Thinking about an escape to AZ

[jester5167]

I currently live in Connecticut but due to a few reasons such as cost of living and gun control laws im thinking about moving to a "free" state. AZ is on top of my list, I like dry heat.

The company I am currently employed with has offices in Tuscan, Phoenix and Chandler, I would be able to keep my current salary of just under 50k/yr, looking at some home listings this seems like a very reasonable amount to have in the area for living.

That being said I am very excited about moving to a gun friendly area. I would love to be able to purchase property that I would be able to shoot on, from my limited knowledge I assume I would have to move outside of city limits for this. What local areas around these 3 cities are affordable, safe, and would allow me to have as much freedom with my weapons as allowed but still allow a quick commute to work.

Is there anything else I should expect from my move? Will I need to get a pistol permit to purchase firearms in AZ or will my Utah/Connecticut ones allow me to purchase? How reasonable is it to expect to be able to shot on my property, how much land will I need for a small rifle/pistol line?

Thanks for the help, trying to see if this is a reasonable possibility. I also am considering Florida and Utah. Luckily I work for a very large computer company that has offices all over the place.

 

[BADUNAME13]

You don't need a permit to buy guns.
Az is an open carry state, although some cities like Phoenix regulate it.

There is ALOT of BLM/government land on that it is Ok to shoot on (And some that it's not)

Location location, location. Buy land backed up to government land and shoot away.

You DON'T want to live in Phoenix, too much: Crime, traffic, crowds, high prices, and illegals.

Getting out of the city takes HOURS (MANY)

Northern Az is nice however.


I don't know much about Tuscan but I'd look at that or the other states.
JMHO.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Arizona

Howdy, and welcome to THR.

I can't really speak to Florida, 'cuz I ain't been there. My daughter lives there, and she says right now they're trying to burn the state down.

I have lived and AZ and I've spent some time in UT.

Both are gun-friendly.

If you have offices in Tucson, Phoenix, and Chandler, I would personally suggest Chandler -- which is really Phoenix, just more South & East, and more rural.

We have a few guys down that way who can tell you more about the layout, but Chandler has the advantage of being more central (you can make Flagstaff or Prescott in about 2.5 hours). FLagstaff is gorgeous, and Prescott has GunSite (advanced firearms training and stuff).

Housing shouldn't be that bad in Chandler, 'cuz of the "slightly rural" setting, and you're only minutes from downtown Phoenix, and Tempe, and Gilbert, and . . . so on.

You can actually live anywhere in the surrounding area and commute (except for the gas prices), as I lived in Goodyear and commuted to Tempe (opposite sides of Phoenix) for some months (45 mins).

Anyway, I'll let the AZ guys take it from here.

Enjoy.

 

[Babarsac]

Hmmm I'm considering moving from central VA to Flagstaff....hmmm

 

[Poper]

jester5167,
Been in Phoenix metro area since 1986. Currently live in Chandler, which is technically a Phx suburb. 1 hour commute to Phx for work is common due to traffic. Air quality is east LA and gets worse every year. Moved well out past the city 10 years ago to get away from the noise and bustle. Growth caught us within 3 years.
7 shooting ranges within 1-1/2 hour drive (weekend traffic) 4 outdoors 100 yds to 500 yds. 3 within 40 minutes, 1 within 30 minutes. 3 indoors - 1 within 15 minutes, 2 within 40 minutes.
Tucson is closer to Old Mexico, south and east. Home of U of A and nearly as full of liberals as San Fran. Traffic is worse than Phx because only 1 (I-10) Fwy. Tree huggers and friends of the pigmy owl throw a hissy fit every time a developer threatens to turn a rock over.
If you want SoCal w/o the Ocean and 115 deg.+ summer heat (in the shade) that requires a/c on your way to work in the morning, makes EVERYTHING hot to the touch, well then: COME ON DOWN! And join all the California transplants. This place never was paradise, and with the Kalifornios turning it into the place they deserted (and complaining about it becoming like Ca!) I wonder how long our RKBA will remain intact here. Each year the libs get more and more control of the state legislature and currently hold the Gov's chair. Only work, an ill spouse and my grandson keeps me here.


My recommendation is: Remove rose collored glasses. Take good notes. Evaluate your options. Ask yourself if you really want to move across country to this slowly evolving hell hole. If you still decide to come, welcome and I wish you all the very best of luck.

Poper
BTW, 50k per yr after taxes won't go all that far here. I typically spend $70+ per week for gasoline alone and I drive a 4 cyl., man. trans. ranger. Auto ins., and registration is exceptionally high, too.

 

[cskelly]

Well I disagree with Poper. Granted, I am one of those "Ca transplants" but I did so because of my tiredness of librals in CA. Find where you can move with your job, and research that area. I know for a fact you can get a brand new home with a 50k a year job. I just did! I bought in Gilbert, a phoenix suburb, in a patio community. The house is just under 1500 sq ft.

Gun laws are fair. No permits needed to purchase. No wait period. No weapon bans. Lots of gun ranges (indoor and out). For me, 30 minutes 1 way gets me to the desert and 30 minutes the other gets me to the greatest gun club ever! scottsdalegunclub.com

Traffic can be bad on certain freeways. Gas prices are fairly high (over $3 a gallon). It also gets HOT.

Northern AZ offers some cooler weather, and more "country" feel. Phoenix is a city.


Choose wisely!

 

[Patriot-Brewer]

I love Flagstaff. Wish I could move there now. My family is now talking about buying land on the outskirts or a little west of Flagstaff as vacation/retreat home with maybe 100-200 acres.
The northern half of the state is awesome.

Man it sucks being tied to California for the time being.

And by the way, I believe Tucson is rather expensive. Lots of golf courses, etc. Or is that Scottsdale?

 

[cskelly]

Duplicate Post: Sorry!

 

[Geister]

Home of U of A and nearly as full of liberals as San Fran

Do you think it has some sort of correlation with the school? University of Arizona is considered to be a public Ivy I think, just wondering if the school is liberal like UT Austin.

 

[Maddock]

At the risk of encouraging another snowbird to come in and make my beautiful state even more crowded , here is my take on Arizona.

I’ve lived in central Arizona for about 50 years and the growth has turned the Phoenix area into one giant suburb. The population of the greater Phoenix area has increased ten-fold in that period to about 3.8 million and it doesn't seem to be slowing down. There is urban sprawl (without shooting on vacant land) for about fifty to sixty miles on a side. Think of it as about half the size of Connecticut. However, there are many fine ranges, including public ranges where you can shoot all year long (if you can take the summer heat).

current salary of just under 50k/yr, looking at some home listings this seems like a very reasonable amount to have in the area for living.-- Lots of people here live on less. I would check with your company and see if your current salary is in line with your peers in Arizona. That would let you know how your future salary may be. Housing sales and prices have flattened out over the last year, so many sellers are motivated. Whether you can purchase the house you want (or even if you want to purchase) on that salary is something where you'll have to crunch your own numbers.


I would love to be able to purchase property that I would be able to shoot on, from my limited knowledge I assume I would have to move outside of city limits for this. What local areas around these 3 cities are affordable, safe, and would allow me to have as much freedom with my weapons as allowed but still allow a quick commute to work. How reasonable is it to expect to be able to shot on my property, how much land will I need for a small rifle/pistol line?-- Single family tract homes run $225-325K. Acreage within commuting distance of the metroplex can run $10,000 an acre or more. Like the real estate folks say, location is everything. You will not find any land to shoot on within the metropolitan area. Expect to go quite a bit outside to get land where you can shoot. State law prohibits discharging a firearm within ¼ mile of an occupied dwelling, so unless you back up to Federal or State land, you need a big chunk. Most of the land in Arizona is government land, only 17.8% is private.



Is there anything else I should expect from my move?-- The heat wears you down after a while, unless you really are one of the small minority that thrives on it. Central Arizona has summer the way North Dakota and northern Minnesota have winter. We hit 100 degrees in late April this year (about average) and it doesn’t reliably drop below 100 until about the beginning of October. However from November through March, the weather is glorious. Be careful where you buy in relation to where you work. The rush hour commute can be quite lengthy to and from some areas at some times of the day.


Will I need to get a pistol permit to purchase firearms in AZ or will my Utah/Connecticut ones allow me to purchase? No, this is still the United States. No permit is needed, just the federal Brady check. Of course, you do need to be a state resident.

 

[glockman19]

I live in CA. and own property in AZ & UT. Both are great places to live and have their pluses & minuses. It all depends on what you consider quality of life? AZ is hot & dry, Flash floods, but beautiful. Utah has cooler weather and IMHO much more to offer from SLC to St George you can have it all Bryce & Zion Parks, Skiing, Boating, Hunting. SLC big city, St George in the South one of the fastest growing cities in the US and only 2 hrs. to Vegas if you want to have a fun weekend.

 

[guntodd]

i live in CA, but have visited AZ many times...

my recommendation would be to fly out to AZ, rent a car, and spend a week or two in the state checking out different areas (if you can do that) it will cost you some $, but would be well worth it. the different areas of AZ are quite different. you should find an area that suits you.

 

[denfoote]

Az is an open carry state, although some cities like Phoenix regulate it.

They had better not because they will get sued from here to hell and back for violating Arizona's preemption law!!

The only restriction on open carry is not in bars, on a school, post office, or where it's posted by the property owner. If any Phoenix cop stops you while carrying down the street, he and his town are in for an expensive lesson let me tell you!!

 

[Destructo6]

I'm living about 15 minutes south of Tucson now.

There's Federal land about another 15 minutes south of here where you can shoot. There's a really nice outdoor range in Three Points, which is about 45 minutes west of Tucson, off Ajo Way. There's another couple in North Tucson and one of the east side, iirc.

Over the next year, housing prices will probably get better as developers try to sell off their surplus. Right now, $195k will probably get you 1500+- ft^2. Check out Sahuarita, Vail, and some others. South Tucson is not so nice. North Tucson, Oro Valley, and East Tucson is pretty expensive, though nice.

 

[coelacanth]

+1 Maddock & Poper

I been coming to this place since 1959. I came for good in 1978 and IMHO it's been going downhill since about 1971. We are currently moving downhill at a pretty good clip with no signs of stopping. I currently reside in Tempe which is on the southeast side of the Phoenix metro area and just to update Arfin Greebly there hasn't been anything you could call rural around here for years. You will most likely be shooting at one of the public ranges around here since buying enough land to actually shoot on will put you at least an hour or more outside downtown Phoenix in any direction. Figure on pretty much the same situation in Tucson. Chandler is a suburb of Phoenix and is no different. We have a relatively high crime rate and consequently very high rates for most insurance including auto and homeowners. My 2005 family sedan costs about $100.00 a month just to license and insure whether I drive it or not.( BTW my driving record is spotless). Should I decide to drive it, gas runs about $3.12 a gallon right now for reg. unleaded. My electric bill from April through September averages about $200.00 per month. We are still pretty gun friendly here but as the political landscape tilts inexorably to the left that situation may not last indefinitely. There is a tremendous influx of of people to Arizona from all over the U.S. and also from Mexico which creates some serious problems and just like everywhere else our elected officials are way behind the curve in dealing with them. Lest you think I am completely down on Arizona, the weather is lovely - nothing that requires either a boat or a shovel. We are home to some of the most magnificent landscapes on the planet and aside from a few grumpy old farts in Tempe most of the people are friendly. Do yourself a favor though, spend some time here before you commit to a move - it is probably quite different than you imagine.

 

[bg]

Way things are going..Better learn Spanish.

 

[qajaq59]

As a former CT resident, who now lives in FL and has been to AZ many times, I would say you'd better head out to AZ for a trial run before you move there. They definitely have a dry heat. But boy, it is HOT. If you head out in the country to shoot in AZ you better have lots of drinking water with you.

But it's definitely a beautiful state.

 

[romma]

Great! One more Pro-gun person leaving the State of CT... Your making my job to convince legislators to reduce gun control harder Jester!

 

[jester5167]

Not as much AZ love as I was expecting. Don't worry I will travel to wherever I think about and test the waters before I move. Maybe FL is a good choice but it be nice to get off the east coast for once. If I move to Utah it will have to be Salt Lake City unless I plan on finding a new job. We however do have new offices in Reno, NV though.

 

[whitestone]

An escape to anywhere is bound to lead to disappointment. Speaking from a non-guns standpoint, even the paradise of Hawaii has it's share of problems. As one who loves Arizona and has been here for four decades, I can tell you this state is no different. Depending on whether you're a glass half full or half empty kind of guy, you'll likely find other problems in Arizona within six months you never had to deal with in Connecticut. I would hardly call it a "hell hole" as one poster said, but the Phoenix metro area is definitely changing for the worse. Your housing money will go further than in Connecticut. At 50k a year you're still going to feel the economic pinch, especially since you'll be paying for things you didn't have to pay for before. Unless you have some money put away, you can forget about buying land to shoot on that's near where you work. Do what you don't get to do with most guns: Try before you buy! Better yet, do it in August and again in the spring when the traffic is heaviest.

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Reno???

Well, heck, son!

Why didn't you say so!

Lordy, we got open carry, places to shoot, mountains to climb, lakes fer fishin' and boatin', forests fer hikin', and just about all the open space you can stand!

Guns? Carry?

Open carry, shall issue, no waiting periods at all.

I'd be right proud to have another shooter join us here in Western Nevada.

Here's a bit of trivia for you: did you know that Reno & Carson City are farther West than Los Angeles? True 'nuf!​

 

[Lonestar49]

Arizona, I agree

...

The wife and I are winding down our business and I will be soon heading to the Northern Part of Arizona, at the 5,000ft to 6000ft level, to look for the "Eagles Nest".. with a view.

Then, once it is found, make the move, get the hell of of Calif, and start off with around 6 German Shepherds, as I always wanted a "pack" of them, to live the good life, without fear of fleas, cars, or pollution in general.

The next 2yrs can come an go as fast as they want in my book..


LS

 

[Chuhhuniban]

Okay, I guess I gotta jump in here. I'm 68 and a second-generation native of Arizona. Grew up in Tucson, now live in Metro-Phoenix.

Yes, it does often seem we are intent upon recreating Los Angeles right here in the Sonoran Desert. The largest single source of inbound new residents (other than Mexico) is California. I see several comments on how high gas is. I just got back from California, and it's 15% cheaper here ($3.009 versus $3.549 average on my trip). Is that going to change? I doubt it. Answer: Live near your work (I do — yes, I'm not retired, don't intend to retire, so there!).

Gun friendly? You betcha. More restrictive than it was when I was young? Also, you betcha. But not bad. No waiting period, no permit, no numerical restrictions. CWP relatively easy to get and maintain. Open carry, as mentioned above, except bars, schools, government buildings and places where the owner has posted the property. Vehicular carry, loaded, holstered, without CWP is legal (holstered is key).

Shooting on public land? Mostly, but, like anything, not everywhere. The ¼-mile rule was cited by somebody above; it's the standard. You can't shoot on national park or national monument lands (generally), but you can shoot on BLM and National Forest land — except WHEN WE HAVE HIGH FIRE DANGER! LIKE NOW! And yet, every year, some idiot goes out, empties his AK or something and sets a forest or brush fire. I've got a son who was a wildland firefighter for a while and it reinforces the rule that, "The two most common elements in the Universe are hydrogen and human stupidity." There was a recent story in the newspapers here of two groups of over-achievers who ended up on opposite sides of a 8-foot berm in the desert shooting automatic weapons in each others direction. Arrgh.

Good private ranges scattered all around the State. One really big one run by the State Game & Fish Commission just north of Phoenix.

Temperature. Yeah, it's hot here. It's getting hotter (not Global Warming, local effect). Back in the old days, it got to 115° in June in the daytime, but it dropped dramatically at night (no AC, we slept on sleeping porches, lows of maybe 70°). As we have paved over the desert, we have raised the nighttime temperatures substantially (it's called a "heat island"). Now when it's 115° in the daytime, it only goes down to 95° or so at night. You better come here in June and see if you can stand it — many cannot. One of my sons decamped for Montana for that reason (among others).

Observation above: "learn Spanish." Good suggestion, but not maybe because of illegal immigration. My old man spoke Spanish (we're Anglo in case you were wondering) because there has always been a substantial Hispanic population here and pure courtesy would suggest you understand the culture and the language — after the Indians, the Spanish-speakers got here next. I speak Spanglish — in my grade school, at least half the kids spoke some or a lot of Spanish at home. They were my friends. The locals don't speak Academy Spanish, but it works (a truck's a "troca," not a "camion," and you go to "lonche" at noon, but it communicates). We have a big celebration on Cinco de Mayo (May 5th) — bigger actually than they do in Old Mexico, but it's a great excuse to drink margaritas and have a party, so why not?.

Housing costs. Higher than some places in the mid-West and South, but lower than the Left Coast and, probably, the Right Coast too.

What was left out of the comments above: Within 100-miles of the center of Phoenix, you can be at 7,000 feet elevation in the mountains. Snow in the Winter, cooler all the time. Mostly public land with open access. You can be in Old Mexico in 3+ hours (Puerto Peñasco — Rocky Point, beach resort town). You can be on the beach in San Diego, CA, in six hours by car, hour-and-a-half by airplane (Yuk!). If you try even a little, you can still get away from people in less than one hour. And I mean "away," nobody within fifteen or more miles of you. I have been to Connecticut and you cant' do that anywhere there. The offset to that is, of course, if you aren't good at prior planning and preparation, you can die out there (they'll find you eventually, maybe).

So, what to do? Try it in June for at least a couple of weeks. The offset there is that all the resorts are the cheapest in June, so you can come for a vacation/test-drive at the least cost time of year.

Ten cuidado.

 

[nemoaz]

Chandler isn't rural. I assume that the person who wrote that hasn't been to Chandler for a while or has a different view of rural.

[Do you think it has some sort of correlation with the school? University of Arizona is considered to be a public Ivy I think, just wondering if the school is liberal like UT Austin./QUOTE]

Public Ivy? More like Pubic Poison Ivy. It's probably the best in Arizona, but that isn't saying much.

Personally, I woiuld pick Chandler or Tucson. It would depend on the where in the city your branch is located. Either would work for me.

I would go to downtown Phoenix or downtown LA for any amount of money. I think you will find that $50k a year won't buy much house in either metro Phoenix or metro Tucson, but coming from Connecticut, I guess everything is relative.

 

[jeff-10]

Can't speak for Arizona but I live in Florida (one of the places on your potential list) and have lived here my whole life, except for a few years in the military. From Miami to North Florida and a few places in between. 50k is poverty level here. Gun laws are great but little else is. Its overcrowded and there are lots and lots of old ppl who come here and despise it and try to make everyone else miserable. The weather can be awful for most of the year depending on whether or not mother nature is trying to wipe us out any given hurricane season and it seems to only get hotter and hotter here every year. I'll be moving back down to Ft. Lauderdale in a few months and if it wasn't for family and career commitments I would move out to one of the mountain states or Nevada. If I could stand the desert I would move to Las Vegas or somewhere near it.