Opinions on firearms rights in Seattle/Tacoma area

[Wolfeye]

I've been in Seattle for over 12 years. I curiously asked the local sheriff's department, the Dept. of Fish & Wildlife (NOT called the Dept. of Fish & Game like it was in Alaska), the park services, etc. about openly carrying while I go hiking on the Cascade range or out on the Olympic peninsula. They informed me that open carry would probably result in fearful liberals calling the rangers on their cell phones, resulting in me getting a severe talking-to by people in uniform. They recommended that I get a concealment permit and not recklessly discharge while out there, thank you very much. Good enough for me. Getting a permit was easy, and it surprisingly didn't even require a safety class.

Firearms mostly get bad press around here, but once in a while I hear a good spin on it. A few years back one of the papers complained about the "no weapons in stadiums" law being so severe that even off-duty cops were allowed to carry.

The general attitude in the urban areas around here is mostly negative, though it's not as bad as, say, Philly or NY. I'd guess that putting an NRA sticker on your car ~might~ get your tires slashed by some cowardly college hippie. But probably not. Most antigun arguements I hear are based on heresay and emotions, not on facts or experience. The population here is mostly white-hot liberal, but once in a while I'll meet a left winger who likes shooting.

I'd recommend against Wade's shooting range... I haven't been there, but I've heard plenty of bad stories about that place.

 

[Bobarino]

i'll second the the Marksman in Puyallup. i've been shooting there for about 15 years. its a good range. max distance is 45 feet. the people are knowledgeable and for the most part, friendly. great rental selection and the one time rental fee covers all their rentals as long as you buy their ammo.

when they first got their FATS system many years ago, my cousin and i went there to try it out. they let us shoot with the staff, after hours, (when it was on the public range) waving our range fees (though purchasing several hundred dollars worth of their ammo) and we had blast! FATS is TOUGH! the quickdraw cowboy simulation took four of us. i discovered what a great gun the Beretta 8000 Cougar was in that session. bought my Bushy M4A3 HBAR there at a very reasonable price as well as tons of accessories, ammo, optics, holsters, etc. its a good shop.

they make you take a one time, $10 range safety course now, then you get a lifetime range card instead of having to do the waiver once a year.

they are open 8am to 8pm every day. they allow shotguns, pistol caliber carbines, rimfires, and of course, pistols on their range. they have good 1911 and Glock gunsmiths on staff and a good selection of cowboy action shooting guns and supplies.

a few miles down the road (Canyon Rd, that is) is the Tacoma Sportsman's Club. GREAT place to shoot trap and skeet. they shoot Tuesday afternoon/evenings (under the lights) and Sundays from 10am - 4pm. i LOVE to shoot Tuesday evenings after dark. they also have a rifle range out to 200 yards, a pistol range and an archery range as well as sporting clays. nice place and great prices. that reminds me that i need to go shoot trap soon.

the informal outdoor places to shoot are becoming fewer and farther between with more development. the places where i used to shoot .22's and chuck molotov cocktails as a kid along the Carbon River are long gone. as is my Browning BL-22 that i used to shoot down there.

outside of the major cities in King County, WA is a great state to live in and own firearms in. if you can avoid King county, do so. otherwise, enjoy your guns and your rights.

Bobby

 

[rainbowbob]

Most [ ] arguments I hear are based on heresay and emotions, not on facts or experience...

I'd recommend against Wade's shooting range... I haven't been there, but I've heard plenty of bad stories about that place.

You've never been to Wade's - but you recommend against going there?

Sounds like an argument "based on heresay and emotions, not on facts or experience."

I HAVE been to Wade's and have had an enjoyable shooting and shopping experience every time. I recommend it if you are in the Bellevue area. The only caveat is that you must bring one of your own guns in order to rent one of theirs. (Has to do with suicide liability.)

Sam's up in Everett is also a good little range. The Kenmore Gun Range is a great outdoor range. The Marksmen in Puyallup (pew-al-up) is also good and has great instructors and a class on Personal Protection that includes a F.A.T.S. simulator session.

 

[Bobarino]

oops, double tap.

 

[jhark123]

Wolfeye, I've always open carried in the woods. It is infinitly more comfortable when hiking. I have never had another hiker so much as bat an eye. Even if they did call, in most areas F&W would have a 24 hour response time .

 

[MillCreek]

Many good comments on various aspects of living in Washington. I will add only a few comments based on living here for 45 years:

Depending on your profession, work can be hard to come by. If you want to live in the greater Tacoma/Seattle/Eastside/Everett corridor, housing can be pretty expensive. If you end up working in that same corridor and have to routinely commute on I-5/I-405/I-90, get used to sitting in traffic.

 

[leadcounsel]

Considering this move again and wondering what others have to say or if anything has changed for better or worse in the last few years.

I would be at Ft. Lewis, south of Tacoma.

What are the better areas within 30 minutes of Ft. Lewis?

How is crime? Politics?

How are the shooting ranges in the Ft. Lewis area?

Also, how are the ski resorts within 1 hour, 2 hours, and 4 hours?

 

[tkopp]

Ft Lewis has (from what I've heard) a great range. If you want to go to a public range, you can head out to the Gig Harbor Sportsman's Club. It's about twenty minutes out. There's also Surplus Ammo and Arms right across the street from JBLM with great prices on ammo and firearms. They also worked out a deal with the local Sheriff's Dept to get police confiscations, so they occasionally get second hand firearms in at drastically reduced prices.

Tacoma is a big place. Some areas have high crime, some are good. Same as any other big city, I suppose. Though Seattle and Tacoma lean left, the area is firearms friendly and when Mayor Nichols tried to ban firearms in public parks it was quickly challenged and overturned. Getting a concealed carry permit is cheap, easy and quick -- do it and keep whatever you're carrying concealed.

You won't be going to Wade's, but for the people who find this thread via Google; I've been there many times. Their staff is generally knowledgeable and polite, they have a lot of supervision for the firing line, but unless you're being unsafe you're left alone. They can do this because, thanks to their staff level, anyone who seems like they might be unsafe can get direct supervision from an RO who will intercede if you're missing your targets, striking the ground, hitting other people's targets, etc. The flip side to that is price, which is a little higher than other places. It's my go-to indoor range.

 

[dec41971]

Here is the thing. Don't let people exergerating Seattle's anti attitude scare you off. Imagine my shock to find out its a lot tougher in northern Virginia than in Seattle. Turn around for everything from transfering a DL to car Title to CCW in Washington is what I'd term lightning fast. Took me almost 120 days to get CCW after applying in northern Virginia. Yes VA. Go figure! Infact I might rank WA and VA on per as far as gun friendliness goes. Yes I have lived in both states. So much for the liberal\conservative divide. I know some pretty hardcore liberals in VA too who love shooting. Most of the hype is just that.

 

[leadcounsel]

What are the taxes like in Washington state? Is it Oregon with no sales tax or WA? Income tax? Other taxes?

 

[tkopp]

Sales tax is coming up on 10% on most everything but food, no income tax. We're pretty regressive there. Us poor pay quite a bit more tax compared to our income than the wealthy.

 

[Lincoln4]

Oregon No sales tax
Yes, income tax

Washington No income tax (unless approved by ballot on Nov. 2nd)
Yes sales tax

 

[Cesiumsponge]

The crime in Seattle/Tacoma is nothing like larger cities around the country. I am more upset at bicyclists in Seattle than anything else at this point.

Sales tax in King is currently 9.5%. 10% of you eat out (to pay for a stadium that is, or has already been paid off) I'm not sure what it is in Pierce county (where Tacoma is) but it'll be a little lower. There is a .2% sales tax initiative but hopefully that doesn't pass.

There is a food tax. They passed a tax on candy, bottled water, and some food products depending on how they are manufacturered, but there is also an initiative this November to remove it.

There is an income tax initiative paid for by Bill Gate's old man but I don't think it'll pass. I'll keep the sales tax over an income tax, thank you. The state isn't going to substitute the sales tax with the income tax; it'll be piled on top and the legislature will eventually drop the bracket so everyone pays income tax. There are plenty of creative ways to avoid sales tax. Oregon is a few hours south (no sales tax) and you have the Internet

Politicians here are crooked like everywhere else.

People here like to do a lot of outdoor stuff. To the east, we have the Cascades. Eastern WA is beautiful land. Go north into Canada and you have BC and more mountains. If you like mountain biking, skiing, hiking, or anything mountain or outdoor related, you're in no short supply. Go west to the Olympic peninsula and you hit temperate rain forests which there are very few of in the world.

My favorite part is the weather is fairly mild. It never gets too hot and it never gets too cold (at least not for long). This means you don't have to deal with giant bugs that swarm, sting, or bite like in hotter climates.

 

[rainbowbob]

Sales tax in King is currently 9.5%. 10% of you eat out (to pay for a stadium that is, or has already been paid off)

It isn't paid for (the Kingdome) but it has been blown up real good. The voters rejected building a new ball park - so we blew up the Dome and built two new ones anyway.

Now we are about to destroy a scenic and very useful roadway (the viaduct) and build a tunnel that nobody wants.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

I can't imagine how a discussion of the politics, crime, and tax rate of Seattle is an appropriate continuation of this thread.