I have a possible opportunity to move to one of these cities. For those of you familiar with either area, can you shed a bit of light on which one is more gun friendly (concealed carry - availability of ranges - gun shops). Also, which is more fun, safer, has better schools for the kid and things to do & see etc. All help is appreciated. Barn.
Gun Friendly - Phoenix or Nashville?
- Thread starter Barn Dog
- Start date
Nash vs. Phoenix
I'm a forth generation Nashvillian. You'll find the city very friendly and for the most part verygun friendly.
There are several good outdoor ranges within 20 min. of Nashville, and one great indoor range 12 mi northwest of the city.
Metro schools are mediocre at best, that's why there is so much urban sprawl. ( 1,000,000 in the contiguous counties )
Violent crime is limited to the inner city with the suburbs fairly safe. It's a great place to raise a family.
As you get closer to a decision, or need more info, feel free to e-mail.
Jim@Aabakus.com
JCO
I'm a forth generation Nashvillian. You'll find the city very friendly and for the most part verygun friendly.
There are several good outdoor ranges within 20 min. of Nashville, and one great indoor range 12 mi northwest of the city.
Metro schools are mediocre at best, that's why there is so much urban sprawl. ( 1,000,000 in the contiguous counties )
Violent crime is limited to the inner city with the suburbs fairly safe. It's a great place to raise a family.
As you get closer to a decision, or need more info, feel free to e-mail.
Jim@Aabakus.com
JCO
VictorLouis
New member
Metro Phoenix has 5 outdoor facilities that I am familiar with, and I have shot at 4 of them. The best public range is in the northern outskirts, and is called Ben Avery Shooting Facility. The other public range is in the far eastern part of suburbia, in Mesa, called Rio Salado Sportsman's Club. The other three are private clubs with easy, cheap entry and annual renewal. Phoenix Rod and Gun Club boasts of extensive ranges that entail 600yd. high-power, bullseye, airgun, IDPA/IPSC and more. There are currently only 3 indoor public ranges that I am aware of, one in central Phoenix, one in south Scottsdale, and the last in Tempe. The good news is, you can shoot for free in the great outdoors without driving much more than 1/2hr in just about any direction.
The truly bad neighborhoods are confined to about five or six different areas of inner Phoenix and Mesa. You can learn the boundaries w/o too much difficulty. IOW, you can drive throughout most of town for miles and miles without passing through a questionable area. Compared to S. Florida, where I'm from, I can appreciate this. The neighborhood demographics can change drastically every few miles, or simply by turning off of a main drag, you can risk your safety. IOW, your condition yellow light won't overheat.
The truly bad neighborhoods are confined to about five or six different areas of inner Phoenix and Mesa. You can learn the boundaries w/o too much difficulty. IOW, you can drive throughout most of town for miles and miles without passing through a questionable area. Compared to S. Florida, where I'm from, I can appreciate this. The neighborhood demographics can change drastically every few miles, or simply by turning off of a main drag, you can risk your safety. IOW, your condition yellow light won't overheat.
30
I just moved to Nashville this January.
I've found a couple of good gunshops, but those that I talk to indicate there are quite a few more for me to find. TN carry permit is painless. Mine was in hand within 60 days.
There are some questionable areas downtown, but on the whole I feel reasonably safe in the outskirts where I am.
Ranges: (fill me in people! I'm still looking for them all!!)
Gun City USA - Indoor Handgun Range
$15 flat rate per day.
lighting and ventilation leave a lot to be desired.
occasional questionable clientel.
no range supervision. gun shop staff upstairs.
overhead target carriers on cables (frequently in disrepair)
maybe 8 lanes? (never counted)
15 yards
Cheatham WMA - (State Firing Range)
FREE!
about 30 minutes from downtown
all kinds of people. some good. some bad.
3 ranges in one.
2(3?) ~15 yd tables
maybe 6 100yard benches (with a roof!)
2 ~35 yd tables
(not sure about the two shorter distances)
outdoors, big berms.
sometimes the target stands are shot to pieces.
bring staples + duct tape for targets.
completely unsupervised and in a remote area.
Nashville Gun Club
Shotgunning
Skeet, Trap, and Sporting Clays
about 20 minutes NW of downtown
they have a website.
I just moved to Nashville this January.
I've found a couple of good gunshops, but those that I talk to indicate there are quite a few more for me to find. TN carry permit is painless. Mine was in hand within 60 days.
There are some questionable areas downtown, but on the whole I feel reasonably safe in the outskirts where I am.
Ranges: (fill me in people! I'm still looking for them all!!)
Gun City USA - Indoor Handgun Range
$15 flat rate per day.
lighting and ventilation leave a lot to be desired.
occasional questionable clientel.
no range supervision. gun shop staff upstairs.
overhead target carriers on cables (frequently in disrepair)
maybe 8 lanes? (never counted)
15 yards
Cheatham WMA - (State Firing Range)
FREE!
about 30 minutes from downtown
all kinds of people. some good. some bad.
3 ranges in one.
2(3?) ~15 yd tables
maybe 6 100yard benches (with a roof!)
2 ~35 yd tables
(not sure about the two shorter distances)
outdoors, big berms.
sometimes the target stands are shot to pieces.
bring staples + duct tape for targets.
completely unsupervised and in a remote area.
Nashville Gun Club
Shotgunning
Skeet, Trap, and Sporting Clays
about 20 minutes NW of downtown
they have a website.
Hardtarget
New member
around Nashville, you can add an indoor range at Usseltons Sporting Goods, on Conference DR. Thats in the Rivergate Mall area. There is a membership fee plus an hourly rate.
Also, the T.W.R.A.(wildlife resources agency), is opening "soon", a new outdoor range on Hobson Pike. Thats off Murfreesboro Rd.,close to Percy Priest Lake. There is 200 yd rifle, a pistol range. And a "meeting house" planned as well.
I shoot at my parents farm. Its always open but there is never a problem getting a shooting lane!
I almost forgot about the Gallatin Gun Club. Its on the Steam Plant property. They have a pistol range, 200 yd. rifle. and trap for the shotgunners.
There are a few others...I just can't put my finger on 'em right now. welcome to Nashville...IF you decide to come to Middle Tennessee.
Also, the T.W.R.A.(wildlife resources agency), is opening "soon", a new outdoor range on Hobson Pike. Thats off Murfreesboro Rd.,close to Percy Priest Lake. There is 200 yd rifle, a pistol range. And a "meeting house" planned as well.
I shoot at my parents farm. Its always open but there is never a problem getting a shooting lane!
I almost forgot about the Gallatin Gun Club. Its on the Steam Plant property. They have a pistol range, 200 yd. rifle. and trap for the shotgunners.
There are a few others...I just can't put my finger on 'em right now. welcome to Nashville...IF you decide to come to Middle Tennessee.
Great Post ! I was born and raised in Nashville and now work in a gun store. Shot competively for 20 years. Now I work too many hours to get to a range. Good thing I have a farm. I will be monitoring this thread to list the ranges. We get this question all the time from new gun buyers. There are plenty of places to shoot. Just wish they made themselves known to us so we could give the info to customers.
Good thing about living in Nashville. Gun prices are lower here than anywhere else I have travelled.
Cheers,
ts
Good thing about living in Nashville. Gun prices are lower here than anywhere else I have travelled.
Cheers,
ts
ReefBlueCoupe
New member
I'm in a suburb of Nashville, but I drive downtown every day to go to work. It is indeed very gun friendly. In fact, the mayor of my town whom I had the pleasure of shooting with at the local police range carrys a concealed .357 airlite, and is very pro-gun. I enjoy it here. The weather is hot in the summer, cold in the winter, perfect spring and fall, like most other places.
There are some nice ranges, gun shows almost every other weekend, we're even having several turkey shoots here within city limits.
Plus, no sand in your eyes
(I know it's a reply to an old post, but who cares)
There are some nice ranges, gun shows almost every other weekend, we're even having several turkey shoots here within city limits.
Plus, no sand in your eyes
(I know it's a reply to an old post, but who cares)
MitchSchaft
New member
If your choice was Memphis, I'd say take Phoenix. I no nothing about Phoenix, though .
.Phoenix is a shooting Mecca as far as I am concerned. If you are into competitive shooting Phoenix is a great place to be. There are a number of websites about shooting in Phoenix and from what I could tell, you could shoot some kind of action pistol match four days a week. You can link to pages from the IDPA website or the IPSC website. Here is a link to the Arizona rifleshooting page; http://arizona.rifleshooting.com/ A number of the top action pistol shooters in the world call Phoenix home. A number of big name gunsmiths are in the area, Robar comes to mind, I know there are others. Dillion is in Phoenix. There are several gun clubs in the area (I have been to three and shot matches at two) including The Ben Avery club which is a world class facility. http://www.basfaz.com/ Of course Jeff Cooper is up the road a couple hours from Phoenix. Gary Reeder is in Arizona.
Arizona hunting is excellent.
Aside from shooting, I really like Phoenix. To me as a tourist it appears to be a clean, well laid out city. They have pro baseball, pro football, pro basketball, and pro hocky. You also have big time college football. Phoenix is home to many baseball teams' spring training facilities. Phoenix has great weather.
Arizona hunting is excellent.
Aside from shooting, I really like Phoenix. To me as a tourist it appears to be a clean, well laid out city. They have pro baseball, pro football, pro basketball, and pro hocky. You also have big time college football. Phoenix is home to many baseball teams' spring training facilities. Phoenix has great weather.
I am afraid I don’t know much about Nashville but I can tell you a bit about Phoenix. AZ is an open carry state. They are also a “Shall Issue” state with regards to concealed carry permits. The Sheriff of Maricopa County (Phoenix is the county seat for Maricopa) runs a tight ship with those sentenced to jail time serving time in a tent city. At last count, he had a “Civilian Posse” of about fifteen hundred members.
Phoenix, compared to my town, it's like the Wild Wild West out there. Gun clubs all over the place etc. Heck, I just found this yesterday, and I have been to Scottsdale many times as my Dad lives there http://www.scottsdalegunclub.com/
Larry
http://www.scottsdalegunclub.com/Larry
Depends where you are from. Do you like the West or the East? There are major differences in weather, flora and fauna. If you like the smell of sage and mesquite, go to Phoenix. If you like rain, dense foliage, etc., go to Nashville.
I think you will find either gun friendly. Why don't you put the State you are from in your profile? Embarrassed?
I think you will find either gun friendly. Why don't you put the State you are from in your profile? Embarrassed?
Sheslinger
New member
Nashville
Have never been to Phoenix. Been living in Nashville for 4 years now.
People are very friendly, both stranger-friendly and gun-friendly. Frequent gun shows.
Seems like a really good place to raise a family. Most crime is not violent but break-ins and such. A huge change from Baltimore-Washington area. That was one of our major concerns as well. Family values seem to be held in high respect which is a change also - you frequently see three generations together on Sunday morning getting breakfast at a family restaurant, which to me is a new experience.
To Borf: try the Joelton range (indoors, I think $12 per person per day or $175 family annual pass) and also Owl Hollow outdoor range ($30 annual pass).
Good luck whatever you decide. I will say that Nashville takes some getting used to, especially driving (no driver's ed, no mandatory car insurance until recently, you figure the rest). The housing is much cheaper than MD where we came from. No state income tax which is a plus. Sales tax though is 8.25% plus (varies by county) but you can drive to KY with no sales tax and get your monthly grocery stockup done.
Feel free to email if you need more info.
Have never been to Phoenix. Been living in Nashville for 4 years now.
People are very friendly, both stranger-friendly and gun-friendly. Frequent gun shows.
Seems like a really good place to raise a family. Most crime is not violent but break-ins and such. A huge change from Baltimore-Washington area. That was one of our major concerns as well. Family values seem to be held in high respect which is a change also - you frequently see three generations together on Sunday morning getting breakfast at a family restaurant, which to me is a new experience.
To Borf: try the Joelton range (indoors, I think $12 per person per day or $175 family annual pass) and also Owl Hollow outdoor range ($30 annual pass).
Good luck whatever you decide. I will say that Nashville takes some getting used to, especially driving (no driver's ed, no mandatory car insurance until recently, you figure the rest). The housing is much cheaper than MD where we came from. No state income tax which is a plus. Sales tax though is 8.25% plus (varies by county) but you can drive to KY with no sales tax and get your monthly grocery stockup done.
Feel free to email if you need more info.