Well, the decision has been made, my wife and I are moving to Virginia.  We should be out there around the middle of September.  

We will be living in the Alexandria area.  Any recommendations on ranges that aren't too far away (less than an hour drive time)?  I'm not very familiar with the area, but most of the ones I found in the range post seem to be a long ways out.  Although I did find Quantico.  

One other thing.  I've been trying to read through the different laws that are posted here and on the State police website.  Could they be anymore confusing?  Some of you have already told me full cap mags are okay along with just about everything else, except SBR's and streetsweepers.  Still not sure of one thing though.  Do I have to register any firearms?  Here in Michigan handguns have to be register... I mean inspected for safety.

One more.  Anybody know if I can carry under my Michigan CCW permit while I am filling the residency requirement for a Virginia permit?
Thanks
Scott

www.packing.org Should address carry issues.  The short answer is probably "NO."

The NRA Indoor Range is a few miles from Alexandria, can shoot anything up to 458WM.  No auto, rapid fire is OK -- I think.  Well lit and well ventilated.  There are some more posted above on one of the tacked messages in the hometown board.

Clark Brothers is outdoor 100yds, but you have to buy their ammo and the range nazi's are lax in their duty to keep the range safe -- sometimes.

Thanks SHIVAN,
I forgot about the NRA range.  From the info I was just reading, I should be able to carry under my Michigan CCW permit until I'm a resident of Virginia, whatever that time frame is.  At that point, I may not be able to.  

I finally got the AG's website to work, so they will be getting another call tomorrow.
Scott

Quoted: Do I have to register any firearms?  Here in Michigan handguns have to be register... I mean inspected for safety.

No registration per se, but you will be required to bring them to the NRA range on a Wed. evening so that we can all fondle inspect them.  For safety purposes, of course.  

First let me say welcome!


You should be able to use your MI CCW until you establish residency here. Once you do that, you should be able to just use your MI CCW to get a VA CCW without having to jump through to many hoops. Well, other then the hoops that you poor NOVA people have to deal with.

I am not familiar with any law in VA that doesn't allow for SBR's.

Good luck!

City of Alexandria or Alexandria, in Fairfax County.

If Fairfax County you WILL wait 45 days, previously issued or not.  They hold all apps for 45 days regardless.....they are doing civil log jamming.....

Don't you have to be a resident here a certain amount of days to be considered for the permit?  I could have SWORN there was a specific question asking if you lived in the county for 180 days of the last year.  Am I dreaming?

Ed

Make sure your air conditioning and CD player are in good working order.

You're going to be sitting in ALOT of traffic.

I feel for ya bro.

Watertower, welcome!  You might want to look into the Arlington/Fairfax Izaak Walton League...$125 a year for all the outdoor shooting you want...20 station 100 yard rifle/pistol range, open 363 days a year.  It's in Centreville, about 35 minutes or so from Alexandria, depending on where you are exactly.  

Rapid fire is definitely ok at the NRA range...they'll even let you shoot full auto under certain circumstances (I've seen it twice, got to shoot one of the toys a DEA agent had...brand spanking new .223 MP5).  
Arlington, Fairfax and Alexandria are the 3 gun unfriendly locales, with handgun waiting periods.  Everywhere else is cash and carry, as far as I know.  (Richmond *might* be different as far as handguns go...anyone from there know?).  

Watertower, I live in Alexandria/Fairfax county. Give me an IM when you get here and I'll take you to Gilbert's Range in Lorton (Pistol caliber only).

I can also reccomend The Arlington/Fairfax Izaak Walton League, I just joined myself.

Quoted: Rapid fire is definitely ok at the NRA range...they'll even let you shoot full auto under certain circumstances (I've seen it twice, got to shoot one of the toys a DEA agent had...brand spanking new .223 MP5).

What circumstances?  I'm pretty sure that was probably a one time accident and it will never happen again.  

Don't forget about the one-handgun-a-month law that was passed several years ago. No mo gang-banger sales that end up in NYC


But other than that, WELCOME!

As a recent transplant (from NY) myself, welcome!

Quoted: City of Alexandria or Alexandria, in Fairfax County. If Fairfax County you WILL wait 45 days, previously issued or not.  They hold all apps for 45 days regardless.....they are doing civil log jamming..... Don't you have to be a resident here a certain amount of days to be considered for the permit?  I could have SWORN there was a specific question asking if you lived in the county for 180 days of the last year.  Am I dreaming? Ed

You're dreaming....
I got my DL in August of last year, after I came back from Chicago to visit my wife and daughter.
I had been a resident of FLA for the past 10 years, while in the Corps in NC.

A few days after I got my DL, I had my CCH app turned in to court, and got my CCH in September.
So there is no minimum instate residency required...

Everyone,
Thanks for the info.  No news yet from the Attorney General, but I've learned most of what I needed to know before I move.  

As for the CCW law, hopefully I won't have to wait too long once I'm there.

After all the reading lately, I'm a little confused on what I need to do to buy a handgun in the Alexandria area.  Do I need a permit to purchase from the police, or do I just have to wait so many days after the dealer does a background check?

Bulldog,
Thanks for the offer.  Hope I can take you up on that.
Scott

It's a 72 buisness hour wait. You fill out the County Card when you buy the gun, and after 72 hours, you go back, fil out the ATF and State forms, and go through the NICS check.

Quoted: Quoted: Rapid fire is definitely ok at the NRA range...they'll even let you shoot full auto under certain circumstances (I've seen it twice, got to shoot one of the toys a DEA agent had...brand spanking new .223 MP5). What circumstances?  I'm pretty sure that was probably a one time accident and it will never happen again.

Ack, I can't read.  You said NRA Range.  You are correct about full auto.  But it has to be after hours and supervised or something like that.

For some weird reason I switched NRA Range with IWLA range in Centreville.  

My bad.   Doh.

Quoted: Quoted: City of Alexandria or Alexandria, in Fairfax County. If Fairfax County you WILL wait 45 days, previously issued or not.  They hold all apps for 45 days regardless.....they are doing civil log jamming..... Don't you have to be a resident here a certain amount of days to be considered for the permit?  I could have SWORN there was a specific question asking if you lived in the county for 180 days of the last year.  Am I dreaming? Ed You're dreaming.... I got my DL in August of last year, after I came back from Chicago to visit my wife and daughter. I had been a resident of FLA for the past 10 years, while in the Corps in NC. A few days after I got my DL, I had my CCH app turned in to court, and got my CCH in September. So there is no minimum instate residency required...

To qualify for a permit to carry a concealed weapon, you must be legally entitled to purchase a handgun by state and federal rules. In fact, there is a residency restriction. You have to be a resident for 30 or 90 days (I forget which) before you can buy a handgun.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: City of Alexandria or Alexandria, in Fairfax County. If Fairfax County you WILL wait 45 days, previously issued or not.  They hold all apps for 45 days regardless.....they are doing civil log jamming..... Don't you have to be a resident here a certain amount of days to be considered for the permit?  I could have SWORN there was a specific question asking if you lived in the county for 180 days of the last year.  Am I dreaming? Ed You're dreaming.... I got my DL in August of last year, after I came back from Chicago to visit my wife and daughter. I had been a resident of FLA for the past 10 years, while in the Corps in NC. A few days after I got my DL, I had my CCH app turned in to court, and got my CCH in September. So there is no minimum instate residency required... To qualify for a permit to carry a concealed weapon, you must be legally entitled to purchase a handgun by state and federal rules. In fact, there is a residency restriction. You have to be a resident for 30 or 90 days (I forget which) before you can buy a handgun.

Yes, your D/L must be 30 days old to by a gun, but like I said, within a week of reestablishing my residency, i turned in my app for my CCH.

But my DD214 might have helped.
I just know what I did.

My CCH expires Sept 25, so subtract 45 from that (my letter arrived on the 45th day) and you will see that I applied in August which is when I got my D/L.

Quoted: What circumstances?  I'm pretty sure that was probably a one time accident and it will never happen again.

If they know you, after 10:00pm when they shut the range down to the rank and file, they'll let you do full auto, if you've made prior arrangements with them.  I've seen it twice, once with the DEA guy, and another time someone had a brand new Vector Uzi he wanted to try out.