So I was talking to Jay the other night on IM, it doesn't matter which client we were using to talk and we were talking about the difference in the laws between states like MA and NJ vs. states like TX and IN.
Don't misunderstand me, I hated the way the gun laws were written and enforced in NJ. I mean, on a range trip, if I stopped off at Dunkin' Donuts, I was committing a crime! That includes if I used the drive through, which I was never inclined to do. I remember hearing horror stories of people arrested in NJ for having a SPENT shell casing rolling around in their vehicle.
I was expecting a change when I moved to IN in June of 2007. I fully expected that it would be easier to purchase a new pistol (because it was worse than pulling teeth in NJ), and I was anxiously anticipating getting my concealed carry permit. But there were changes that I was not expecting to deal with after I moved to IN.
One of the first goals I had when I moved to Indiana was to scope out the different gun shops in the area. The area that I moved to in IN is a decent sized city in the southern part of the state, although my family moved to a location about 20 miles north west of the center of town, we were definitely close enough to access all of the benefits of the city life. The city has 3 gun shops, and the county it resides in has an additional shop (which actually has a city address....).
When I walked into the three shops that were actually located in the city limits, I couldn't believe how much the guys behind the counter treated it all as a business. There was not necessarily any warmth in their eyes, even when I started asking questions, to show that I'd actually done a little research. One of the shops that I visited, the owner or employee (not sure which) didn't even get off of the stool he was sitting on when I walked in the door.
Compare that to the scene I was used to in Southern NJ (where I went to school). I was a regular at Bob's, in Glassboro, on Friday nights. If I was in town, I was at the gun shop. Most nights we shot, some we sat around the counter and talked, and some of the more regular guys then me actually helped answer questions if it got busy. With the group of regulars, it was almost like a bunch of friends, as opposed to people conducting a business transaction.
For the first 6 months that I lived in IN, I couldn't find a shop that duplicated the feelign I got when I was at Bob's shop. Finally, about a year or so ago, I found Red Ghost Gun Shop (sorry, no website). I've been doing business with the owner ever since. Some times when I walk into the shop, I only want a couple dollars of merchandise, sometimes I want a new toy to bring home (like the Kimber I got last week), and sometimes, I just want to talk politics, or guns. It doesn't matter what I want out of the visit, Terry is always pleasant when I show up.
But it's interesting to note, that the two states that I've visited gun shops in that have relatively gun friendly environments, I find that the gun shops are run much more like a business atmosphere. Although, all things considered, I prefer the way it is in IN and TX!
--Jim
Don't misunderstand me, I hated the way the gun laws were written and enforced in NJ. I mean, on a range trip, if I stopped off at Dunkin' Donuts, I was committing a crime! That includes if I used the drive through, which I was never inclined to do. I remember hearing horror stories of people arrested in NJ for having a SPENT shell casing rolling around in their vehicle.
I was expecting a change when I moved to IN in June of 2007. I fully expected that it would be easier to purchase a new pistol (because it was worse than pulling teeth in NJ), and I was anxiously anticipating getting my concealed carry permit. But there were changes that I was not expecting to deal with after I moved to IN.
One of the first goals I had when I moved to Indiana was to scope out the different gun shops in the area. The area that I moved to in IN is a decent sized city in the southern part of the state, although my family moved to a location about 20 miles north west of the center of town, we were definitely close enough to access all of the benefits of the city life. The city has 3 gun shops, and the county it resides in has an additional shop (which actually has a city address....).
When I walked into the three shops that were actually located in the city limits, I couldn't believe how much the guys behind the counter treated it all as a business. There was not necessarily any warmth in their eyes, even when I started asking questions, to show that I'd actually done a little research. One of the shops that I visited, the owner or employee (not sure which) didn't even get off of the stool he was sitting on when I walked in the door.
Compare that to the scene I was used to in Southern NJ (where I went to school). I was a regular at Bob's, in Glassboro, on Friday nights. If I was in town, I was at the gun shop. Most nights we shot, some we sat around the counter and talked, and some of the more regular guys then me actually helped answer questions if it got busy. With the group of regulars, it was almost like a bunch of friends, as opposed to people conducting a business transaction.
For the first 6 months that I lived in IN, I couldn't find a shop that duplicated the feelign I got when I was at Bob's shop. Finally, about a year or so ago, I found Red Ghost Gun Shop (sorry, no website). I've been doing business with the owner ever since. Some times when I walk into the shop, I only want a couple dollars of merchandise, sometimes I want a new toy to bring home (like the Kimber I got last week), and sometimes, I just want to talk politics, or guns. It doesn't matter what I want out of the visit, Terry is always pleasant when I show up.
But it's interesting to note, that the two states that I've visited gun shops in that have relatively gun friendly environments, I find that the gun shops are run much more like a business atmosphere. Although, all things considered, I prefer the way it is in IN and TX!
--Jim
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