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Which is more gun friendly - Oregon or Washington?

18K views 54 replies 36 participants last post by  Tangochuck 
#1 ·
At the end of 2013 my wife and I plan to retire. We are considering either central Oregon or somewhere along the Columbia river. Washington is also a possibility. I am also a hunter so this plays into the equation as well. Would appreciate any opinions since we can go to either state. We're from California and are disillusioned with both the hunting as well as the state's attitude towards firearms. Appreciate any and all observations.
 
#4 ·
Find a State that is friendly towards gun owners it is only going to get worse.States that are "so-so" now may soon become "No-No" states. At least if you go to a friendly State you will be with the rest of us clinging to the bitter end. Really its your choice and how much value you place on certain things..Make the two sided list and weigh out all the pro's and con's..

Best wishes Happy New Year and God bless you and your family
 
#5 ·
I've lived in Spokane, WA, twice and really enjoyed the hunting and scenery. I can't compare it with OR, but I didn't think there was anything cheap about the taxes there (sales, vehicle, etc.). While Spokane has since fallen victim to the meth business, it was a very safe city at the time. I never had any gun issues and OC'd often. Do your research and you'll find your answers.

Avoid Seattle. Nothing personal, but the CA immigrants ruined it.
 
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#7 ·
Living in Washington, I find the laws fairly gun friendly, although the politics of the state are controlled by Seattle and the Puget Sound region which tends to be very left-leaning. It seems that every session something comes out of the legislature that threatens gun rights, but we seem to hold our own because so much of the state either leans right (eastern WA) or is rural. Washington is a shall-issue state for both residents and non-residents; keep this in mind, as if you choose Oregon, your CCW is not honored in Washington (nor does Oregon honor Washington's CPL). I have carry permits from both states.

Overall, I think Oregon is slightly more gun friendly than Washington, but there are other things to consider.

Oregon has income tax, Washington does not. Washington does have sales tax, but unless you are a real "consumer" it doesn't hit you that hard. Food is exempt from taxes in Washington. Property taxes in Washington can be high, depending on where you live -- there are some small rural counties where taxes are low.

You really need to consider many things besides gun laws of the two states -- I don't see that there is enough difference in gun laws between Oregon and Washington to make a difference.

CP Lincoln
 
#17 ·
Overall, I think Oregon is slightly more gun friendly than Washington, but there are other things to consider.

Oregon has income tax, Washington does not. Washington does have sales tax, but unless you are a real "consumer" it doesn't hit you that hard. Food is exempt from taxes in Washington. Property taxes in Washington can be high, depending on where you live -- there are some small rural counties where taxes are low.

If you make lots of money, you will pay more in Oregon income tax than you would save in sales tax. Being retired, may not be an issue. If I could move to Washington for the income tax relief I would.

Oregon has more restrictions on where you can and can't carry. In WA it's basically no schools, courthouses/prisons, or federal property.

Plus in WA it's 30 day shall issue, 90 for non residents, and in OR it's more of a pain. I think you have to be a resident or they just laugh you out of town.
I love the PNW.

Austin
Not true IMHO. You can carry just about anywhere in Oregon with few exceptions like courtrooms, Federal buildings etc. I CAN carry in schools, and have when my kids were in schools.

In Washington county which is outside Portland, they are very conceal carry friendly. I have never had an issue getting my permit in decades.


And it's a Shall issue state, while OR is May issue and you must provide a 'reason' to carry, altho it depends on the sheriff how many hoops they make you jump thru. This is what I learned 2 yrs ago when I took the OR test to get a cc permit for there, since I used to travel there alot.
Not true. Oregon is SHALL issue for residents. That may be true for out of state issue which Oregon is not super friendly about. I had to get my Utah permit to carry in Washington, but it is also useful in many other states.


Come on people. Get your facts straight.
 
#45 ·
How long have you been waiting for your permit? How long is it supposed to take?
 
#9 ·
They are "friendly" in their own ways.

Oregon has more restrictions on where you can and can't carry. In WA it's basically no schools, courthouses/prisons, or federal property.

WA you can have an AOW and/or a suppressor, but no SBR/SBS. Not sure about OR on that.

Plus in WA it's 30 day shall issue, 90 for non residents, and in OR it's more of a pain. I think you have to be a resident or they just laugh you out of town.

No income tax is nice - but being retired that might not matter much to you. No sales tax is nice in OR - some people drive to OR and do their shopping there....helps to live close to the border for that.

Good luck in any case. I love the PNW.

Austin
 
#21 ·
coming from idaho to the very area you are looking at wasn't much of a shock, lots of wine here too.

like others said, most states will suck for gun laws soon enough.
And weed. :werd: :blink: What, it's legal.

I'm very interested in this myself. In the next few years Ill be retiring and want to leave Ca behind. Southern Ore, South West ID, or North West NV is the areas that are nearest our grand kids but out of CA. We are also looking at the area between Tahoe and Reno NV. DR
That is some beautiful country and some lunar landscape. I'm sure you know that Donner pass can get dicey about this time of year - even for I-80.
 
#16 ·
IMO gun laws are much better here, you can carry just about everywhere, including hospitals and restaurants that serve alcohol, as long as you dont go in the lounge (anywhere that under 21 yr olds cannot go).

And it's a Shall issue state, while OR is May issue and you must provide a 'reason' to carry, altho it depends on the sheriff how many hoops they make you jump thru. This is what I learned 2 yrs ago when I took the OR test to get a cc permit for there, since I used to travel there alot.

There is no test in WA St and I had my CC permit in 5 working days after fingerprinting/background check.

OTOH the sales tax is very high and IMO affects alot of things. Also, because we have no income tax, we have some of the highest gas taxes in the country. My mother lives in the NYC metro area and is schocked at prices in our supermarkets, esp for things like paper towels, toilet paper, etc. Things are not cheap here, including real estate. And traffic in the Seattle metro area is horrendous. Hopefully as retirees you would not need to be near there.
 
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#19 ·
If you like the Columbia river valley the best of both worlds would be very rural Washington reestate near a good bridge to Oregon and its sales tax free economy...Id take Portland "culture" over Seattle...I am very attracted to the O side of the river...we live in the San Juans islands...but I spend all the time I can on the river...good people..government...Good luck to you
 
#22 ·
Oregon is shall issue for residents. For non-residents it is may issue. They require training of some kind - not sure of the details on that.

"No guns" signs carry the weight of law in OR - in WA they do not. So in WA you can carry almost everywhere - hospitals, businesses, state buildings, etc...

They're both great states.

Austin
 
#41 ·
"No guns" signs carry the weight of law in OR - in WA they do not. So in WA you can carry almost everywhere - hospitals, businesses, state buildings, etc...

Austin
I've never seen any ORS that says signs carry weight here in OR. If found to be carrying you can be asked to leave a private business or put it in your car, but cannot be treapassed until you fail to comply.

Any place that gets taxpayer funding cannot restrict the carry of firearms. Which includes the Oregon Zoo, who for years thought they could but they finally admitted they cannot restrict CC. OC is still a point of contention with them.

With an OR CHL you can go anywhere, including inside schools unlike WA, except for the usual secure areas of the airport and courts ect....
 
#23 ·
I have PA and Utah permits. I can carry in WA, not in OR. I have heard from co-workers that retired there from So. Cal. that parts of OR are openly hostile to CA immigrants. So don't advertise your CA origins if you move to OR.

I am retired. One of the reasons I moved from So. Cal. (Acton) to PA was to avoid income tax on my retirement income. Property taxes are high here, but everything else is less expensive than So. Cal. The winters are mild, the PA is very CCW friendly (shall issue, carry every place but schools, court houses, and federal buildings), ground hog hunting is great fun 6 months of the year, there are lots of shooting ranges, and the people are friendly.

Moving from CA, watch out for the WA/OR winters.

If you live in WA near the Oregon border and don't have both permits it will be miserable trying to stay out of trouble.

Fitch
 
#24 ·
Oregon or Washington

I grew up in Oregon, but now live in Washington. I also have concealed carry permits in both states...the biggest issue with Oregon, because it is so selective, the reciprocity is limited in regards to other states allowing you to carry. However, based on economy and numbers of people, retiring to Oregon maybe better for the checkbook and community patience. :yup:

Concealed Carry Permit Reciprocity Maps - USA Carry
 
#25 ·
Oregon is shall issue for residents, may issue for non-residents. Oregon will only issue carry permits to residents of bordering states, and does not recognize any other states' permit. Training is a simple one-day course, and I was able to find a course that met both Oregon and Utah training requirements.

Some Oregon counties are more welcoming to non-residents than others. There is one sheriff from a southern Oregon county (can't remember right now) that actually brought staff to Washington a couple of years back to make it easier for non-residents to apply. Obtaining an Oregon permit should not be a problem for a Washington resident.

Washington is shall issue for both residents and non-residents. I kept my Washington CPL when I moved away for a few years -- just changed the address.

CP Lincoln
 
#26 · (Edited)
We relocated from New Mexico and love it except the 6 to 7 months of rain. We are 80 miles south of Portland, and off the freeway about 10 miles.
Kind of a really large weather shock, but if you have made your mind up, it is a nice state to be living in.
Taxes are kind of high, but with some number crunching, I found that my actual outlay for taxes compared to New Mexico came to less than $100.00 a year.
Health and pleasant places to spend retirement is paramount, so take 6 months to look around before you make any permanent plans.
There is a little attitude toward Calif immigrants, as we can attest to. But after 20 years, we are finally getting accepted into the "old tmers" group. We are 65 and 69 YRS old.
Concealed permits were a breeze. Mine in two weeks, and hers in four due to smoooth fingerprints. We are in Linn County.
Stay safe, and have a happy new year. Things will work out for the best. Tom in Lebanon, Oregon. PM if more info requested.
 
#27 ·
Thank you to all who have responded. Lots of good information here with many perspectives. It is good to hear from you all since there are insights here that are not easily gleaned from just reading the gun laws.
 
#28 ·
Washington is actually two different "States" in their attitudes. Western WA has the influence of Seattle, and eastern WA is more rural and more friendly. I was born and raised there and still make frequent trips there. Come to Montana! (But if you do, avoid Missoula and Butte each for different reasons).
 
#29 ·
The same dichotomy is also true for Oregon. The western part of Oregon (the I-5 corridor) is very, very liberal. East of the Cascades, its very conservative. Born and raised there. Went back to go to Seminary. Now we live in Montana. We try to go back once a year to get our "Ocean fix"......
 
#34 ·
I would find another state to move to than WA or Or........ Both are now left coast states and will in the future become even more Kalifornia like........

As for as reciprocity (not what the OP asked) WA will not accept my CO permit but will accept my UT non-resident permit.......... Oregon will NOT accept either one...
 
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