Grade Your Area

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lizziedog1

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If you had to grade your area when it comes to guns and shooting, what would you give it. One factor is obviously gun laws. But you need to consider other factors too. For example, do you have easy access to places to shoot or hunt.

If you live in an area with reasonable gun laws but you have to drive hours to shoot, then your grade should reflect that. Also, your grade should reflect the areas attitude about guns. If you strike up a gun conversation in public does it cause folks to throw dirty looks towards you? Or, is gun talk common and acceptable?

Do you have good gun shops around you? What about gunsmiths? These are also factors to consider. How about bumper stickers? Do cars in your area display NRA or other pro-shooting decals, or do PETA type stickers dominate the landscape?

So, if you look at the whole picture, what grade would you give the area you live in?
 
Area: Central Iowa

Score: 7.5

Pros:
Good (new) carry law here in Iowa.
Easy access to several ranges and public areas to shoot. The range I shoot is 2 miles from my house and I shoot some in my own back yard.
Several gun shops in small towns around us.
A lot of people own guns here.
Good hunting areas.

Cons:
No NFA type arms in Iowa for us normal people.
My employer is very anti-gun. (parking lot rule etc...)
No 'castle doctrine' or 'stand your ground law' yet.
We boarder Illinois. (The crazy tends to leak over from Chicago sometimes.)

Overall I give my experience (YMMV) here in Iowa a 7.5, because we're in pretty good shape and moving the right way, but I think there's a lot of room for improvement.

I'm just happy to be out of Illinois. Having recently moved from West Central IL I would give my experience there a 4. We had a high rate of gun ownership where I was at, but with a foid card, no carry law and the costant anti-gun legislation from the Chicago crowd it was not a happy place for my firearms to be.

<edit>
Sorry, I don't think in terms of letter grades. I guess it would be a 'B' if I had to give it a letter.
</edit>
 
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Interesting question. I live in the Valley Forge area of Pennsylvania and we have good gun laws. We will have really good gun laws when the Castle Doctrine is passed, I won't consider the gun laws great until we have permit-less carry.

There are numerous gun shops in the area and quite a few ranges, public and private. I know there are gunsmiths, but do not know how good they are because I have yet had to use one. I don't hunt but believe there are places in the surrounding areas.

Peoples attitude toward guns? Hmm interesting. I would say there is a good mix especially considering our proximity to Philadelphia.

Over all grade I would give us a B to B+. There others on here close by so now I am curious how they would grade it.

Shawn
 
9+

+'s Decent gun shops, great gun laws, plenty of places to hunt and shoot with in the 'gallon of gas radius' for round trip, good public sentiment toward guns and gun rights. I don't really pay much attention to bumper stickers, unless they are garish or very funny, so I really can't say, but there are a lot of pickups that still have gun racks and most have a gun in the rack. OC is a non issue, and this is the Original Constitution Carry State.


-'s Walmart, for cheaper ammo, is a bit of a drive away. There are quite a few 'gunsmiths' that can do routine smithing but there are no 1911Tuners around, AFAIK, and a couple of butchers that have a sign but lack the ability to do much beyond get themselves in over their heads. And, oddly enough, no sound suppressors permitted, and no loaded long guns in autos.

This is not for the entire State, but only my small part of Vermont's Northeast Kingdom.
 
I live about an hour north of San Francisco. F minus minus minus!

We have...one range an hour away. It's ok, but the benches are falling apart and the rangemasters are extremely uptight. For serious shooting, we go two hours north to our cabin in the woods.
 
Area: NC
Grade: D- or 4.5 on a scale of 1-10 (I would say F, but we do have concealed carry)

Pros:

  • We have concealed carry. (A bill is the house to repeal some of our archaic laws)
  • Open carry isn’t defined as illegal.
  • I see more NRA stickers than PETA.
  • Several ranges that hold competitions.
  • If you have a CHP, the federal government has declared that an NC CHP is a suitable substitute for NICS checks. I don’t need to worry about getting flagged on one of those dreadful things.

Cons:

  • Concealed carry laws cripple our right to carry.
  • No concealed carry in an establishment that serves alcohol…like every restaurant under the sun. (A bill is currently in the house for this)
  • Open carry isn’t defined as legal. Going “armed to the terror of the public” is illegal and also a legal term shrouded in mystery. I could open carry a handgun in the wrong area and potentially face that charge.
  • I see PETA stickers.
  • No castle doctrine, though current laws do allow for home defense without duty to retreat…a well-defined castle doctrine would go a long way. (A bill is currently in the house for this)
  • Pistol Permits (leftover Jim Crow legislation!!!!) obtained through the local sheriff’s offices are required for pistol purchases…except for CHP holders. The local sheriff can deny purchase at whim if he so chooses.
  • My area doesn’t have many rifle ranges…luckily my backyard does.
  • This little blurb from NC Wild Life…an organization who values animal lives over human lives IMHO:
    “Concealed carry permits do not supersede the other regulations that apply,” said Maj. Keith Templeton, with the Law Enforcement Division of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. “It is up to the individual with a valid concealed carry permit to know the law and obey it.”
Under game land regulations, it is unlawful to possess a firearm or bow and arrow on a game land at any time, except:
• During the open hunting seasons for game birds and game animals
• When the firearm is cased or not immediately available for use
• When possessed and used by participants in field trials on field trial areas
• When possessed and used on target shooting areas designated by the landowner
• When possessed in designated camping areas for defense of persons and property
Game land regulations allow .22 caliber pistols, with barrels not greater than seven and a half inches in length and shooting only short, long or long rifle ammunition, to be carried as a sidearm on game lands at any time, other than by hunters during the special bow and arrow and muzzleloading deer hunting seasons.
Some additional game land and hunting regulations of note:
• All hunting seasons are closed on Sunday; some game lands are open to hunting only three days per week.
• Only a shotgun and bow and arrow may be possessed during the big game season for wild turkey. This means no rifles or handguns are allowed on game lands during the wild turkey season.
Other notable state laws:
• Loaded firearms are prohibited at all N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission public access areas (boat ramps) and public fishing areas.
• It is also unlawful to possess a loaded firearm within a posted restricted zone of any state-owned fish hatchery.
• In counties where shining a light at deer is not prohibited, it is always unlawful to be in possession of any firearm, including a concealed firearm with permit, while shining a light in search of deer.
 
Grade -

+10 OVERALL

MO's a GREAT PLACE for castle doctrine, ccw, open-carry, guns, shooters, outdoor sports - etc.

Columbia (where I live) is even BETTER... The ONLY "big box store" here is BassPro (no Cabellas, Gander - etc) BUT....
- 5 minutes to MidWayUSA
- 30 minutes to Grafs
- 45 minutes to Starline Brass
- 45 minutes to Sierra Bullet (next door to Starline Brass)
- 45-60 minutes to Missouri Bullet

Gun Availability?
If you can't find it here locally in the Columbia area, then you can pretty much rest assured you can find it East or West; it's 90minutes to KansasCity and 90minutes to St.Louis
(hence how "MidWay" get's it's name, their exit is EXACTLY halfway between KC and St.Lo)

Don't GIT Mo'Betta than this ! ! !
 
I would say Georgia is an 8.

We have to pay for a ccw license and submit fingerprints.

Gun shows and local web forums are the best place to find decent prices on guns.

We just got a new range in our area (Atlanta) that caters to more of the hipster crowd which is great. It is a much more friendly shooting environment being free from redneck types.
 
...caters to more of the hipster crowd which is great. It is a much more friendly shooting environment being free from redneck types.

And I am sure the 'rednecks' feel much safer not having to suffer the ill manners and juvenile antics of hipster types.:scrutiny::evil:


I don't think you actually meant that the way it came across but there are a lot of friendly 'redneck types':uhoh: inhabiting THR who might take offense.:eek:

;)
 
Interesting question. I live in the Valley Forge area of Pennsylvania and we have good gun laws.
I'd give PA a B based on the laws, but probably bump that to a B+ for gun 'culture.'

I don't like that handguns always have to transfer on a 4473, and I really don't like the PSP's handgun sales database scheme.

But, our LCTF is cheap and about as unrestricted a "shall issue" arrangement as possible. Open carry is legal. Title II stuff is easy and common. Good gun shops abound. There are thousands of gun clubs and ranges, most very inexpensive (mine is $55 a year for unlimited access to nine outdoor ranges, an indoor range, etc.). And the shooting competition scene is just fabulous!

CCW is also very unrestricted. With the exception of federal buildings, courthouses and schools (debatable), a licensed individual can carry pretty much anywhere they want to. In fact, most "Constitutional Carry" states still restrict guns in more places than does PA.
 
I'd give Michigan an overall 7, South East Michigan a 7 but for different reasons.

Pros:
Castle Doctrine, Stand Your Ground, and Lawsuit Protection
Shall Issue
Open Carry legal (if you have a concealed carry permit, you can legally open carry in most pistol free zones)
Statewide pre-emption
Michigan is generally gun friendly, even our Democrats get high NRA ratings
Overall MI - LOTS of hunting and good game management
SE MI - Hunting not as close, but plenty of ranges and gun shops.

Cons:
Pistol purchase permits required (if you do not have a carry permit)
Pistol Registration
No supressors allowed
Carry permit system is kind of wonky because it is handled at the county level rather than the state level.

If it wasn't for the Pistol Purchase Permits and Registration, I'd probably give Michigan 9. The overall trend in Michigan is for more and better firearm rights, so hopefully some of our Cons will go away soon.
 
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East TN.... My overall grade would be 8.0. I have ranges close by, a sufficient number of gun shops who ask average to good prices, plenty of Walmarts, excellent carry permit once obtained, not sure about castle doctrine, no waiting period for firearm purchases from FFL dealers, no gun registry, no permits to buy, and generally a fairly good attitude by most folks about firearms in general.

If there is one lacking thing, I'd say it is hunting opportunities without paying the property owner or joining a club and hunting on club leases. Things improved a great deal after the NICS check was implemented as there was a waiting period prior to implementing this law. There had been one in TN for a long time.
 
9.2 Here

I rate a 9.2 here in Sunny Southern Arizona. We are close to perfect but have room for improvement.

Pros: Lots of open public lands for shooting, hunting and driving. Quad and Jeep trails all over. Decent gun laws and have legal open/concealed carry with no permit needed. There is a decent municipal shooting range/recreation area with 800 yard gongs. Seperate pistol, rifle, archery ranges and a trap stand. Along with RC airplane paved strip and ramada, paintball course and ATV training course.

Cons: Only one Gun Store not counting WalMart. 85 miles to three other stores. 150 miles to Tucson and 180 miles to Phoenix.
Forest Service and BLM have closed some trails because of erosion problems that could have remained open with improvements.

But it is still a great place to live, work and play.
 
I'd give maine an 8
open carry legal, CCW easy to get (took me 15 minutes at town office)
good hunting

fair for gunshops, 1 1/2 hours+ for anything big, but lots of small mom-n-pop stores around
bad for ranges, few and far between, anywhere from 40 minutes to 2 hours depending on shooting preferences. most people just go to the local sandpit.

don't know of any gunsmiths in area, I use one near Rutland VT.
 
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im living near a major city in Connecticut and would peg us now a C and going down.

its a 'shall issue' state but the closer you are to the liberal/high crime cities the more the power of the Chief of Police is felt. denied permits for parking tickets is not unheard of. of course you can appeal a denial--the appeals board currently has a 22 month back log.
the state is now debating a 10 round mag with NO grandfathering. 90 days from when its signed and you are a Class D felon for possession even if you do not have a gun that the mag fits.

upside is the large number of rangers and a active shooting community.
 
grade: 8

One factor is obviously gun laws.
pretty good. with shall issue passed the laws are pretty agreeable. the downside is that some county sheriffs (ours at least) dosent seem to really know any specifics about the carry laws. no NFA weapons which is a disappointment, but i can carry just about anywhere i ever go which is a big plus!

But you need to consider other factors too. For example, do you have easy access to places to shoot or hunt.
absolutly. shoot in the front yard and hunt with the fiance's family on their farm 10 minutes away. or on some family land 5 minutes away, or even some public land 15 minutes away.

the downside is that their is a total lack of actual shooting ranges anywhere in the area.


Also, your grade should reflect the areas attitude about guns. If you strike up a gun conversation in public does it cause folks to throw dirty looks towards you? Or, is gun talk common and acceptable?
acceptable as far as i have ever experienced. most of the people i have spoken with own guns (actually dont know of anyone in the area that dosent own at least A gun). some of them have fairly skewed view of the 2A/RKBA but after some pleasent conversation they tend to come around (usually).

Do you have good gun shops around you? What about gunsmiths?
nope and nope. there is one "gun shop" 30 minutes away (actually a bait shop with a few guns in the back) but dont try to make any extravogent requests like .40 bullets (no i dont want loaded ammunition i want the BULLETS :banghead:). the nearest gun shop with any selection and people who know what they are doing is scheels 1 1/2 hours away. gunsmiths are non-existent.

How about bumper stickers? Do cars in your area display NRA or other pro-shooting decals, or do PETA type stickers dominate the landscape?
NRA stickers are pretty common. nearly everyone in the area are hunters, married to hunters, or enjoy the meat that they are given by hunters that they allow on their land. PETA? this place would be a nightmare for those types!:D
 
I gotta give my area an 9.5

I have never even met a true anti, I have met a few people who didn't have a problem the Clinton ban. As far as a place to shoot, well we don't have many ranges at all, we have pastures. 90% of my shooting is done within 50ft of my front door. There is also a good bit of public hunting land around here, but I have never hunted it because I (and family) have my/our own places and hunting clubs everywhere.

I can't give us a 10 because of a few state laws that are fairly common and the sheriff doesn't trust us enough to let us carry in a place that serves alcohol, which really ticks me off.:fire:

There are so many NRA stickers you don't even know who NRA members are. I know a few people who got a annual membership so they could put the sticker on their new truck and then never renewed. Used vehicle owners never take off old NRA stickers.
 
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And I am sure the 'rednecks' feel much safer not having to suffer the ill manners and juvenile antics of hipster types

Actually at the public range I have attended, the younger, educated crowd has been very concerned with safety. The range near my house is located just a short ride from Emory University in Atlanta. As a result they get many college aged adults, professors, and graduate students. It is a very low testoterone feel for a public range, and as a result you see many women and first time shooters taking lessons. You don't see many gang bangers or redneck types. The atmosphere is polite, professional, and courteous. It is by far the best range I have visited simply because of clientel you can expect when shooting. Having a non-threating environment in which to try out firearms for the first time is essential, and I'm sure many a first timer have "joined the fold" so to speak as a result of their experience there.

there are a lot of friendly 'redneck types' inhabiting THR who might take offense
Oh well, I'm pretty good at offending rednecks anyway. ;)
 
Southeast Wisconsin = 3

Plenty of places to shoot both indoor and outdoor. BUT no Castle Doctrine or CCW (yet).

Plus we have an abundance of lefty nut-jobs that think guns are responsible for every problem in society.
 
Katy Texas (a western suburb of Houston) puts me a 15 minute drive to a rifle range with berms to 500 yards..
There are gun shows within a 50 mile radius nearly every weekend.
Academy, Carters Country, Bass Pro,Gander Mountain,and Wal-Mart are within a 20 minute drive of my home..
Texas law allows a loaded weapon in my vehicles..
Life is good;).
A 10

P.R.
 
I'd give western Colorado an A. Gun stores an gunsmiths are easy to find. Places to shoot are close and accessable. The gun laws are easy to live with. Overall, very favorable gun culture. I am concerened that things may become a little more Denver-like though. I am watching with interest the influx of gangs/gangsta wannabes and drugs as well as an increasing population from California and New York. Both elements (as I see) who have different attitudes about firearms.
 
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