Move to N.C.?

Penmon

Penmon

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I been offered a position in the great state of North Carolina, Raleigh area.
I lived in Maryland most of my adult life with some time spent in the Philadelphia area (did not like) Before that I traveled the world as an Army brat.

I will mostly likely keep my home in Maryland and rent an apartment to start with the idea of moving there when my Grandson get a little older, he 3 now and too much fun not to be with on the weekends. I am trying to decided if I should get a N.C.drivers permit and tags.

What can you tell me about the culture, gun laws,concealed carry, taxes and other important stuff like good gun stores.
 
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My Mom was raised in Clinton (about an hour south of Raleigh) and we went there a lot when I was a kid. All I remember is red sandy soil, acres upon acres of tobacco and warm sunny weather.

*edit*

And the food. Bar-B-Q. Not the ketchupy-syrupy stuff served here, rather a vinegar/pepper based twang. Sweet tea. Grits (which I still love when done right). Greens - (any ol' kind if tall leaf that dared grow, it seems) boiled down limp with a dollop of lard. Never developed a taste for them but they were served at every meal.

You could do worse than North Carolina, a lot worse...
 
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Jim -

Parents lived in NC near the coast for several years and while I haven't lived there I have friends who do and spend a bit of time there.

You should be right at home since there seems to be more transplanted Yankees down there in a lot of places than natives;).

I have a SIL from Maryland and spent some time there, too, so I have a frame of reference but have lived neither place myself. I wish I could afford to keep a place farther north (I like WV!) and yet move to NC for a good portion of the year. Flat lands and coastal planes or foothills and what passes here in the east for "mountains" in the western part of the state. Great weather, laid back atmosphere . . . I'd recommend it. And the gun laws and attitudes in that part of the country for the most part are an improvement over the area you're in.

Raleigh is a nice area, hot, but a short commute and you're in the country. I have friends who work the Raleigh-Durham area who commute in. They're avid shooters and hunters and seem to like the area.
 
I lived in Virginia as a young man, and still have family there, so have some familiarity with both Maryland and North Carolina.

I would not want to live in Maryland, frankly, and sorry to say. But North Carolina? Heck yeah. It is a fine state, and very gun friendly.
 
Lived in NC my whole life.
Great place, even if the Raleigh area has become flooded with transplants, many of whom do their dead-level best to turn it into a place resembling where they just came from. Have observed many who honestly believe that since the natives speak a bit slower and know something about being gracious, then they must be stupid.
I'm in a rural area a dozen miles North of Raleigh. ~3 hours to the coast, about the same to the mountains. Defined seasons of Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer.
(And a plug - we're trying to sell our house!)
 
I am a native of SC (my preference) and married to a Sandlapper, but we have lived in NC since 1976, on the coast in Onslow County. We had a brief stint in Miami, FL, but I was not a fan of "no seasons" nor Dade County in general.

The Raleigh area is very fast growing, but you can live "in the country" a short distance away. I would try and avoid Cary, NC (Confinement Area For Relocated Yankees). You are a couple of hours from the coast, and a few more from the mountains. Deer hunting is excellent in adjacent counties, and the hunting of other animals is within easy driving distance.

It is easy to obtain a Concealed Carry Permit from your local sheriff, and once you have it there is no waiting to purchase firearms of any description (except machine guns).

In eastern NC, most of the LGS cater to the "black gun" semi-auto trade, and old Smith's are few and far between. Also we don't have many ranges and/or trap/skeet facilities.

I have tried to lay it out as best that I can. All said, we find it a wonderful place to live, far away from the maddening crowd! I would suggest that you get a NC Drivers License, register you vehicle and register to vote so that you will be a legal resident as far as all gun issues go!

Come on down! The water, which is everywhere, is fine! Send me a PM if you have other questions. By the way fishing is great, throughout the state.

medxam
 
My son lives in Goldsboro. We get down there a couple times a year. I like North Carolina!
 
Jim,

I forgot to mention the wonderful NC food. BBQ has been mentioned, but as you go across the state, you can go from vinegar based to tomato based and in between to suit your taste. Yes, grits are a staple, cooked in chicken broth with plenty of cream and butter, "greens', preferably collards and any sort of wild game that you can kill, i.e., squirrels, rabbits, doves, quail,ducks,venison and bear. All forms of seafood are abundant.

medxam
 
I'm a Yankee transplant in NC. Moved here almost 22 years ago and never left, and probably won't. As far as cities go (I hate cities) Raleigh is probably one of the best there is. Relatively clean, low crime, lots to do etc. although it does struggle to retain its history and southern culture. The comments from the natives about the transplants ruining the state are largely true. I have watched it over the years myself and it is embarrassing. So many people from the NE move here because it is so nice and then try to turn it into the **** they left - and they are succeeding. Taxes and regulation are the highest in the SE region now. If you have any specific questions PM me. I've spent alot of time in Raleigh and my son lives up there (daughter just left).
 
stumper said:
I'm a Yankee transplant in NC. Moved here almost 22 years ago and never left, and probably won't. As far as cities go (I hate cities) Raleigh is probably one of the best there is. Relatively clean, low crime, lots to do etc. although it does struggle to retain its history and southern culture. The comments from the natives about the transplants ruining the state are largely true. I have watched it over the years myself and it is embarrassing. So many people from the NE move here because it is so nice and then try to turn it into the **** they left - and they are succeeding. Taxes and regulation are the highest in the SE region now. If you have any specific questions PM me. I've spent alot of time in Raleigh and my son lives up there (daughter just left).
Click to expand...

I have lived 3/4 of of my life in NC. So about 40 years. My parents were born in NC. I live in the part of the state called the "triad". Greensboro, High Point, and Winston-Salem area.
If you live in the state you will notice that there are four different urban centers. The "triad" in the North Piedmount. Asheville that is more like San Fancisco. The Raliegh/Durham area that includes Raliegh/Durham/Cary/Chapill Hill, Research Triangle/Airport "called the Triangle". NC State, UNC, and Duke are located there in the heart of ACC land.

We in the "triad" use Cary as the examle. 30 Years ago Cary was a nice little town of around 1500. Now it it is a big place(95,000 or so). Everything is new so it looks great!!!

We call it the a Consolidated Aera of Replaced Yankees. Open Carry of Fireams is legal in NC. Except in two cities. Cary and Chapill Hill. Also the Triangle and the Charlotte area, are the only Blue areas for the most part.

The NC coast is great. The Blue Ridge Mountains are great. You have to remember that the sate is~500 miles across. NC has great roads, and if you are like me. Everything is three hours or less (except the outer banks).

Expect hot summers, plenty of bugs, etc... but not as bad as further south. You will only be able to keep your pool open from May too September.

Every County in NC (100) has it own rules about pistol permits, and CCW time to premit. Fees differ also.
But for the most part you can get a pistol permit the same day, and a CCW in 10 business days.
A few areas take months!

Higher education in the NC system is expensive, but a lot less than some states.

I love NC!!!

Are Yankees ruining it???

Seems so in some places!

Guy22
 
North Carolina

C'mon Down!

107981609.jpg
 
I am a transplant here from the West Coast. I got stationed at Fort Bragg and never left. I now live near Charlotte and enjoy it very much. There are certainly Blue pockets in this state, particularly in Charlotte and some other areas mentioned. However, I live in the county just north of Charlotte and it is Redneck Central. :D Quite literally the home of NASCAR. Do a lot of research on the county you are planning to move to, some are better than others. In my county, the Sheriff is extremely gun friendly. CCW and firearms laws/practices are about as open as you can get in NC. However, counties like Mecklenburg, Cumberland...not so much.

North Carolina is Southern without being too Southern. The weather is pretty decent, and bugs are a little bad in the Summer. School systems vary widely depending on where you live, from excellent to down right embarrassing. Western NC is very different from Eastern NC, but wherever you live, you are a day trip away from great natural beauty and historic landmarks. The mountains are awesome, the coastline is awesome. I really love this state and wouldn't mind all that much if I live here the rest of my life.
 
Thanks guys this helps a lot.
Maryland is below the Mason Dixon line so I do not consider myself a Yankee plus my Mother was from Kentucky.

I read up on the NC gun laws and I have questions.
If I understand correctly one is limited to 5 handguns purchases per year not by State law but by the local sheriff?

Is this still true if I get carry permit?

Can one get a permit in NC for self protection only, in MD you need to be a victim of a crime, have a business reason and be able to hold your breath for 10 minuets.

In Maryland I have designated collector status I can buy all the handguns I want as often as I want ( with 7 day waiting period). Does NC have anything like this?

Is the Raleigh area gun friendly I am hearing the Sheriff is not easy to deal with?

When buying a handgun in NC do you go both to the courthouse or Sheriffs office and the gun store or is all handle in the store? fingerprints, photos?

What county near Raleigh is gun friendly (get a carry permit), and how far is it to downtown Raleigh?
 
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With the carry permit you can buy as many as you want with no waiting period. There is an 8 hour course, then $175 and a short wait to get the CCW. There are some places you aren't allowed to carry (restaurants that serve alcohol). Most of the prohibited places are the same as everywhere else (schools, government buildings, etc.) W/o the carry permit you are limited. You buy the purchase permit ahead of time at $5 each. You can get 5 at a time. I am unaware if you can or cannot get more than 5/yr. About the only thing I can think of I would like about MD better than NC is the seafood. NC permits are honored in something like 34 states with several more that do not require any at all. BTW, if you go to the DMV, you can get an ID that will allow you to legally purchase guns in NC. I have a friend who is a citizen of FL and NC. If you earn money in NC, you will be expected to pay state income tax here.

Asheville is a bit like San Francisco, but only in the inner city. The "normal" people mostly live outside of town.

Barbecue is generally served with three sauces, Vinegar based (east Carolina), Tomato based (Western NC), and mustard base (SC). it is served on the side (except for ribs) and you use whichever you like best.

Even though you do not consider yourself a Yankee, you will be considered one down here. Don't let it bother you.
 
Well if the actual truth was to be know I had one Great Great Great Grandfather who fought for the north and one who fought for the south.
Both were farmers in western Maryland. The "Yankee" owed slaves and the Johnny Reb did not.They both attended the same Methodist church and after the war the church installed two front doors one for the North and one for the South.
 
Ogandydancer said:
Our laws state that if you have legal residence you need N.C. DL and tags also you must be a legal residence if you get a NC CCP.
Click to expand...

Not quite true. you can have dual residence. As I stated, my friend had a FL tag and DL and wanted to keep them. He went to the NCDMV and they gave him a NC ID card once he proved he had NC residence. Many folks own two homes in two states. My friend used his DMV card to get a purchase permit and legally bought a 9mm pistol in NC.
 
jaykellogg said:
Not quite true. you can have dual residence. As I stated, my friend had a FL tag and DL and wanted to keep them. He went to the NCDMV and they gave him a NC ID card once he proved he had NC residence. Many folks own two homes in two states. My friend used his DMV card to get a purchase permit and legally bought a 9mm pistol in NC.
Click to expand...



W-O-W did not know this cause I been rasing hell about a neighbor running a Jersey tag for nearly two years. Guess we all live and learn!
 
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