a 5K cut, but my state taxes in NY were more than that, so I'm on the plus side, hihihihihihihi, lots of money to blow at Arizona Shooting Range on SR7, I'm becoming their MVC, i think

ArmedPolak