Calling all AK, AZ, MT, TX, ID, UT, and S/ND members.

[P.B.Walsh]

So bad news first. I may or may not be leaving my current career. If I have to, I am thinking about perusing a law enforcement career. I currently live in Tuscaloosa, AL. If needed, or the right opportunity presented itself I would not be opposed to the idea of moving out west. From hat I can see it is gorgeous country with many places to shoot at longer ranges. That said, I have never went further west than Arkansas, and have never lived anywhere but Tuscaloosa/Birmingham, AL.


My background: Recently graduated from college, majored in psychology, collegiate football, 23 years old, single, dad of a beautiful girl named Lucy, a pit/lab mix.


Questions:

1. What is it like living in your state?

2. Did you move there from a south-eastern state?

- If so, how was the adjustment?

- If so, do you regret it or are you happy with the move?

3. How's the shooting spaces?

4. What is the general culture like?

5. Anything I should know in particular about yours state.


So, Alabama is very 2A friendly, besides the notorious NRA state rankings, how is the 2A culture in your state?


Thank you so very much for your input, I eagerly await your responses.

- P.B.Walsh

 

[gunhack]

Texas

Very big geographically .. and socio-politically ..

Austin is cool but Berkeley, Ca east .. as is most of Travis county

Dallas and Dallas county .. Think Atlanta .. whereas the rest of North Texas is quite conservative ..

Houston about the same ..

SanAntonio is lovely but much like Austin ..

Rural Texas is for the most part the old US of A ..

Economy is good .. if you can't make it somewhere in Texas, it's you ..

 

[alientrainwreck]

I come from the woods and had to move because of Law Enforcement job first move was Phoenix hated it then to salt lake city hated it even more than I got to come back to my home state where I was raised in eastern Oklahoma. I was in the USMS MARSHAL SERVICE.

 

[J-Bar]

Southwestern Missouri

1. What is it like living in your state?

Kansas City, St. Louis, and Columbia have a different "flavor" than the rest of Missouri...they are liberal, but most of the state is very conservative. Springfield, where I live, has a low cost of living; my house would cost twice as much in KC or St. Louis, and five times as much in Denver or California. Filled the gas tank at $1.84 a gallon on the weekend. I hunt deer 45 minutes from my home, can be trout or bass fishing in about the same time. I am a Colorado native, many years ago. I don't like Missouri's high humidity in the summer, but having 4 distinct seasons is nice. We don't have any more tornadoes than you do further south. Concealed and open carry are legal, and no waiting period to take possession of the gun you just purchased. I live 3 miles away from the original Bass Pro Shop, which is the biggest tourist attraction in the state. Branson and its shows are 30 minutes to the south. You can order grits in restaurants here.

2. Did you move there from a south-eastern state?

Raised in Colorado, lived in Kansas and Michigan before settling in Missouri.

- If so, how was the adjustment?

Moving from Michigan to Missouri felt like I was coming home.

- If so, do you regret it or are you happy with the move?

My wife (a Missouri girl) and I returned to Colorado for a year and a half. We loved Colorado's climate, but could not endure the expenses, so returned to the Ozarks. Been here for 34 years now.

3. How's the shooting spaces?

Lots of deer and turkey hunting here, lots of rabbits and squirrels, not much quail except for pay-as -you shoot farms. Waterfowl hunting available too. Two nice indoor ranges in the immediate area, two Conservation Department managed ranges close by, half a dozen cowboy action shooting ranges within a 2 1/2 hour drive.

4. What is the general culture like?

The big cities are like most other big cities. Most of the rest of the state is conservative, religious, traditional. Springfield has several colleges, so it is a comfortable mix.

5. Anything I should know in particular about yours state.

Missouri was one of the border states during the Civil War, and continues to be a mix of traditionally "northern" and "southern" attitudes and cultures. It's central location makes it attractive for a lot of industries, being able to ship products in any direction. Airline services outside the major metropolitan areas can be spotty if you have to fly a lot.

So, Alabama is very 2A friendly, besides the notorious NRA state rankings, how is the 2A culture in your state?

In its recent article about "best states for gun owners," Guns and Ammo magazine ranked Missouri #9, close to Alabama's #7:

http://www.gunsandammo.com/network-topics/culture-politics-network/best-states-for-gun-owners-2015/

...so most gun owners would be comfortable here.

 

[manithree]

Utah:

If you like outdoorsy stuff, you might like Utah. Lots of great mountain biking and skiing, just to name a couple. Lots of hunters (but not me).

I grew up in NW GA, and moved here to go to college in the 80's, and stayed. Lots of great jobs, especially in IT/computer fields, but not exclusively. If you're not LDS, Utah will seem weird to you. Especially the liquor laws. And you'll miss the green, but the mountains make up for it.

I'm American by birth, and southern by the grace of God, but I'm at least half westerner now, and I enjoy it.

There are National Forests within 10 minutes of my house accessible 2/3 of the year for short range and pistol shooting. Past 100 yards, I dunno.

The general culture is VERY Mormon in some places, less so in others. Low crime, good economy, reliably (maybe annoyingly) Republican/conservative.

I open and conceal carry in schools in Utah. Utah doesn't have constitutional (permitless) carry yet, but that's about the only area where our gun laws are behind. I predict we'll get it in the next couple of years.

Nearly half the people in my suburban neighborhood are gun owners, and I only know of two gun-grabbers.

 

[jmorris]

Texas

Very big geographically .. and socio-politically ..

Austin is cool but Berkeley, Ca east .. as is most of Travis county

Dallas and Dallas county .. Think Atlanta .. whereas the rest of North Texas is quite conservative ..

Houston about the same ..

SanAntonio is lovely but much like Austin ..

Rural Texas is for the most part the old US of A ..

Economy is good .. if you can't make it somewhere in Texas, it's you ..

That's pretty much it, if your a "gun guy" come on down, we need you to balance out all the lib's fleeing from CA.

 

[ManInLowCastle]

Kansas City is a bit different than you describe. Parts of the are are very liberal, parts are very conservative. For the most part Kansas City is 1.5M people made up of a bunch of small towns. I grew up in a small town in NE Missouri and many of the areas in KC have essentially the same flavor.

As far as living in MO - many like to put it this way. St. Louis is the western-most eastern city (east coast-like). Kansas City is the eastern most western city (more great plains, Oregon trail, pony express, etc). Columbia is a fun college town - much like Austin or any other largely liberal highly educated small town.

Southwestern Missouri

1. What is it like living in your state?

Kansas City, St. Louis, and Columbia have a different "flavor" than the rest of Missouri...they are liberal, but most of the state is very conservative. Springfield, where I live, has a low cost of living; my house would cost twice as much in KC or St. Louis, and five times as much in Denver or California. Filled the gas tank at $1.84 a gallon on the weekend. I hunt deer 45 minutes from my home, can be trout or bass fishing in about the same time. I am a Colorado native, many years ago. I don't like Missouri's high humidity in the summer, but having 4 distinct seasons is nice. We don't have any more tornadoes than you do further south. Concealed and open carry are legal, and no waiting period to take possession of the gun you just purchased. I live 3 miles away from the original Bass Pro Shop, which is the biggest tourist attraction in the state. Branson and its shows are 30 minutes to the south. You can order grits in restaurants here.

2. Did you move there from a south-eastern state?

Raised in Colorado, lived in Kansas and Michigan before settling in Missouri.

- If so, how was the adjustment?

Moving from Michigan to Missouri felt like I was coming home.

- If so, do you regret it or are you happy with the move?

My wife (a Missouri girl) and I returned to Colorado for a year and a half. We loved Colorado's climate, but could not endure the expenses, so returned to the Ozarks. Been here for 34 years now.

3. How's the shooting spaces?

Lots of deer and turkey hunting here, lots of rabbits and squirrels, not much quail except for pay-as -you shoot farms. Waterfowl hunting available too. Two nice indoor ranges in the immediate area, two Conservation Department managed ranges close by, half a dozen cowboy action shooting ranges within a 2 1/2 hour drive.

4. What is the general culture like?

The big cities are like most other big cities. Most of the rest of the state is conservative, religious, traditional. Springfield has several colleges, so it is a comfortable mix.

5. Anything I should know in particular about yours state.

Missouri was one of the border states during the Civil War, and continues to be a mix of traditionally "northern" and "southern" attitudes and cultures. It's central location makes it attractive for a lot of industries, being able to ship products in any direction. Airline services outside the major metropolitan areas can be spotty if you have to fly a lot.

So, Alabama is very 2A friendly, besides the notorious NRA state rankings, how is the 2A culture in your state?

In its recent article about "best states for gun owners," Guns and Ammo magazine ranked Missouri #9, close to Alabama's #7:

http://www.gunsandammo.com/network-topics/culture-politics-network/best-states-for-gun-owners-2015/

...so most gun owners would be comfortable here.

 

[P.B.Walsh]

Y'all I am terribly sorry, I meant to say MT for Montana! I did think about Missouri though, something tells me to go further west though if I am to relocate. It does sound like a nice place though!

 

[ntg]

Idaho is a mess....look elsewhere. Seriously. Born in UT, grew up in ID, went to USU in Logan (cool place). Last place I lived before landing a job in ID after college was Ogden, UT. I know SE Idaho the best and will not leave it again. Utah was fine but too much of a rat race. Idaho suits me. Lots of outdoors, inexpensive housing. We need more employees right now so (I'm in the business of hiring every day) so please consider Idaho, seriously.

 

[hso]

Folks, this is a firearms forum so anything outside that narrow scope is going to be off topic for THR.