Which is more gun friendly - Oregon or Washington?

[Chemistry08]

A couple of thoughts from a Washingtonian.

Stay away from Spokane, Yakima, and Tacoma. Drug trade has ruined them, gang activity is high.

Oregon won't recognize anyone's permits. It's shall-issue for residents, but may issue for nonresidents. Grant County has a de facto policy of shall-issue for nonresidents though.

Both states have Preemption laws, but you gotta read the fine print. Oregon preemption only applies if you have a CHL (Concealed Handgun License), where Washington preemption applies to all gun related regulation. You might get 'looks' and maybe even harassment form ill-informed LEOs in Seattle, but it's legal and protected. The City of Seattle was recently sued and forced to repeal an ordinance that restricted carry in parks via our preemption statute.

Lots of great hunting in both states, so that's probably a wash.

I don't know about how it's written in OR, but here in WA you can carry in schools if you have a CPL (Concealed Pistol License) and are picking up or dropping off a student.

There is no training requirement for a WA CPL, go to your LEO, bring ID, let them print you, wait 10-30 days. WA is also an Open Carry state.

I live in WA, and have spent lots of time in OR. I wouldn't move to Oregon for anything, but the people I know that live there love it.

What part of WA are you from? I have heard bad things about Spokane lately but all I can say is that I was born and raised here and as crime has increased I don't see it being a dangerous or gang infested city by any means.

I've always said there is not a neighborhood in this city that I wouldn't walk through alone in the dark. I have just always felt safe here, perhaps I need to take the blinders off!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[livewire]

Does schools include colleges and universities? I believe in Oregon you can, but I was unsure about Washington. I am applying to UW in Seattle and was unsure.

WA does not prohibit carry at post-secondary schools. That means that it falls under the 'trespass law' caveat, but you'd have to weigh that one carefully. I'm sure that if you're caught carrying, they wouldn't have any objection to expelling you thereby forfeiting your tuition and any credits you earned that may not transfer.

Having said that, the U-District is probably one of the safer neighborhoods in Seattle, so unless you're doing any major commuting out of the area this might not be a problem for you.

What part of WA are you from? I have heard bad things about Spokane lately but all I can say is that I was born and raised here and as crime has increased I don't see it being a dangerous or gang infested city by any means.

I've always said there is not a neighborhood in this city that I wouldn't walk through alone in the dark. I have just always felt safe here, perhaps I need to take the blinders off!

I haven't spent a lot of time in Spokane, but when I have I've always noticed lots of meth freaks and suspicious looking people dressed in gang-like clothing. Maybe it's that extra little bit of paranoia being in a town I'm not really familiar with, but it also seems like there's a lot of stuff on the local news there.

Also, according to the Seattle PI report, Spokane County is number one in crime. I tried to find the statistical data on cities and counties, but it was a little too much for my Google-fu today.


Edit: I realized that I forgot to answer your first question... I spent most of my adult life in Wenatchee, but lived in Yakima, and lived in Seattle for a few years and have just moved back.

[Jemsaal]

What part of WA are you from? I have heard bad things about Spokane lately but all I can say is that I was born and raised here and as crime has increased I don't see it being a dangerous or gang infested city by any means.

I've always said there is not a neighborhood in this city that I wouldn't walk through alone in the dark. I have just always felt safe here, perhaps I need to take the blinders off!

I grew up there in the '70s and '80s. Went to Shadle HS. During that time, Browns Edition, the Rodgers HS area, and parts of Trent/Sprague scared me. Outside of that however, I had no problem in any part of Spokane, the valley, or at near Fairchild. I went back there this year, and honestly, I don't think I'd want to live anywhere in the city except for around five-mile, or or out further to the North, or on the perimeter. Maybe it's just me, but I don't think so. I saw a crime rate that showed Spokane is now 300 times the national average in crime. I'll see if I can find that.

EDIT: Sorry, 300 percent, or 3 times the national average. It looks like it came down from the 2006 stats, but to what degree, I'm not sure.

Meth WAS a very big issue for a time, but from what I understand, a lot of that has been broken up. Nevertheless, it's not city I remember. There's a reason it's now called Spokompton.

[livewire]

There's a reason it's now called Spokompton.

I have heard that a bunch of times, but I think my favorite was "Spokanistan"

[Jemsaal]

I have heard that a bunch of times, but I think my favorite was "Spokanistan"

Heard that as well, though in my day, it was Spoke-a-loo.

[Chemistry08]

I haven't spent a lot of time in Spokane, but when I have I've always noticed lots of meth freaks and suspicious looking people dressed in gang-like clothing. Maybe it's that extra little bit of paranoia being in a town I'm not really familiar with, but it also seems like there's a lot of stuff on the local news there.

Also, according to the Seattle PI report, Spokane County is number one in crime. I tried to find the statistical data on cities and counties, but it was a little too much for my Google-fu today.


Edit: I realized that I forgot to answer your first question... I spent most of my adult life in Wenatchee, but lived in Yakima, and lived in Seattle for a few years and have just moved back.

I have certainly noticed more reports of crime lately but just haven't seen it I guess. Interesting...maybe this new police chief of ours can help clean up a little bit. But I have also heard that he is very much anti-gun.

[Chemistry08]

I grew up there in the '70s and '80s. Went to Shadle HS. During that time, Browns Edition, the Rodgers HS area, and parts of Trent/Sprague scared me. Outside of that however, I had no problem in any part of Spokane, the valley, or at near Fairchild. I went back there this year, and honestly, I don't think I'd want to live anywhere in the city except for around five-mile, or or out further to the North, or on the perimeter. Maybe it's just me, but I don't think so. I saw a crime rate that showed Spokane is now 300 times the national average in crime. I'll see if I can find that.

EDIT: Sorry, 300 percent, or 3 times the national average. It looks like it came down from the 2006 stats, but to what degree, I'm not sure.

Meth WAS a very big issue for a time, but from what I understand, a lot of that has been broken up. Nevertheless, it's not city I remember. There's a reason it's now called Spokompton.

Small world! I could almost throw a rock to the Shadle HS campus if I were to step outside. Funny how neighborhoods change, Browns addition is now the hipster area and has cleaned up tremendously. Near Rogers...Yeah, thats still pretty bad!

[Grantspastor]

I think they are both reasonably gun-friendly. Where i live in So Oregon the Sheriff is pro-CCW. Mostly because they County has no law-enforcement budget to allow forf 24/7 patrols. Pretty much here you're better off to rely on 1911, rather than 911. Years ago when I applied for my permit they said might have it an about 45 days. It came in 5 days

[Grantspastor]

I think they are both reasonably gun-friendly. Where i live in So Oregon the Sheriff is pro-CCW. Years ago when I applied for my permit they said I might have it in about 45 days. It came in 5 days. We don't have patrol deputies 24/7. In most cases it's better to rely on 1911, rather than 911

[Tangochuck]

I live in Clallam County on the North Peninsula, along with thousands of transplants for all over the country. Our sheriff doesn't seem to have any problem with CCW, and we do have our share of drug related crime. But overall, this is an outstanding area to live in. We average about 15 inches of rain a year in the area I live in, The Olympics are in our back yard, the Strait of Juan de Fuca on our north coast with the San Juan Islands are a ferry ride away, as is Seattle and Victoria on Vancouver Island, the Pacific on our west coast. While the Port Townsend in Jefferson County area is overrun with liberals, you only have to put up with them when you go over there. This area is one of the most conservative in Western WA. Those are just some of the reasons this area is recognized as one of the best areas in the country to retire to. Check it out.