Page 1 of 2

Moving to Virginia

Posted: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:55:09
by dooger52287
Hey everybody,
New to the forums, but not a stranger to firearms ownership. My wife and I are moving to Roanoke/Salem in 1 month, 29 days (whos counting?). We both are so excited to move down south, especially to a free state like VA. Im coming from Massachusetts, where you can own a "collapsible" stock for your AR, but you have to have a gunsmith "pin" it so it can only be in one position. Massachusetts is full of laws I'll never understand. So I need some help understand VA laws.

1) I have guns in MA, can I bring them down and then register them/apply for my VA license, or do I need to get a license first, then bring them down?

2) Can I mount my AR inside my cab with a gun lock/brace (http://www.santacruzgunlocks.com/locks/universal.html)

3) Lastly, where the heck are some good ranges around the Roanoke/Salem area?

Thanks everyone for your time. If Ive posted this in the wrong place, I apologize. Moderators, feel free to move it.

Thanks!

-James

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:27:31
by ZeSpectre
1) No license in VA. Just bring your firearms with you. (Though you need to make sure they are unloaded and locked in a case to transport them through states like NY and MD).

2) I have no idea.

3) I don't know, but if you feel like making the drive some time come on up to the "Staunton Shoot n' Greet".

http://sites.google.com/site/cyansamurai/firearms/ssng

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:55:43
by UDT
:welcome: to VGOF.

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:09:13
by zephyp
:welcome: to VGOF and VA !!!!!!!!

Compared to MA, VA dont have any gun laws.... :hysterical: Seriously, you'll enjoy yourself and your guns much more here in VA. Please leave the snow up there and close the gate when you leave... :whistle:

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:19:29
by shulatt
:wave: Hello and :welcome: to VGOF!

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:32:41
by OakRidgeStars
Welcome to VGOF, James :welcome: :wave:

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:06:20
by moss20
Welcome

2) Once your in Va. you can have your AR in a gun rack in the back window of your truck with your clips in the console for easy availability. I keep a 20 ga. in my truck all the time. Va. is an open carry state also.

Roanoke is a great area, you'll love it.

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:38:59
by dooger52287
moss20 wrote:Welcome

2) Once your in Va. you can have your AR in a gun rack in the back window of your truck with your clips in the console for easy availability. I keep a 20 ga. in my truck all the time. Va. is an open carry state also.

Roanoke is a great area, you'll love it.
You just made me a very, very happy man.

I'll apologize ahead of time for all the questions Im going to have when it comes to VA laws. If you have never lived in MA, then you will never understand the restrictions that we have against gun owners. I look forward to moving, and look forward to meeting some of you hopefully at a meet and greet shoot.

Cheers,
James

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:17:22
by Oldtimer
:welcome: to the forum :clap:

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:19:01
by graybeard321
Welcome to Virginia and the forum. Don't know of any ranges in salem but I know there was a real nice range up the road outside lexington.

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 20:36:50
by 0007dad
From Salem drive to Shawsville. Proceed toward Christiansburg but just past the foot of the mountain turn on Den Hill Road. IWLA Park and range is maybe a mile.
Better yet I could meet you in the C’burg area, once the ice melts.

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:27:43
by CCFan
Not sure what kind of ranges you're looking for...

Public, close to Roanoke/Salem:

http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/easterndivi ... ndex.shtml

Indoor shooting range for pistol for those 20 degree days we're having and you just have to shoot before you go stir crazy:
http://www.pss-range.com

And if you decide you want to join a shooting range that's close to Roanoke (takes me about 30 min to get there, but I joined a while back and love going there... multiple ranges including pistol, skeet, and rifle out to 500 yards):

http://www.roanokerifle.com

Oh, and :welcome:

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 22:46:19
by zephyp
moss20 wrote:Welcome

2) Once your in Va. you can have your AR in a gun rack in the back window of your truck with your clips in the console for easy availability. I keep a 20 ga. in my truck all the time. Va. is an open carry state also.

Roanoke is a great area, you'll love it.
I dont know about Roanoke but whatever you do AVOID NOVA. Its liberal/anti gun city up here...

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 23:20:44
by CCFan
zephyp wrote:I dont know about Roanoke but whatever you do AVOID NOVA. Its liberal/anti gun city up here...
Roanoke has their share of anti's but they mostly work for the Roanoke Times... :hysterical: There's been an incident lately that put the city police in a bad spot (read about it here if you want)... However, you'll find lots of other like minded folks in the region, and the occasional OC'er, and a pickup truck with the rifle/shotgun in the back isn't uncommon... :clap:

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:05:33
by GS78
.......ok , I'm starting to see a pattern here........ :tinfoil: , anyone else think the Yankees are up to 'sumptin'?........... :whistle:































just kidding, welcome to Va, a more "freer" commonwealth.

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:06:57
by GS78
zephyp wrote:
moss20 wrote:Welcome

2) Once your in Va. you can have your AR in a gun rack in the back window of your truck with your clips in the console for easy availability. I keep a 20 ga. in my truck all the time. Va. is an open carry state also.

Roanoke is a great area, you'll love it.
I dont know about Roanoke but whatever you do AVOID NOVA. Its liberal/anti gun city up here...

I thought there was some kind of clause about having to be a member of a gun/hunt club?

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:57:59
by zephyp
GS78 wrote: I thought there was some kind of clause about having to be a member of a gun/hunt club?
For what? To put an AR in your gun rack? I think the only club you need to belong to (other than the CHP club) is the one with guts enough to do it - unless you're gonna drive through certain municipalities like Falls Church or Old Towne...

Open carry up here is something I dont practice unless I'm in a well known gun-friendly place...and they aint many of those in NOVA.

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:11:04
by fireman836
:welcome: Here is a couple web sites for information on VA gun laws;

http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/virginia.pdf
http://www.vsp.state.va.us/Firearms_Res ... ealed.shtm
http://vagunforum.net/carrying/conceale ... s-t16.html

Grab a chair and sit a spell, there are some friendly folk here.
:wave:

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:55:24
by digitalgiga
The best range i found is the the PSS range and training out in roanoke. You'll have a good time there, really decent place to shoot. I moved out to Virginia and didnt own guns before but the laws are pretty lenient when comparing to other states.

Re: Moving to Virginia

Posted: Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:08:01
by dooger52287
GS78 wrote:.......ok , I'm starting to see a pattern here........ :tinfoil: , anyone else think the Yankees are up to 'sumptin'?........... :whistle:


just kidding, welcome to Va, a more "freer" commonwealth.

HA! Us yankees want to get out of these northern states. As far as open carry, I think I'll pass. I have my carry to concealed permit up here, with a cross breed holster of course ( :thumbsup: )...and I think I'll keep it that way once I get my permit.

A few more things, Im selling my AR up here to be able to purchase an AR without all these restrictions that we have up here....can you guys tell me about some good gun shows within two-three hours of Roanoke?

Also, for some reason when someone replies to my thread I don't receive an email telling me...how can I change that setting?

Thanks everyone for your help and open arms, I can wait to get down to VA.....and as far as the snow, at the current moment you guys have more than I do....whats up with that?!