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Posted: 2/2/2017 1:37:45 AM EDT
Hey everybody,

Just got word a few weeks back that my first duty station is Nellis.  I've got a few questions.

What gun shops are the best?  For transfers?  For indoor shooting?  What are good outdoor ranges?  Best NFA dealer?  NV CCW Laws and easy of getting a permit?  

Best restaurants not on the strip?  I'm talking local joints, with a preference for asian food (not Indian or anything with curry), and bonus to anyone who knows where good bagels and pizza can be found.  I grew up in NY.  I escaped.  

Looking at some place to live, budget is ~$1000/month, within 30 minutes of Nellis in a not shit neighborhood (rent or buy, as long as the monthly is decent) and HUGE preference to no HOA, or at least a decent HOA that wont give a shit about what I do so long as I'm not fucking with neighbors.  Any help would be great, from where not to live, to what to look for, to what monthly utilities might be.

And finally: Local culture.  What do I need to know about living in Vegas without being an ass (i.e. voting blue), how driving is, traffic, etc.

Thanks for all your help!
Link Posted: 2/2/2017 2:12:37 AM EDT
[#1]
Quoted:
Hey everybody,

Just got word a few weeks back that my first duty station is Nellis.  I've got a few questions.

What gun shops are the best?  For transfers?  For indoor shooting?  What are good outdoor ranges?  Best NFA dealer?  NV CCW Laws and easy of getting a permit?  

Best restaurants not on the strip?  I'm talking local joints, with a preference for asian food (not Indian or anything with curry), and bonus to anyone who knows where good bagels and pizza can be found.  I grew up in NY.  I escaped.  

Looking at some place to live, budget is ~$1000/month, within 30 minutes of Nellis in a not shit neighborhood (rent or buy, as long as the monthly is decent) and HUGE preference to no HOA, or at least a decent HOA that wont give a shit about what I do so long as I'm not fucking with neighbors.  Any help would be great, from where not to live, to what to look for, to what monthly utilities might be.

And finally: Local culture.  What do I need to know about living in Vegas without being an ass (i.e. voting blue), how driving is, traffic, etc.

Thanks for all your help!
View Quote

New frontier armory is a great gunshop and site sponsor here. Most places charge $25 for transfers. I'm too poor for nfa, i shoot in the desert for free, if you want to be semi near the base clark county shooting park is fairly nice but there is also a nice free shooting spot headed north on the 95 there are a bunch of berms on the right.

Ccw is easy enough, take the class shoot get fingerprints and pay at police station wait 120 days. They cover the laws but only government buildings with signs or metal detectors at each entrance are a no go, under .10 bac while carrying, no fighting while carrying, castle doctrine in home and vehicle no duty to retreat. No duty to inform an officer unless asked.

Lotus of siam has great thai food, grimaldis, seto bella pizza rock for pizza.

You aren't going to find a lot of good neighborhoods that aren't hoa but most are pretty chill as long as you keep your shit maintained. Electric can easily go over $200 in the summer when the ac is cranking. But in general utilities are pretty cheap here. I'd avoid the city of north las vegas. Lot of shit areas. I'd recomend rwnting in a couple different areas if you are going to be here for a while different people like different areas of town. I'm a fan of green valley henderson area. You can usually get to most parts of town in 30 minutes from pretty much any other part of town. Traffic is usually pretty good especially compared to most places in cali or the east coast. It can get a little slow during rush hour and we have a lot of construction happening right now.

We don't have much culture, this is a souless city. The blue voters arent terribly outspoken or prone to protest and this certainly isn't a totally braindead liberal cesspool yet, you can find plenty of trump supporters at many local bars.
Link Posted: 2/5/2017 1:19:15 PM EDT
[#2]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

New frontier armory is a great gunshop and site sponsor here. Most places charge $25 for transfers. I'm too poor for nfa, i shoot in the desert for free, if you want to be semi near the base clark county shooting park is fairly nice but there is also a nice free shooting spot headed north on the 95 there are a bunch of berms on the right.

Ccw is easy enough, take the class shoot get fingerprints and pay at police station wait 120 days. They cover the laws but only government buildings with signs or metal detectors at each entrance are a no go, under .10 bac while carrying, no fighting while carrying, castle doctrine in home and vehicle no duty to retreat. No duty to inform an officer unless asked.

Lotus of siam has great thai food, grimaldis, seto bella pizza rock for pizza.

You aren't going to find a lot of good neighborhoods that aren't hoa but most are pretty chill as long as you keep your shit maintained. Electric can easily go over $200 in the summer when the ac is cranking. But in general utilities are pretty cheap here. I'd avoid the city of north las vegas. Lot of shit areas. I'd recomend rwnting in a couple different areas if you are going to be here for a while different people like different areas of town. I'm a fan of green valley henderson area. You can usually get to most parts of town in 30 minutes from pretty much any other part of town. Traffic is usually pretty good especially compared to most places in cali or the east coast. It can get a little slow during rush hour and we have a lot of construction happening right now.

We don't have much culture, this is a souless city. The blue voters arent terribly outspoken or prone to protest and this certainly isn't a totally braindead liberal cesspool yet, you can find plenty of trump supporters at many local bars.
View Quote


Thanks, this is great info!  I assume no CCW benefits for military?
Link Posted: 2/6/2017 4:38:46 PM EDT
[#3]
Quoted:
Hey everybody,

Just got word a few weeks back that my first duty station is Nellis.  I've got a few questions.

What gun shops are the best?  For transfers?  For indoor shooting?  What are good outdoor ranges?  Best NFA dealer?  NV CCW Laws and easy of getting a permit?  

Best restaurants not on the strip?  I'm talking local joints, with a preference for asian food (not Indian or anything with curry), and bonus to anyone who knows where good bagels and pizza can be found.  I grew up in NY.  I escaped.  

Looking at some place to live, budget is ~$1000/month, within 30 minutes of Nellis in a not shit neighborhood (rent or buy, as long as the monthly is decent) and HUGE preference to no HOA, or at least a decent HOA that wont give a shit about what I do so long as I'm not fucking with neighbors.  Any help would be great, from where not to live, to what to look for, to what monthly utilities might be.

And finally: Local culture.  What do I need to know about living in Vegas without being an ass (i.e. voting blue), how driving is, traffic, etc.

Thanks for all your help!
View Quote


New Frontier is a pretty good shop and has good prices, many that are competitive with online prices.  Their transfer fee is $20 for Military.  However, they collect sales tax.  

For transfers, I'd recommend the Gun Club on base. Transfers are $20 and they don't collect sales tax.

Spartan Arms is another newer shop and they seem friendly and have a big selection.  Their prices are a little high though.

If you're looking for Asian food, check out the restaurants on Spring Mountain road, tons of em.

I live in the Centennial Hills area and it takes me just under 30min to get to Nellis and back each day.  Nice area away from the strip's BS and decently safe.  Not sure where you're going to find somewhere with no HOA as it's all city or suburban living.

Living in Vegas, Fremont Street seems to be where locals go if that's your thing.  I'm married with a kid, so I haven't been in a couple years.  Drivers here suck as they come from all over the world.
Link Posted: 2/6/2017 5:45:52 PM EDT
[#4]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
I live in the Centennial Hills area and it takes me just under 30min to get to Nellis and back each day.  Nice area away from the strip's BS and decently safe.  Not sure where you're going to find somewhere with no HOA as it's all city or suburban living.
View Quote


Most everything has been covered so I'll emphasize this.  For Nellis folks the best option is Centennial.  (Yes, I'm biased.)  You want to stay West of Decatur Blvd.  That's where North Las Vegas ends and you do NOT want to be in North Las Vegas.  Democrat controlled and taxes suck.
Link Posted: 2/6/2017 6:26:04 PM EDT
[#5]
Link Posted: 2/6/2017 6:56:07 PM EDT
[#6]
Centennial Hills looks nice and affordable too.  Only downside is that its kinda far from some friends in Henderson.
Link Posted: 2/7/2017 10:55:32 PM EDT
[#7]
I always recommend being at least one mile from the nearest bus stop.  The further the better.
Link Posted: 2/7/2017 11:32:33 PM EDT
[#8]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


Las Vegas is Republican "controlled"?
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Yeah okay, good point.
Link Posted: 2/7/2017 11:37:54 PM EDT
[#9]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Centennial Hills looks nice and affordable too.  Only downside is that its kinda far from some friends in Henderson.
View Quote


You'll live in your house 365 days a year.  How often will you be driving to see your friends?  If you'll be commuting to Nellis you do NOT want to live in Henderson.  That commute would be brutal. Also, mileage isn't always a factor here.  You could live a stones throw from your destination and still have it take an hour to get there.  I go to my monthly matches at the Boulder Rifle and Pistol club.  It's taken me as little as one hour and as much as three.  How you hit traffic is all a matter of luck.
Link Posted: 2/7/2017 11:38:48 PM EDT
[#10]
Wolfpack, totally accurate assessment. The city "leaders" ought to be left in the eastern part of the city and forced to fight their way out. They have decimated nice, liveable areas with their policies. Section 8 for sure. Look at any crime map. There are no green zones.
Link Posted: 2/8/2017 1:31:22 AM EDT
[#11]
I get that crime rates matter, but from what I see Centennial Hills seems good enough.  Can we please get off of local politics and back into general advice about Vegas?  Thanks guys.
Link Posted: 2/10/2017 2:51:29 PM EDT
[#12]
I PCS'd to Nellis this fall so I just went through the "where to live" decision making process. I was only there for a minute before deploying, but I've also spent lots of time TDY to Nellis. Living there is very different than visiting.  From TDY's I was pretty familiar with where to eat on Craig, the strip and Fremont. I had no idea how much I was missing.

First duty station - so are you in basic now? Single? Married? Wife work? Kids? Interests besides shooting? What career field are you in? O or E? I'm assuming O, otherwise you'd likely be in the dorms on base.

Lots of .mil live in Aliante. Also heard good things about Centennial Hills. We ended up in Summerlin. Like everywhere else in Vegas, there are nicer areas and trashier areas. You're going to have to look hard to find anything that's not in an HOA.  

I live really close to Peccole Ranch. Some things we like: close to downtown Summerlin (which is an outdoor mall with shops and restuarants), lots of parks in Summerlin (I have 2 little boys), it's just down Charleston from Red Rocks, there are tons of restaurants in Summerlin. It takes me 28-45 minutes to get to work (normal .mil hours is typically 33-37 min).

I drove all over the valley because I didn't believe what Google Maps was telling me about commute times. Henderson is further away (45 min, give or take) unless you're in Lake Las Vegas and can go through the park on the back road to Nellis. From near the 215/95 interchange was 18-25 minutes to the base.

Drivers in Vegas suck.  I drive a 3/4 ton pickup an nearly every day I have someone try to suicide themselves on my bumper. It's not nearly as bad as LA or some other big cities, but it's a hell of a lot worse than Colorado Springs (where are you moving from in CO?)

Unsolicited advice: don't buy a house unless you really know what you're getting into.  I bought a house at my first duty location after pilot training and made out ok, but I completely remodeled the house and did almost all of the work myself. It wouldn't have worked out as well for me in Vegas. The market has improved significantly over the past few years, but I couldn't ever convince myself that the trend was going to continue (this was also pre-election). We're renting and it's great, but you better be ready to jump on something you like when it opens up because the turnover is extremely high in Las Vegas, especially in nice areas.

Restaurants:
Table Thai on sunset blvd is fantastic. Get the pineapple shrimp curry or spicy basil.
Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill is pricey but the food is worth it. Great date place.
Haven't been but I've been told to try the double chili cheeseburger at Tommy's.
Lotus of Siam has already been recommended.
Honey Salt on Charleston and Rampart

Lunch places on Craig:
Saborr
Capriottis - You need to try the Bobby
Old School Pizza. Thank me later.
Link Posted: 2/11/2017 12:41:57 AM EDT
[#13]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
I PCS'd to Nellis this fall so I just went through the "where to live" decision making process. I was only there for a minute before deploying, but I've also spent lots of time TDY to Nellis. Living there is very different than visiting.  From TDY's I was pretty familiar with where to eat on Craig, the strip and Fremont. I had no idea how much I was missing.

First duty station - so are you in basic now? Single? Married? Wife work? Kids? Interests besides shooting? What career field are you in? O or E? I'm assuming O, otherwise you'd likely be in the dorms on base.

Lots of .mil live in Aliante. Also heard good things about Centennial Hills. We ended up in Summerlin. Like everywhere else in Vegas, there are nicer areas and trashier areas. You're going to have to look hard to find anything that's not in an HOA.  

I live really close to Peccole Ranch. Some things we like: close to downtown Summerlin (which is an outdoor mall with shops and restuarants), lots of parks in Summerlin (I have 2 little boys), it's just down Charleston from Red Rocks, there are tons of restaurants in Summerlin. It takes me 28-45 minutes to get to work (normal .mil hours is typically 33-37 min).

I drove all over the valley because I didn't believe what Google Maps was telling me about commute times. Henderson is further away (45 min, give or take) unless you're in Lake Las Vegas and can go through the park on the back road to Nellis. From near the 215/95 interchange was 18-25 minutes to the base.

Drivers in Vegas suck.  I drive a 3/4 ton pickup an nearly every day I have someone try to suicide themselves on my bumper. It's not nearly as bad as LA or some other big cities, but it's a hell of a lot worse than Colorado Springs (where are you moving from in CO?)

Unsolicited advice: don't buy a house unless you really know what you're getting into.  I bought a house at my first duty location after pilot training and made out ok, but I completely remodeled the house and did almost all of the work myself. It wouldn't have worked out as well for me in Vegas. The market has improved significantly over the past few years, but I couldn't ever convince myself that the trend was going to continue (this was also pre-election). We're renting and it's great, but you better be ready to jump on something you like when it opens up because the turnover is extremely high in Las Vegas, especially in nice areas.

Restaurants:
Table Thai on sunset blvd is fantastic. Get the pineapple shrimp curry or spicy basil.
Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill is pricey but the food is worth it. Great date place.
Haven't been but I've been told to try the double chili cheeseburger at Tommy's.
Lotus of Siam has already been recommended.
Honey Salt on Charleston and Rampart

Lunch places on Craig:
Saborr
Capriottis - You need to try the Bobby
Old School Pizza. Thank me later.
View Quote


Thanks for the info!  I graduate on the 24th and commission then, so you can probably guess the rest.  Anyway,  I've seen some affordable stuff (<700/mo) on payments if I buy, but it's not a necessity.  It'd just be nice.   Really nice.  I've been gravitating towards Centennial Hills, but I'm far from sold on anything.  Henderson is out of the equation though, It's just too far.  Also, I grew up in NY so I think I can handle the traffic.  I hope.
Link Posted: 2/11/2017 11:09:18 PM EDT
[#14]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:


Thanks for the info!  I graduate on the 24th and commission then, so you can probably guess the rest.  Anyway,  I've seen some affordable stuff (<700/mo) on payments if I buy, but it's not a necessity.  It'd just be nice.   Really nice.  I've been gravitating towards Centennial Hills, but I'm far from sold on anything.  Henderson is out of the equation though, It's just too far.  Also, I grew up in NY so I think I can handle the traffic.  I hope.
View Quote


It's not a terrible time to buy but i would recomend renting for a bit to see what area you like
Link Posted: 2/12/2017 12:56:25 AM EDT
[#15]
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Quoted:


It's not a terrible time to buy but i would recomend renting for a bit to see what area you like
View Quote


Noted.  I have about a week of leave after CWW to look around Vegas.  I'll keep you in the loop.
Link Posted: 2/13/2017 5:09:59 PM EDT
[#16]
There are a few houses popping up in my neighborhood for rent and a couple more on my block that are either going to sell/rent soon.  Check the Simmons/Lone Mountain area out, I don't travel East of there towards Nellis very often so I'm not sure on commute time, but I don't think it would be too bad.
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