Sweet Home Alabama....

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also, I am keeping my AZ CCW permit (AL has reciprocity with AZ)... I already spoke with AZ DPS and I just have to update them with my new address (just found a house today) so they can send me out another one. The AZ permits are good for 5 years and when my permit gets close to expiring I will just make sure to look for a renewal class with the az rangers that coincides with a business trip out to AZ (or to check on my home that I still own in AZ).
 
AL won't recognize the AZ permit if you have an Alabama Address. Getting your AL permit isn't much hassle when you've established residency though. Expect the Madison County Sheriff to take his sweet time processing it, but local law enforcement here seems supportive of law abiding gun owners.
 
Frost

Welcome to Huntsville! A great town; I've been in the area since 1998. Lots of good hunting within a few hours of here. There's Skyline, Black Warrior, the Talledega National Forest, Wheeler (primitive weapons only), and a few other places.

Also, if you like trout fishing, Madison County lake stocks rainbows during the winter. The tailwaters of Smith Lake dam are stocked with rainbows throughout the year. As was mentioned in a previous post, a lot of us also go up near Winchester, TN to do some trout fishing. Mostly rainbow, but one can also catch brownies, too.

Guntersville Lake is a great place for bass and brim (bluegill).

Also, within an hour of so of Huntsville there are several shooting ranges. There are the public ranges at Skyline and Black Warrior, Larry's Pistol and Pawn has an indoor pistol range, there's the one in Decatur that has a 500 yard rifle set-up, Sand Mountain Shooter's Club in Boaz, and the Arab Practical Pistol Club in Arab.

I've been wanting to join the Arab club for a while; they run monthly IDPA, 3-gun, USPSA, and steel matches. I just never seem to remember to send in the membership fee. Now that I know RoadKill is the XO of the club, I'll see if I can't meet him there at the range sometime and cough up the dough :D

Oh, Larry's is pretty much THE local gun shop. Pretty good people work there for the most part. Guns are fairly priced, and one can occasionally get a smoking deal on something. Lots of ammo, and they do sell some reloading supplies (mostly primers).
 
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TenDriver,

I will have to check on the CCW thing, because the way the AZ DPS described it to me was that was the easiest way to deal with it.

also, I spoke with a couple of the class 3 shops around here and at first most were not very pleasant to deal with until I mentioned what I needed to have transferred in (my class 3 toys and cans are still sitting with my buddy back in AZ who has his SOT and is a class 3 dealer), then their attitudes quickly changed to being very nice and polite (I think they were seeing dollar signs from the future sales of ammo, etc.. and other class 3 toys to me).... anyway, interesting place so far and I will have to hook up with you guys for some 3-gun and IDPA matches. as for fishing I am definately interested (I grew up fishing and that is the one thing I was not able to do in az without driving for hours to get to a decent lake). Once we get moved in to the new house and settled in I will have to hit you guys up to show me around the greater Huntsville area.


Also, who is the CLEO for madison county? I need to send in my change of address forms for my C&R FFL and I will need to mail off a copy to the CLEO for madison county.
JOE
 
TenDriver said:
AL won't recognize the AZ permit if you have an Alabama Address. Getting your AL permit isn't much hassle when you've established residency though. Expect the Madison County Sheriff to take his sweet time processing it, but local law enforcement here seems supportive of law abiding gun owners.
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+1, there is no reciprocity for any other state CCW permits for AL residents.

And the MCS takes up to 6 weeks to do a simple check and issue you your permit. You can apply by mail, but you will have to pick it up in person (someone can pick it up for you); a major pain in the butt since I work out near the airport and hate downtown traffic, parking, disarming myself, etc.

ALOC et al are working to correct some of the OC issues along with a 2 week "shall issue" law with AL 582. Let's all hope it passes.
 
I may be biased passing through there and having to unload and store my firearm in the trunk and May issue CCW although closer to shall issue.

As a non resident looking in.
 
There is currently a bill in the Alabama House of Representatives that would fix both of those problems for you.

It is in the judiciary committee right now, I sure hope it passes.
 
As I understand it, you cannot carry a loaded firearm in your vehicle in Alabama like you can in neighboring Mississippi where your vehicle is considered an extension of your home. Anything that is legal to posses in your home is also legal in your vehicle in Mississippi, pistol, rifle, shot gun whatever. Alabama will lock you up for having a gun in your car without a permit, just like Illinois.
 
An out of stater would be covered under the FOPA for "just passing through" if the arms were properly secured. Alabama also recognizes CCW permits from states that recognize an Alabama CCW permit.
 
"Properly secured" arms are of no use in a car jacking. If you need a gun you need it right now.
 
"Properly secured" arms are of no use in a car jacking. If you need a gun you need it right now.
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I'm with you Owen however the law is the law until it's changed and that is currently underway here.
 
I disagree that you need a pistol permit to carry a handgun (especially in your car), but for about 10 dollars and about 5 minutes, you can have a loaded handgun in your car.

Which is very different from Illinois.
 
Fellas, can't tell you how much I've enjoyed reading this thread. I lived in Hunstville as a boy from 1960 to when I went in the Army, 1968. My early years there my family lived on post housing at Redstone, but we moved off post when my Dad drew his first tour to Vietnam. I still return there every year or so to visit family but Huntsville is just a part of my history for years now.

For anyone that's never been there, it's a great place to raise a family, usually fair amounts of jobs and housing available, and probably the best of Alabama to my way of thinking. Reading these posts brings back a few memories.
 
Good thread. I am surprised that there hasn't been mention of the Madison range out at Sharon Johnston park or the Parks & Rec range in Fayetteville (or did I miss them?). Both of these ranges are innexpensive and usually not crowded.

Comming from CA I have no complaints on AL gun law. It is pretty cool to be able to purchase a gun and walk out with it. CCP is not anything to stress over, it just takes a while to get. Get it done early and you will get called back for it soon enough.
 
My brother-in-law works there now and there is a boom in the construction business in Huntsville dispite the economy. There are a lot of safe places to shoot because of the hilly terrain.
 
Welcome UniversalFrost
You are going to have to leave that "Frost " in West Virginia when you move to Huntsville . Us southerners don't much cotton to cold weather.

Noted In your bio that you are a veteran, Larry's Pistol and Pawn gives active and retired Veterans free shooting on Tuesday, also if you have ever thought about Cowboy action shooting the North Alabama Regulators would be glad to welcome you , we shoot the first Sunday of every month, here is pour web site http://www.northalabamaregulators.com

Also wanted to point out that CCW permits can be issued for up to 5 years now. I'm not sure why all the bitching about not being able to carry a loaded weapon I your car is about. $20 bucks and 20 minutes and you are good to go. The LEOs don't hassle you in a traffic stop. They just want to know where the fire arm is and be assured that you will keep your hands clear of it. You will love Redstone Arsenal . I retired here from the army in 98 then worked 12 more years as a contractor.
 
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