May be moving to WY. Residents, info on gun/carry laws please

[jrfoxx]

Well, If my interview goes well tomorrow, I may be moving to Wyoming for a new job. I have perused the net for a bit looking at Wyoming's gun laws, but would appreciate getting any info I can from current residents about WY gun laws, including CCW laws, the permit process and requirement/cost, open carry laws, and how common/accepted it is in general, full-auto, SBR/SBS, suppressor laws, and anything else you can tell me.

And, so nobody gets jumpy and tries to discourage me form moving there, I'm have NO interest in trying to make anyplace in WY like where I come from, and am MORE than happy to integrate and embrace WY's people, customs, laws, etc. So, rest assured, I'm not Nancy Pelosi's nephew, and am not planning to move there and corrupt thing with my ultra-liberal views and politics, and whatnot, so you have nothing to fear. I have no interest in changing, or otherwise messing up you beautiful state like some others who move form certain states or big cities seem to be know (whether true or not in reality) of trying to do.

From what I'm seeing, the there is NO AWB, MG's and suppressors are legal, SBR/SBS I'm not real clear on, also am not sure on the permit requirements. What I read seems to imply that anyone who has EVER been convicted of even a petty misdemeanor for pot possession, in ANY state is not eligible for a permit. Is this accurate, is it a convicted within the last X number of years like most other places? I got busted for misdemeanor possession of a couple grams when I was young, dumb, and in college in 1994, and would hate to think I cant get a permit there, when it hasn't been an issue in any other state I have lived in, and the Navy had no issues at all giving me a Secret security clearance. FWIW, haven't touched the stuff (or anything else) since that fateful day 14 years ago, and rarely even drink, and even then its just 1 or 2 dark beers with dinner or rare occasion.

Also, it looks like OC is completely legal, and the claim is that LEO's are generally fully aware of the fact, and it isn't a problem with them, or the general population, but would like to find out first hand if possible, as I prefer open, or at most, "sloppily" concealed, as its more comfortable and generally simpler.How common is OC there, and how is it generally viewed by LEO's and the citizenry?

Sadly, WY doesn't seem to honor my OR permit, since our dumb state refuses to honor ANYONE else's for whatever reason.Sorry about that WY, and all the rest of the states.

Thanks for any info you can give me. Also, and info on WY in general, or the cities of Casper and Worland is also appreciated.

 

[Catherine]

WY is supposed to be a good PRO GUN state.

I used to be in contact with some WY gun nuts over by Cody, WY before I lost contact with some of them when I was 'offline' before and after my late husband died. I debated about buying land in WY because of their PRO GUN LAWS as in other states.

Some Powell, WY policemen got on some guy's case over OPEN CARRY recently. He was in an OC state and with a friend. Since he was visiting his friend who was a resident in WY - he opened carry.

There were several LINKS about this and one of them may be here/below and elsewhere:

http://www.keepandbeararms.com/

http://www.freedomsphoenix.com/ = another link that may tell this story.

Catherine

 

[jwalk]

jrfoxx,
Your information on carrying sounds pretty accurate. Never got into suppressors/MG, but see ads for them in Cody all the time. Open carry is legal and doesn't raise many eyes (it's Wyoming) especially during hunting season. CCW, don't have one, yet. However, being prior military that is all you need, plus the fee. I have been pulled over by the WSP and had a M-1 carbine in the back seat of my truck and a pistol in its case in the front seat and the officer's heart rate didn't jump a bit, at least to my observation. He didn't say or ask anything about them (again, it's Wyoming). In my limited time here people going into the mountains or desert unarmed get the wary eye instead of the other way around.
As for Worland and Casper they're about 2.5 hours apart. That's a big difference even for here. What kind of employment are you looking at? Casper, to me, has the biggest inner city dump feel to it for such a small town that I have ever seen. There are some nice parts, but also some really dirty and ran down parts. I admit to not having spent much time there. They do have all the main businesses one might look for ie. Sam's Club, Home Depot, numerous restuarants, and a mall. Worland is 30 minutes from anywhere, an hour from the mountains, and 1.5 hours away from a Wal-Mart. It's got basic ammenities, but you have to travel for any big purchases, events, or shopping. The hunting in both places is phenominal. It's as easy as picking up a tag, getting up early enough, and coming back with a deer within 30 minutes. Did it twice last year.
Anyways, hope this helps some. I'm by no means an expert, but just about all you said about gun laws sound right.

 

[kingmonkey]

I know WY is a "gold star" open carry state. As for CCW I know it is a shall issue state and I think the residency time is 6 months. Do a search on Google and you can find all of the answers you want.

 

[Catherine]

I agree that WY has a good rating = gold star.

That does not mean that 'some' of the police (GOOD and BAD in all people and in all professions!) will not try to intimidate some people on OC as you see anywhere in 'Amerika' aka NWO Police State as we know it in this day and age.

WY was UP for the Free State Project too. Libertarian folks may know more about this along with the NH folks.

I have been in WY several times and OC because I am an OC lady. My husband opens and conceals carry.

Best wishes to the original poster.

Catherine

 

[wyosasquatch]

I can answer a few of your questions.

You have to live here six months prior to applying for a CCW. It costs $81 and takes up to 90 days. However, you have to live here one year prior to APPLYING for resident hunting licenses. I know, it doesn't make much sense.

Open carry is legal here but not all parts of the state embrace it. Some of the smaller towns don't seem to be bothered. Some of the larger places (Larger is a relative term, keep that in mind) allow open carry but the general population is unaware that it is legal so there is a tendency to call the cops on a guy with a gun at the grocery store. In my experience, the LE tends to frown on OC and encourages CC.

Some parts of the state are liberal (Laramie and Jackson primarily) and the rest remains rather conservative.

I open carry in the mountains and it is not uncommon to run into people in the great outdoors that are armed. One person stated that those that aren't carrying are looked upon with a bit of suspicion. I would say that this is relatively true, I usually assume most people I encounter in the mountains have a gun somewhere close by.

What part of the state are you headed for? Let us know here what is happening with your possible move. Good luck and God speed.

 

[jrfoxx]

So, as an update, the company is now flying me out to Evanston, WY (just got back from 3 days in OK city, OK with them on Thursday) to check out the area, and well as the facility I will be working at if hired, and do a meet and greet/informal final interview with the people in charge of the department there, so any people with more info on WY gun laws, and any info about Evanston and the surrounding are in general, would be apprecited. also, thanks to those who have already responded. All info is helpful, since I dont know much about WY, having never been there.

I am Googling up as much info as I can, reading the state laws, NRA-ILA, OC.org, etc, but obviously, first hand info from people who know the state, and the Evanston area in particular, will have insight/info you cant really get anywhere else, and I know will give me honest info/opinions (especially here), as opposed to what you will read on the net, typed up by a PR/tourism department, or from just reading raw data on terrain, climate, etc.

Specific interest in on OC (is it explicitely legal,without a permit, and state preemption applies at all times, or is it like OR where premption only applies to those who have a carry license, otherwise, local laws must be accounted for too), hunting, and general gun friendlyness in the Evanston area, and any detail on the "drug conviction" issue mentioned in the OP (recap: the info available is vague as to whether or not a misdemeaner possession of pot conviction from 1994 is a disqualifier, or not. Most places say "within the last X number of years", but WY doesnt say if there is a 'cutoff' at all, or if its a permanant "no carry license" thing no matter how old)

Thanks again all.

P.S.-for anyone who isnt familiar with where Evanston is (not uncommon for someone in a state to not know every single city, obviously), its in the SW corner, right near the UT border, so I can save you a trip to the map.

 

[CB900F]

Jrfoxx;

Although I'm currently a resident in Montana, I lived in Wyoming most of my life. I got my carry permit there 91 days after they passed the law enacting it.

Are you now bound for Evanston? Or are the Casper & Worland possibilities still open? I lived in Casper the entire time I was in Wyoming, with the exception of time spent in school in Laramie. It's highly likely you won't want to live in Laramie. However, if you want specific information about Casper, I'd be glad to give you an overview.

900F

 

[jrfoxx]

Looks like it's going to be Evanston specifically.The other places I had listed in the OP were just some of the places the wife liked for whatever reasons, and were a possibility, depending on the specific section I chose/received an offer for. After 3 days in OK taking tours and learing more, the section I was most interested in only has an opening in Evanston, and we all agree that it seems just as nice as any of the other places we looked at, so thats were we are planning to be going.

My biggest concern really is the attitude on OC in that area, since I have to wait 6 months to apply for a WY permit (the dont accept my OR one, because OR stubbornly refuses to accept anyone elses :banghead:, otherwise, they would, since the process to get one is identical in voth places, and laws are similar, with WY having a few more off limit places), and how getting caught with a couple joints in college 14 years ago may effect me getting the permit, since they dont list any specific numeber of years old that has to be to no longer be a disqualifier (the law doesnt say that I can find, so it may be that even an 80 year old conviction still disqualifies you. I hope not, since I think that seems a bit much for a non-violent misedemeaner, from 14 years ago, that resulted in a small fine a probation only, and I have had not so much as a parking ticket since, and had a secret security clearance in the Navy for my 5 years I was in, but stranger laws exist).

I know WY accepts UT permits, and UT is only about a 10 mile drive from Evanston, so if need be, I may be able to get a UT permit to cover me (unless a 14 year old pot conviction disqualifies there too, I cant find any specifics for them either. The UT app. just has yes/no questions that say "have youever been convicted of a any drug related offense" and "have you ever been convicted of any alcohol orelated offense", etc. Again, no info on if they only care if its been within the last X number of years, or if a charge is a permanant denial, regardless of how old)

 

[wyosasquatch]

Evanston area has lots of BLM land around it (public). My sister and her family live in Rock Springs (east of Evanston about 100 miles) and it is 96% BLM around there. I believe Evanston is the same.

There is some good hunting in that part of the state. Keep us posted on the progress of your pending move.

 

[wyocarp]

The only problem is that you are one more person moving to Wyoming.

The state is a better place without the energy boom and far less people from parts other than here.

Typically, open carry is fine. I was talking with an highway patrol just last week about a trucker that ran me off the road and while looking in my passenger window noticed that there were a lot of guns in my truck. His comment was about me having more guns than he had in his squad car. I confirmed that and he asked why. I told him I liked guns and he didn't say anything else about it.

 

[flynlr]

the only thing I know about Evanston is that it's Salt Lake Citys
fireworks and liquor store
or so Ive heard.

 

[jrfoxx]

The only problem is that you are one more person moving to Wyoming.

The state is a better place without the energy boom and far less people from parts other than here.

Believe me, if I had a choice, I'd much rather stay here in OR, as our carry laws are considerably better IMHO to WY's. WY have a decent list of places you cant carry, whereas OR has only 2. Jails/prisons, and courthouses, thats absolutely it. We happen to like it here quite a bit (although We'd much rather move further east in OR into the boonies, as Eugene is WAY too big and liberal for my liking.

But, I got layed off when the company I was working for shut down, and I have simply had NO job offers here, in spite of sending out plenty of resumes for jobs here. There just isn't much available here for electronics techs (at least not thats hiring now), and I need a decent job and good insurance, as I have a family with medical issues to support, and WY is where my only job offer is.

So, all I can say is that I'm sorry that I'll be one more person moving to your state, but I have no choice in the matter, unless all of you would rather support me and my family with welfare, Medicaid, etc, which I'm sure you prefer not to, which is fine by me, as I have ZERO interest in living of of others money and hard work. Just not how I do things. So, Wyoming it is. All I can say is fear not, I have NO interest in changing WY to be like OR or MI (where I'm actually from). I just want to provide for my family, and live a quiet, simple, un-intruded upon life in a small town (or preferably, out in the boonies 30min+ from a small town), where I can be free to do my thing, while everyone else does there's to their hearts content. So don't worry, I assure you I have no intention of screwing up or overcrowding you state, but am more than happy to help improve you CCW laws if the opportunity arrises (a couple of your off-limits places are a little over the top, IMHO, but if everyone is happy with them the way they are, I'm happy to adapt and leave them alone too.)

Thanks for the info.

 

[jnyork]

the only thing I know about Evanston is that it's Salt Lake Citys
fireworks and liquor store
or so Ive heard.

No longer. The big fireworks store on I-80 burned to the ground a few nights ago. I'm sure they will rebuild.

Still plenty of liquor stores in business

 

[stampsm]

i was born in casper and even though i dont live there anymore i have alot of family there. i remember seeing gun racks in the back of trucks and it was not to terribly uncommon. 10-15 years ago you used to be able to have guns visibly showing in the back of your vehicle and not have to worry about people breaking into them to steal them. now i would not go that far as there are alot of younger kids and new people with no respect.

wyoming is one of the states with the highest ration of gun ownership. lots of places to shoot. the only issue with wyoming is finding work as the economy is not the bet at times, but if you already have a job offer there i say go for it. especially if it pays about the same as you are used to in OR as the property and cost of living are cheaper so more money to buy nice toys.

 

[wyocarp]

jrfoxx, yes, there are some restrictions that I wish weren't in place. But outside of those areas, there is little grief given generally.

Although.........
I did spent over an hour in the back of a patrol car once because of my guns, which I am still upset about when I think about it. I'm not sure I would be so cooperative again through the ordeal. And I'm no longer a member of The Firing Line forum because I put in print my comment to the officers at the end of the stop.