ARIZONA gun laws and life in AZ?

[Dimis]

I didnt know exactly where to post this but i have a few questions about Arizona

What are the gun laws actualy like? i know its a great gun state but wanted to know a bit more about the specifics like here when you open carry in a car they want the firearm on the dash so its in plain site at all times
is AZ a Shall issue state or a May issue state?

My wife and i are debating a big change in our life and moving away from the east coast (Delaware) and possably setting up in Arizona
What is it like in Arizona?
I know the things that bother me here are

1.TOURISTS the beach is a huge attraction for stupidity
2.Jobs are scarce
3.Housing is expencive because the majority of the state is resorts
4.our governer is trying to fall in line with the brady laws like surrounding states MD and NJ (full registry of all firearms 10 round magazines etc..)
5.COLD winters
6.May issue state with ALOT of hoops to jump through


it may only be a pipe dream but i would love some information before i make a decision

thanks all

 

[Yo Mama]

I love AZ, for now. Gun laws are ok here, not as good as I like, but a heck of a lot better than most states.

AZ is a shall issue state, and you only have to take an 8 hour course now. Stupid legislators make you renew every 5 years, for a nominal fee....50 bucks or so. No Brady bill crap here either, so if you want a handgun or 30 round mag today you get it.

In the car, it's allowed in the glove box, or in plain view, although you can get calls for brandishing if other motorists see it. It's easier now to have a CCW just to not worry about it, but it is also an open carry state, so you don't have to have one if you are comfortable with carrying in this manner.

We need people to move here and help defend the way we live, as it can get much worse. Warm most of the year, lows in the winter aint that bad. We do have snowbirds here that migrate each year. Housing is cheap here now, as we lost alot in value in the last year and half. Nice homes for 100,000 are easy to find. Our new Governer is supposed to be conservative but we'll see. Most of the legislators are Repubs and are pro-gun.

Biggest thing i'd tell you is the job market here is the biggest problem right now. AZ is in a huge deficit, and is slashing alot. I'd solidify work first before I even put more thought to coming here. If you get that going, come on then!

 

[Dimis]

thanks
im looking into law enforcment and read up a bit on AZ State Police im thinking if things work out i may apply and make the move
my wife is a teacher so idk what the needs are there its a little more comfortable here for her salery but Delaware State Police is full with lines out the door for new applicant
and the local PDs dont pay high enough to make it worth it

What part do you live in Yo Mama?

 

[Nick_007]

Cold winters are no fun -- being from NY I sure know. But different seasons are good things to have too.

I just got back from AZ Monday night. It was 90 degrees there for all 5 days I was there, and it's only going to get hotter. Summers are crazy hot. And don't be fooled by dry heat baloney -- hot is hot. I went to college there in the 90s for 3 years. A construction worker makes more than a teacher in AZ by the way.

I know nothing about the laws there per se, but I still remember the shock when I was walking down the street and saw someone with a holstered pistol that wasn't a cop.

 

[Dimis]

meh hot is hot is hot all ya want i like it hot i can work in 136 degree machine shops id rather be hot than see one snow flake for the rest of my life ive lived in delaware my whole life and im tired of the snow and sleet all winter and the tourist morons (tourons to the locals) all summer i need wide open space

 

[jr_roosa]

I'm from the Northeast, and I had to relocate to Phoenix last year for my work. Maybe my perspective can help you a little. It's different from the "I live in AZ because I hate snow" crowd. I love snow.

The things to consider in Arizona (Phoenix especially), are the weather, the politics, and the housing market. They are all good in some ways and awful in others.

Yeah, hot is hot, but 120 degress really sucks. You cannot do anything more than mildly exertional outdoors during the day for three months out of the year. If you get up at 0500 you have a few hours when the sun is low, but it's still 90 degrees. The pavement gets so hot our burn center has to do skin grafts on kids who fall down on the asphalt...yes, that's right...falling on the ground here in the summer is life threatening. On the other hand you can think of it as just the reverse of the northeast. Instead of being stuck inside in December, January, and February, it's June, July, and August.

In the winter here the weather is heaven on earth. Do whatever you want any day you want, it's sunny every day. You can even drive a few hours to Flagstaff and go skiing if you miss the snow.

In the summer you have to drive a few hours from Phoenix to get high enough and big enough trees to get out of the sun and heat. The hunting and fishing are OK up there. If you really like outdoors stuff, you should look further North...Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho.

The conservative politics here cuts both ways. The taxes and gun laws are pretty good. Funding for public services (police and teachers) is terrible.

Most public service hiring is frozen right now from the budget cuts, so you better have a contract for a PD job in hand before you move.

If your wife is a teacher, she's going to have some trouble. They just cut around 5000 teaching jobs in the Phoenix area because of the state budget cuts. My wife's district just fired all teachers with less than three years experience in district. That means your wife would be in line behind all the cut teachers for job openings because they get the first shot at being rehired. Also, teacher pay here is awful compared to other states...starts around $32,000.

It's been pretty bad news for my family.

As for gun laws, this is from the state constitution:

“The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself or the State shall not be impaired, but nothing in this section shall be construed as authorizing individuals or corporations to organize, maintain, or employ an armed body of men.” Article 2, Section 26.

So, you're good to go unless you really want to have your own little army. CCW is easy to get. Federal laws are the only real restriction to what kind of guns/magazines you can have. If you have a CCW you don't even need a background check to buy a gun. Lay down your money, show your permit, fill out the form, and walk out the door.

Housing is super cheap right now. You can buy houses for 1/2 what they were worth three years ago, but if you want to leave in a hurry you might not be able to sell for a while. There's a huge surplus of uninhabited houses here in the suburbs. Oh, and your property tax for the year will be similar to what you paid in two months in NJ. Unfortunately that is money right out of your wife's paycheck.

Overall, the desert is really pretty, the people are nice enough, and there's room to do whatever you feel like. the money is good (for me, but not for my wife), and the living is cheap. That being said, I'll probably pack up and head for the Rocky Mountains in a few years. It's too hot here and the woods and mountains are too far away.

You might like Arizona, but don't rule out Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, or Montana. You won't notice a difference in taxes, or gun laws, or cost of living in any of these states coming from NJ...the West is a totally different world from the East coast.

-J.

 

[lechiffre]

it might be legal to put your gun on the dashboard here,but i wouldn't recommend it.

 

[armoredman]

I am that rarity, an Arizona native, raised in Tucson. Our gun laws are great, and get better every year. If you followed our politics on azleg.gov over the years, you would see gun laws getting better and better every year.
Shall issue, about a week turnaround last time I checked, 8 hour class, renewal is $65, but no class, no fingerprints for the second and on, just mail in a money order.
NFA friendly, machineguns are legal as long as they are on the National Register. Also, your CCW is a non specific permit, so if you have a legal Mac-10, carry it concealed legally on your AZ permit.
No AWB, no mag ban, no mag limit, no ammo limit/type ban, no permit to purchase, no permit to carry open, no one-gun-a-month, multiple ranges available, some free, (Casa Grande has a great free public range of I-8), and places that ban carry, such as government buildings, must offer safe storage. No FOID, either.
Cons, no carry in places that serve open alcohol, Indian reservations are no-carry zones off main highways, have to get permission from Tribal authorities to hunt there, but plenty of spots open that don't require that. Deer tend to be a bit smaller and scrawnier from what I've seen from other states, sorry.
Now, the heat, that seems to be the BIG thing discussed. Yes, it gets hot. Yes, there is such a thing as dry heat, as this AZ cowboy went to Chicago in summer once....once. Darn near died in the heat and humidity. Gah. Car with a light color and light interior helps a lot, make sure your A/C is serviced at the beginning of summer, (right about now), and half way through, replace belts and hoses about half again as often. A reflecting sun shade up in your windshield will help a lot, NOT the cheapo cardboard kind. BIG advice, no leather interior, and don't wear shorts on vinyl in the summer months. Bad juju. Carry water all the time - I have a five gallon jug in the back of my car. Haven't needed it since I've been driving out here, (well over 20 years), but a great idea to have. Get A/C on your house, and swamp coolers, use the swamp when it's dry, and the AC when it's wet. Check guns for rust when swamps are on.
No natural disaster out here, no hurricanes tornados, tsunamis, volcanos, etc, either.
Lots of room, AZ DOC is always hiring as well, 38K to start.

PS, car carry is legal with holster, case or scabbard designed for carrying the gun, places auto exempted include the glove box and door map pocket. Keep it on you, won't heat up in summer that way. Here is Title 13, Criminal Code, look for Weapons section.

PPS, forgot, we have Castle Doctrine, and a HUGE bennie, no civil liability for justified conduct. If your lawful use of lethal force is ruled justified, you cannot be sued.

 

[Dimis]

JR losing 3 months of my year in AZ beats losing 9 months out of the year here
i figure it like this
winter lasts from late november through to march if not april some years thats 5 months
then the humidity and allergy season comes in full force from may to early september that leaves less than 3 months of comfort zone (at least for me)
between september october and november thats not alot of time to really play
(as i understand it the dryer climate will subside alot of my allergies)

as for saleries for teachers Delaware has cut the bottom 10% of its teachers so were in the same boat

and yes i would apply (and make sure i was employed) before i move anywhere

the wife and i have decided in the near future to take a vacation to AZ to see how we feel any suggestions where would be nice and quiet?

 

[Yo Mama]

im looking into law enforcment and read up a bit on AZ State Police im thinking if things work out i may apply and make the move

Don't apply in Mesa. Seriously, we do have cities with unique problems. Mesa is sorta known as having a large gang population.

Instead of being stuck inside in December, January, and February, it's June, July, and August.

Nah. If you don't have a pool here, you find one quick. Nicest part of the heat is you just take a dip.

They just cut around 5000 teaching jobs in the Phoenix area because of the state budget cuts.

Chandler is hiring teachers right now, and is only about 30 minutes travel.

What part do you live in Yo Mama?

North Phoenix, almost out of the city. I love where I live, and am in a perfect spot to have the best of city and country living. A 5 minute drive gets me to a few hunting spots.

 

[blindhari]

Try Prescott Valley in the middle of the state. High desert plaeauat 5000'. Close to Sedona,Mogollon rim, indoor and outdoor ranges, new hospital, 3 major grocery stores, lot of new construction, cooler than Phoenix and warmer than Flagftaff, 6 gun stores within 15 miles, a couple of home depots and walmarts within the same distance. There are also antique stores in downtown Prescott and there is generaly some sort of art or craft show at the court house just about every weekend. Where we live you could probably keep a potbellied pig but not a herd of goats. Oh yeah a few miles away llama and alpacca ranches. It ain't perfect here but my wife and I retired here in 2002 and haven't run out of things to do yet.
If you come this way send a PM and I'll get some of my wife's cookies out and make a pot of coffee.

blindhari

 

[Dimis]

Blindhari you just described delaware all within one county of your state lol (yes its that small)

and you had me at cookies

 

[M1A National Match]

I vacationed in Sedona, AZ, a couple of years ago, and I absolutely loved the place. The only thing I noticed that kind of bothered me, was the lack of personnal swimming pools in the town. Perhaps they are banned; I know not. Whilst summer is cooler in Sedona, it still gets well into the 90's.

(And I don't know where they shoot there, either.)

Went to Prescott, and found it pleasant enough. More pedestrian, i.e. normal, than Sedona, which can be a mite bit high-brow. Phoenix was hot, alright, about 120, but I differ with those who say hot is hot. I found standing in the broiling hot Phoenix sun, on asphalt, no less, immensely more pleasurably than hot, humid New England. Apples & Oranges, if you ask me.

I found the vastness of Arizona somewhat intimidating, and even a little scary, compared to crowded, compact Connecticut.

But, all in all, AZ is one hell of a state. California without the beaches, liberalism, and dirtbags.

 

[jr_roosa]

Nice and quiet place to visit in Arizona?

Flagstaff is beautiful. Sedona is lower and more desert landscape. There are some nice golf resorts in north Scottsdale. Tucson is a smaller city than Phoenix. Phoenix itself is nice and central and you can get to any of the other places I mentioned within 2-3 hours of driving.

If you're here in the summer fly into Phoenix, see what it's like, and head up to somewhere in the mountains. Flagstaff is around 8000 ft and you lose about 3 degrees for every 1000 feet in altitude... if it's 110 in Phoenix it's around 85 in Flag.

Payson is more like 4000 feet so it's hotter, but you're high enough to get trees and afternoon thunderstorms.

Don't forget the Grand Canyon too.

Lots to see here, just depends on your tastes, interest, and budget.

-J.

 

[Dimis]

sounds to me like alot of vacations lol
id really love to go someplace that lets you rent NFA full auto firearms
ive never shot anything full auto because delaware wont allow the stamp/liscences here at all

also any ranges out there that rent long guns i.e. 50BMG .408Cheytac etc...
as again delaware is too small to shoot something like that i might hit the other end lol

i know its cliche but i have always wanted to go to tombstone but i dont want my whole trip being guns and cowboys as the wife will just roll her eyes the whole time going "why did we fly here again?"

 

[blindhari]

I never thought about living in Sedona, just ain't my style. I grew up in San Francisco bay area but Frisco was never my style either, and I had no reason to go there. I loved the Napa wine country but it has sold itself to posers in $400 sets of clothes who pay $100 a plate after waiting an hour for mediocre food so they can go back and talk about the "EXPERIENCE". I learned to cook with the paisan both Italian and Portugeese in that area. I wandered the german wineries in Lodi and Rutheford, also the Armenian and Basque areas above Fresno. Sedona is mostly tourist trap, but there are still places to go and see, good solid food can be found there. Scottsdale seems to have a serious problem of "I got more money than you", while Phoenix can be as tough and forbidding as Oakland if you don't watch where your'e going. (I go to see my surgeon, I carry a 9mm. ) Payson is ok, Strawberry, Pine, Jerome, showlow, Snowflake, Alpine, St James, Heber, Overgard, Williams, Ashfork, Kingsman, Prescott, Chino, Black canyon can be delightful. Holbrook is a boil. Lot of rednecks here and if there is more than one Democrat in this state they tend to hang them. (kidding) I've got a redneck brother in law here who is one of the most avid and well qualified hunters I have ever met. Also one of the best friends i've ever had. Want to know more send an email and I'll be glad to converse. Coffee pots empty, time to go tobed.

blindhari

 

[armoredman]

...id really love to go someplace that lets you rent NFA full auto firearms...

When I worked at Jensen's indoor range in Tucson, one co worker had an MP5 he would sometimes let customers shoot just for the cost of ammo. I am pretty sure someone around here rents NFA toys, check with Shooter's World in the Phoenix area. As for Tombstone, well, it's a tourist trap, but good for a trip. Grand canyon is one HECK of an impressive hole in the ground, same with Sunset Crater.
Differing LE attitudes, too, most of ours don't freak out when they see someone lawfully open carrying, and the ones that do get queitly straightened out.
Phonex PD is still advertising, but Tohono O'Odham reservation police make the big bucks, huge area to patrol, and lots of openings last time I looked.

 

[trickyrick]

i'm from mi but moved to phx in 69 when i was six. so i consider myself a native.
i hated it here. i came on a plane in august. it was 103 and dry. back in those days you walked down stairs to the tarmac then into airport. i hit the door of the plane and couldn't breathe. i ran back and buckled in my seat cuz i was going back. dad had to come back into plane and carry me off. i had never been in anything over 80 degrees and never anything so dry in my life. it took me along time to see the beauty here. in the woods you have 3 kind of trees and 2 are pine..lol. i missed green...any thing green. everything looked dead here even in full bloom. that has changed tho, or rather my perception has changed. iv'e been from side to side and from up to down on nothin but dirt. m1a said vastness was intimidating. that's what i have come to love about it. love the gun attitudes also. if you have allergies don't think that coming here will help. everyone has citrus and olive trees plus all native plants and they play hell on people's allergies. most young people who have wanted to get into leo positions have ended up joining military. as far as teachers go, my wife is a med. assistant going to school to become a teacher, but is possibly going to change to nursing since the cuts that have been going on. homes cheap in phx but some of the other areas listed like sedona, prescott, payson, flagstaff, well even the locals can't afford to live there anymore.

 

[StuntHeavy]

I'm from Maine, and moved the AZ december 31 this year. Ended up in Tempe. Plenty to do for the younger crowd, and fun is as big as your wallet. Theres ALWAYS something going on. 12 Noon, 6pm, 3am...theres always something thats open.

That being said, all relative to maine, rent was cheap, food was par, electricity was cheap, having your door open in january is bizzare, and jobs are scarce. I couldn't hack it. 3 months after I was there, I had to return back to Maine because I simply could not find work. Over 90 applications, and no luck. Coming from an electricial/mechanical background I thought I had it made, but boy was I wrong.

Open carry is not what I'd call uncommon, but its funny that people still get jumpy around those who do. The scenery is hard to get used to if you like grass. It's almost a luxury.

All that being said... it was a fun time. Learned alot, had quite an experience, and learned alot, and AZ got me into guns so I can't complain.

I will say, the 3000mile drive is a hike. 1000 mile days in a truck, hauling a car isnt fun, I promise.

ironically, it looks as though I'm going to get a taste of Florida at the end of the summer.

 

[jr_roosa]

Scottsdale Gun Club has rentals of full auto stuff. It's indoors, though. It's a plus since it's got AC. It's a minus because it's a little silly to do that sort of thing inside.

www.scottsdalegunclub.com

The best thing about them having full auto is that some dude will roll in, rent an M4, burn 100rounds of .223, and hey, where did all that brass go? Oh, it's in my range bag.

There have to be some outdoor ranges with rentals too, but I don't know about any...never really looked. Certainly google should have what you need.

-J.

 

[maxxwilde]

blindhari Said:

Try Prescott Valley in the middle of the state.

I'd second that! The only thing, the original poster mentioned alergies... We do get the occasional Monsoon in summer, and the humidity goes up pretty fast. It's not bad, and kind of a nice break from the dry heat.

Mike

 

[maxxwilde]

blindhari said:

I never thought about living in Sedona, just ain't my style. I grew up in San Francisco bay area but Frisco was never my style either, and I had no reason to go there.

LOL Another guy who moved from the SF Bay area into Northern Az... Glad to see im not alone.

Payson is ok, Strawberry, Pine, Jerome, showlow, Snowflake, Alpine, St James, Heber, Overgard, Williams, Ashfork, Kingsman, Prescott, Chino, Black canyon can be delightful.

You MIGHT want to avoid Ash Fork, it's really pretty small. Unless, thats what your looking for. What I've heard is the job market there really isn't good. Just a thought.


Mike

 

[Wile E Coyote]

Hot is hot...NOT! Having been a few places on a few continents in my short years, I say that at least in a dry heat you can breath and your clothes don't stick to you. It really does boil down to personal tolerances and preferences. I agree, the wide open spaces, and lack of green are two areas most easterners mention having a hard time to adjust to (aside from the heat of course, hehe)
I also agree that the property taxes are almost comically low when compared to the northeast. Keep that in mind when you look at wages/total compensation.
If you absolutely want to avoid snow, generally speaking you will then also find yourself bearing the most heat in the summer. I myself lived in Havasu for 11 yrs before moving elsewhere in AZ. No snow, but it was 126 deg F the very week I moved there years ago. Many of the northern AZ areas mentioned above barely break 105 deg, but they will have varying amts of snow.

As far as work, I second the idea of not overlooking tribal po-po positions. My assumption is that their funding may not be so tied to the current economy as the public sectors.
Oh, and for LE and teaching both, plan to freshen up on your high-school Spanish if you don't use it already!

Edit after a reread of your OP: One big hangup you mentioned was tourists. Knowing that, forget areas like Havasu and Sedona.

 

[Yo Mama]

Uh dude, I can attest that in 120 degree heat my clothes stick to me.

 

[PSYCHOBILLY]

AZ is kick ass!