In the next couple of months we are being forced to relocate to the Richmond area.  No children so schools are not a consideration.  Also, we want high resale value to our new home as we plan on being there only 5 years.
To the question.  What is the most gun friendly county within a 45 minute drive from central Richmond?  I need a county that is Class 3 friendly, C&R FFL friendly, and CCW friendly.  Any advice is greatly appreciated.  Thank you in advance.

Depends what kind of area you want to look in.  Personally, I like the rural areas on the west side.  Amelia, Powattan, Louisa, and Goochland, and add Fluvanna as well, however lots of areas have the New York City liberal influx.

Hey!  Are you the same Big-Bore form HKPro.com?  Welcome to VA!  Its a pretty good state for guns.  There was a recent thread about Chesterfield County that you might want to look up.  I live well North of Richmond, but I do like that part of the state.

Yes, it is I your humble servent Big Bore from HKPRO.  We have to stay close to Richmond because I don't want my wife to have to drive more than 45 minutes each way.  We looked in Amelia, Chesterfield, Powhatan, and Nottoway counties (bit too far out) and they seem like really nice places but I have been having trouble finding out which counties are more "gun friendly."  With the current VA push to ban .50s as well as these things they are calling "assault rifles" it has me a little concerned about the move because I hate to leave half my firearms behind and selling them, well, that "ain't" gonna happen.  Those bills have been pulled for now but you know damned good and well they will be back.  Housing sticker prices are giving me quite a shock.  I didn't realize I was currently living in a quarter million dollar home!  Housing prices down there are double or more than what they are here in Indiana.  Down there a $100,000 home gets you a doublewide on blocks from what we have seen!   So much for selling and buying even if we want to be even halfway close to Richmond and live in a house without wheels.

With statewide pre-emption, the distinction between counties is pretty marginal with one big exception.  That is LE sign-offs for class 3.  I believe Henrico County is the worst for this, but I don't think you'd have a problem outside of that.  One member here, Blackfox, lives in Chesterfield Co. and has an impressive arsenal, as well as a shooting range in his back yard.  

The .50 cal thing is certainly something to watch, but our legislature has been pretty good lately.  We've got more pro-gun legislation passed in the last few years than any state I'm aware of.  We still need to get the restaurant ban removed, but beyond that, things are good.  Just make sure you join the VCDL as they are the most effective voice we have in Richmond.

Quoted: Yes, it is I your humble servent Big Bore from HKPRO.  We have to stay close to Richmond because I don't want my wife to have to drive more than 45 minutes each way.  We looked in Amelia, Chesterfield, Powhatan, and Nottoway counties (bit too far out) and they seem like really nice places but I have been having trouble finding out which counties are more "gun friendly."  With the current VA push to ban .50s as well as these things they are calling "assault rifles" it has me a little concerned about the move because I hate to leave half my firearms behind and selling them, well, that "ain't" gonna happen.  Those bills have been pulled for now but you know damned good and well they will be back.  Housing sticker prices are giving me quite a shock.  I didn't realize I was currently living in a quarter million dollar home!  Housing prices down there are double or more than what they are here in Indiana.  Down there a $100,000 home gets you a doublewide on blocks from what we have seen!   So much for selling and buying even if we want to be even halfway close to Richmond and live in a house without wheels.

I wouldn't worry about loosing your arsenal.  Virginia is probably close to Texas in number of evil guns per household.  We have a strong pro-2nd lobby as well, though we need more.  Hope you can move to Virginia.  Honestly, I have been to a lot of states and Virginia, by far, is the best.

Oh yeah... your $100,000 home in Indiana may be a quarter million dollar home in Richmond, but its a half million in Northern VA.  Hell, we've got townhouses going for over $600K up here.

I would suck up a longer commute to live out in the sticks and buy a house with a little more land.  I know a lot of people that don't even bat an eye over a 1 hour commute.  At least in the Richmond area traffic actually moves vs. NOVA

As for resale value, the ones that are out a little further are probably more likely to be affordable now and sell for a higher profit when you leave.  A high resale value doesn't do much good if it barely the covers the payoff on the mortgage.

I'll just pile on what most have said and say that gun laws are not likely to be a problem, yes property values are probably better than IN, and yes we do a lot of shooting around here.  Actually I live in Powhatan County (but own the Chesterfield/Powhatan line, so I'm only 1000' away from Chesterfield).  With the 288/295 circle completed, land that used to be a 45 minute drive is now often only 20 minutes each way (my drive from work now).

Consider a house near the 288 coridoor if you're going to buy.  It is going to build up in the next few years and it's a pretty safe bet values are going to pick up.  Let me know if you're interested in renting as I have some rental properties coming up on the market in that area as well.  A 5-year stint is right at the break-even point for owning versus buying when you consider realtor fees, taxes on your purchase, loan costs, etc., and a lot of people are deciding it's just not worth the risk when a heat pump failure or new roof can put you in the red.

Oh yeah, and early welcome to Virginia!  I think you'll like it here, and hope the job move works out okay.  Who are you going to be working for?  Not a lot of companies in this area pay to move people here, so I'm curious who it is....

    Black Fox

Quoted: With the 288/295 circle completed, land that used to be a 45 minute drive is now often only 20 minutes each way (my drive from work now).     Black Fox

That 288 circle is nice.  Short Pump has really grown. I remember there being really nice woods where the big new mall now sits.

Welcome to VA. I'm the same Bomber as fequents HKpro. I lived in the Richmond area about 6 years ago. Sooner or later, my wife and I will return. We live in NOVA and the housing is way more expensive up here. Some one said $600K Townhomes. work for a building supply mfg and we frequently see them for $800K. Anyway I digress. VA is generally very gun friendly. There should be a sticky post that gives some verbage on CLEO sign off which by the way may end up being a moot point with the "shall sign" making it's way to law.

Bomber

Thanks for the replys.  I will keep the 288 in mind when we go looking again for housing.  There is always the chance that I might love it there and we would retire there, but all my life I have seen myself retiring in the Texas to Wyoming area, or at least going west from Indiana, and never ever under any circumstances had I considered either coast.  Especially the left coast.  I am afraid I would have to let my wife go without me if that were the case.  My wife works for a big tobacco company located in Richmond and they are closing the local plant.  She is only 4.5 years from retirement so it is off we go for those 4.5 years.  Since her work and retirement is so much better than mine she is the one who we must consider most.  From what I saw of the Richmond area last summer when we did our first look about vacation I liked what I saw, but man, if I thought the traffic in the Louisville KY area was bad, the traffic we hit around rush hour on the Midlothian Parkway was a nightmare.  I guess you learn to avoid that though the same I do around home.  Once you know the back roads and tricks it is OK to get around.
After checking out the other posts that I did not catch before (stupid, stupid, stupid) and the one about the NFA counties I told my wife when she got home tonight, anywhere but Henrico County.  It looks from the housing web searches we have done Chesterfield County, Powatan County, and Amelia County are the favorites.
Building material is a bit different in Richmond also.  Around our area everything is brick.  Very little is done in siding unless they are modular homes, yet that is one thing that we found very scarce over there.  Almost everything we have seen is siding with very few brick structures.  Our realtor told us that brick yards are far and few between in the Richmond area whereas it seems you cannot go 5 miles out of town locally in any direction without hitting a brick yard or two.  A lot to learn in just a little time.  Thanks for all your help.  

If i were you I would look at King and Queen Counties, Or Ashland they are really nice places to live and CHEAP

Try Goochland CO., Powhatan or even Chester

Get with it man! If you are going to move to Richmond, want high resale value, and a place that is gun friendly then the only place to go is Hanover! The growth there is booming! I know you do not care about the schools, but they are highly rated which reflects property value. You can still get 10 acher parcles and the two best gun shops in the area are located there Green Top and DeGoffs.  It is not built up like the west end and you don't have to pay tolls every day if you live on southside (Chesterfield). If you do not care about schools check out the Old Church area or off of Studly Rd.  the area is also called Mechanicsville.

Put it this way the high schools are named Lee Davis and Patrick Henry! And you are only 15--20 min from down town.

I live in Chesterfield (Chester) and I am only 20 min from down town (I95) and don't have to pay tolls. Chesterfield is also very gun friendly.

Quoted: I liked what I saw, but man, if I thought the traffic in the Louisville KY area was bad, the traffic we hit around rush hour on the Midlothian Parkway was a nightmare.

I'm sorry man, but I just have to chuckle at this. As a NOVA refugee now in Hanover for the past 14 years, all I can advise is to never go anywhere north of the Rappahannock River. The DC beltway would give you heart failure!

Thanks for the tips.  Personally, if I never get within 50 miles of Washington it will be OK with me!  I will keep to the south side of Richmond unless I make a trek up to Sterling, and then only if HK decides to have a "give-away" day.  Guess I won't be making that trip will I?

Great info listed above....not much to add.

I have lived in the far west end for 14 years (Henrico) and have seen a LOT of growth. If you want to be close to a growing area but not in Henrico I would go to Hanover. From what I have heard it is a very gun friendly county, stay away from Henrico!

An early welcome to VA!

Unemployement in the area is very low (Chesterfield is 2.7%). What line of work are you in Big Bore?

+1 on the 288 corridor.

I grew up in Hanover and lived there for 33 years. It got so built up that I had to get away from there. I was there a few weeks ago and 360 reminded me of Midlothian Turnpike. I like living now in a county with NO stoplights and my range next to the house.

i used to work in new kent county, it is still a somewhat rural area and with 295 and 895 it is closer than most people think
i live in chesterfield near pocahontas, far enough out to be quiet
close enough to every where else
imho etc etc

I live in Goochland, and can tell you that the Sheriff will not sign any NFA paperwork.

The county is going upscale quickly.  Land is not available unless you have developer style big bucks, and most new homes are transitionals in neighborhoods with covenants.

Quoted: I like living now in a county with NO stoplights and my range next to the house.

Which is where?

Charlotte county. There is a caution light on 360 but no stoplights in the county.

Quoted: Charlotte county. There is a caution light on 360 but no stoplights in the county.

Ahh....sounds nice.

Quoted: Charlotte county. There is a caution light on 360 but no stoplights in the county.

Only problem is the criteria that it must be "within a 45 minute drive from central Richmond."  I didn't think Charlotte was anywhere close during normal traffic is it?  Heck, I'd recommend Blacksburg as a great place to live and very strong property values but the commute would be a bitch

    Black Fox

Big Bore,
I live about 35 minutes north of Richmond.  I work at W. Broad and Staples Mill Rd. and the drive in and out is fine.  (I live 3 miles from I95 which I take all the way in).  Our area is great for housing prices (relative to the location)  Schools are not the best in our area but if your wife is 4.5 yrs from retirement I doubt that is of much concern.  

Are you looking for employment?  

Big-Bore,
Sent you an email. I work for PM also and maybe can assist. I live in Prince George. Rural and  45min. SE of the plant.