Possible Durham, NC move. Any gun relevant info?

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larryh1108

larryh1108

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As the title shows, my wife is considering a move to work at the VA in Durham. This would mean a move to the proximinity of the VA campus. Any suggestions of the more gun friendly areas and how is the gun climate in NC and the Durham area? Thanks for any help. The info will help me decide if it's a good move or a no-go move.
 
Living outside that county is an option. Any good places to look for an apt to start?
 
Larry, This is all my opinion- YMMV. Durham is a great town. People that live in Durham seem to like it. People that live in Wake County (Raleigh and Cary/Apex) may disagree. There seems to be a minor rivalry between these areas. I once saw a tee shirt that said "I'd rather get shot in Durham than die of boredom in Cary". That's about right... I think most would say Durham is a great place if you want a little city evening outing (baseball game, theatre, etc.) But many head back to their suburb elsewhere. Most people that live in Chapel Hill, or Cary/Apex or North Raleigh tend to stay in their worlds, I think.

Now about what you asked- gun relevant info... As has been mentioned Durham requires handgun registration, I don't know the details. It is not the friendliest area for a gun enthusiast. You may look at areas off of 40/85 like Mebane, Hillsborough etc. if you want to be near the VA time wise. Regarding apartments- You also might check Off of Rt 70 between Rts 440 and 98. Seems to me there are a lot of apartments in that area.

A question you didn't ask that could help guide you is "Where would one move if they wanted to be surrounded by like-minded anti-gun prius owners". The answer would be Chapel Hill and Carrboro for sure, and to a lesser degree Durham.

In any case we welcome someone from the north that does not bring anti-gun attitudes. Hope that helps.
 
Lol, well written Scott.
I appreciate what you wrote and that is what I am looking for.

So, I will ask... where is the best place to find PRO-gun people who don't keep their undies tied up their back end and who appreciate a good day at the range or reloading bench? We just want to live within a reasonable driving distance to the hospital, not in the actual city or college campus area.
 
Scott and bottom shelf are spot on. I moved to Kernersville, NC 6 yrs ago from Pennsylvania and I haven't seen any problems with guns down here no matter where I go. Durham is the only place I know of with more stringent gun laws. Kernersville is between Winston Salem and Greensboro. I miss home but I enjoy living here. You sure won't miss winter.

Everybody I know carries a hand gun where I live, not because we need to but because we want to.

The only thing I was disappointed with was that they wouldn't honor my PA concealed carry permit of 30 years when I became a North Carolina citizen.

You have to qualify with a hand gun at 7 yds by putting 40out of 50 inside the 7 ring which is a piece of cake for anyone that's familiar with shooting them.

When I qualified for my permit I took my target out with one big hole in the bullseye. The kid working there said he couldn't count more than one hole and had to go ask someone if that was allowed. Couldn't believe it. The owner looked at it and started laughing. It was all good.

I had to take the NC 8 hour training class also. It cost me $90.00 for the permit and $100.00 for the training coarse and 6month subscription to the indoor range I shoot at.

The permit is good for 5 years.

Good luck
 
Thanks, TT. That's good info. I wonder if the mandatory NRA certified course I had to take in CT will do in NC,,,, or the mandatory course I had to take for the Utah permit.

What about my guns that I already own and bring instate? Are they ok at home until I get my permit or do I have to leave them somewhere until I get permitted up?

Does anybody know if it's Raleigh or Durham or the counties that require the handgun permit? No need to jump thru those hoops again, I just won't move there. Their loss as my tax dollars spend as good as the anti's money.
 
It's Durham County that requires handgun registration, Raleigh/Wake county does not. I lived in Raleigh for several years and it's relatively gun friendly with several gunshops and ranges.

You don't have to have a permit to possess a handgun in NC, and as far as I know Durham is the only area that requires registration. I'm not sure how long you have to register your firearms once you move into Durham county.

NC does have archaic pistol purchase permit laws that require you to have a county sheriff issued "purchase permit" or a concealed handgun permit when buying a handgun. Your Utah and CT classes will not work for the NC concealed carry permit. You will have to sit through the ~8 hour course (which contains good info pertinent to NC laws and carrying) and then qualify and file the paperwork with the county sheriff's dept, then play the waiting game, 6-8 weeks around here.

Overall the people of NC are gun friendly, especially when you get away from the cities and into the rural towns.
 
Thanks, V8. Does anyone know how traffic is during rush hour from Raleigh to Durham? It seems like Burlington is a place to stay away from. Any other "no go" areas around the Raleigh-Durham area? How about Timberlake/Roxboro area? Or? We'll need to rent until we can find a place to buy so I'm flexible where I start out but want to be "safe".
 
In Raleigh on I40 the traffic can be congested at times, but is not horrible unless there is a wreck or ice/snow, etc. It may slow from time to time, but rarely reaches a standstill. I only headed towards Durham from Raleigh a few times during rush hour, but it was pretty much the same.
 
V8 said: "Overall the people of NC are gun friendly, especially when you get away from the cities and into the rural towns."

So True! This is what I was saying about Mebane and Hillsborough. They are a little more rural. In the rural areas, you are the minority if you are anti. But you will also have to get past a little of the "anti up north" stuff. Overall they are great people. As long as you don't start sentences with "well up north we...." you'll be fine. They don't give a sh1t how you did it up north- you are part of the problem if you think that way. LOL. When we moved from up north we picked Apex because we felt like we could be transplants like everyone else and there was some comfort in that. We got the feeling in some of the established areas of Raleigh we could live there for 10 years and still be the new people on the block. On our street the neighbors are from all over the US (mostly North of here). As in- 10 neighbors on the street- two from NC. From 2010 to 2013 (and til now probably) there were about 3,000 new residents per month in Wake county. The growth is unbelievable. There is growth pretty much everywhere in NC. So what this brings is opportunity- AND- a bunch of people that come from states that have been ruined by the policies that have been voted into law.... Some of them are trying to escape the policies, some of them are clueless and continue to vote for the crap that ruined their states.
I love the people of NC. I always say I wasn't born here but I got here as fast as I could.

OH- about traffic- if you know real traffic (DC/San Fran, Atlanta, Boston, LA, Chicago) there is NO TRAFFIC here. People will tell you there is traffic. It's kind of cute when they say that. Traffic means a 20 mile trip takes you 40 minutes. They just don't realize that in some areas of the country you could damn near walk faster than driving.

Good luck with your decision.
 
Thanks, guys. It sounds like a good area to look. After leaving IL and now CT, I'm done with states trampling on our rights. The sound of minimal traffic also sounds nice.
 
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I lived in Durham 15 years and recently moved to Mebane. Durham is a great town. Only the city has the gun registration, most of the county is also the city except a few places in the northern part. That would work for the VA commute. The commute from Raleigh to Durham is awful, at least on I40.
 
avoid durham. move next door LOL

NC has pistol purchasing permits that you need to get from the sheriff to buy a pistol but no waiting period. CC is pretty standard, no carrying to schools, places that are posted or any where that serves booze. you can open carry without much hassle in most places.

i never got an NC carry permit since i was 20 when i enlisted and moved to FL but i still open carry whenever im home even with my florida carry permit being valid.

if you get pulled over and you have a pistol and no permit? toss it on the dash... pretty simple




im torn on moving back at some point, NC tends to lack on industry in some ways and doesn't offer the most opportunity for someone starting a civilian career. but.. NC is one of the best states i have lived or visited. good hunting, great fishing, great camping, ok taxes, you can watch the sun rise over the ocean and set over the mountains and tons of friendly people.

edit:

BTW EASTERN NC HAS THE BEST BARBECUE........... IN THE WORLD........ if you disagree please dont move to NC :)
 
I like what I hear so far.
Thanks for the suggestions.
I've been looking at Apex.... any thoughts and is it in the right county?
 
It really depends on where you will be working. If you will be working in Durham, Apex is a long way to go. A possible hour commute each way.

I see Durham as still having some affordable housing when compared to some of our surrounding cities. You didn't mention kids or schools. Northern Durham has good schools and a low crime rate.
 
I see now she is looking at the VA Hospital. As mentioned by others, Hillsborough, Mebane, and Orange County are good options. I am preferential to Northern Durham, since I live there. Having a short commute here is wonderful. She could end up with a 5 or 10 minute commute. Especially nice if she is a nurse or doctor and has to be at the hospital when it is snow or ice season.
 
NC has pistol purchasing permits that you need to get from the sheriff to buy a pistol but no waiting period. CC is pretty standard, no carrying to schools, places that are posted or any where that serves booze. you can open carry without much hassle in most places.
Click to expand...

It is perfectly legal to carry a concealed weapon into any place that serves alcohol. Refrain from drinking. All of this was passed in HB650 and then HB937 defined certain areas that cities and counties tried to over reach their authorites on.

One thing to note is NC is a notify LEO state so always be prepared to show your concealed carry permit if you get pulled. If you have no permit place handgun on dash or in plain view on a seat.

Grass Roots North Carolina(grnc) is a valuable resource for current gun laws, legislation and other 2nd Amendment issues in NC.
 
It is perfectly legal to carry a concealed weapon into any place that serves alcohol. Refrain from drinking
Click to expand...

I thought that was repealed about 6 months after it was adopted. You better ask that question in the legal section.

What about my guns that I already own and bring instate?
Click to expand...

I know what I did with mine but maybe you better ask that in the legal section also.
 
Thanks guys for reminding me again how much better South Carolina is than North Carolina! :cool:
 
tightgroup tiger said:
I thought that was repealed about 6 months after it was adopted. You better ask that question in the legal section.



I know what I did with mine but maybe you better ask that in the legal section also.
Click to expand...
Here are the gun laws of NC from the AG as of 2014

http://www.ncdoj.com/getdoc/32344299-a2a7-4ae5-99fd-9018262f64ac/2007-NC-Firearms-gun-Laws.aspx

Cut and pasted from the PDF



Permittees are specifically allowed to carry a concealed handgun in the following areas:
Premises where alcoholic beverages are sold and consumed unless the
premises is posted to prohibit the possession or carrying of firearms. Of
course, the permittee may not consume any alcohol while carrying in this
area. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-269.3.
19 2. Premises where a fee is charged for admission unless the premises is
posted to prohibit the possession or carrying of firearms. N.C. Gen. Stat. §
14-269.3.
3. Parades and funerals unless the area is posted to prohibit the possession or
carrying of firearms. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-277.2.
4. Grounds or waters of a park within the State Parks System as defined in
G.S. § 113-44.9.
As provided in G.S. § 14-269.4(5), it is lawful for any person to carry a firearm openly,
or to carry a concealed handgun with a concealed carry permit, at any State-owned rest area, at
any State-owned rest stop along the highways, and at any State-owned hunting and fishing
reservation. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 14-415.11(c).
 
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I love the 'of course' in the can't drink section as if it's common knowledge that having a beer while CC'ing is unheard of. Anyway, I grew up in western NC, went to school in Raleigh and was in Mebane yesterday on business. I agree that I would move slightly out of Durham, but no so far that the commute is long. I was always told that Cary stood for 'containment area for relocated Yankees' so note the comments made earlier that no one really wants to hear how great things were done up north.
 
no one really wants to hear how great things were done up north.
Click to expand...

This would never come out of my mouth. If things are done so well up north, why is it so screwed up? As for the BBQ, I've heard it is the best, period. Of course, my taste buds will be my judge but good BBQ is good BBQ.

I'm reading the link dusty provided (thanks). Nothing like reading the actual document but these things are sure wordy! 40+ pages to cover 2 pages of nuts and bolts.... geez.
 
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