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First of all, you don't want to live in Multnomah County. Not only is loaded open carry illegal there (unless you have a CHL, or are hunting), just possessing a loaded magazine in your car is illegal. Multnomah County also has, or recently had a county income tax. Portland itself has an art tax, and soon a road tax. It's downtown area is also the home of Oregon's largest university, PSU. This is the reason that Multnomah County votes 70% Democratic. It's also full of whacko environmentalists. To actual Portland residents, the TV show "Portlandia" is not a comedy show. In their view it's a documentary. Portland also hates cars. There's almost no parking to be found, and when you do find it, it's $10 per day. I'd also avoid Gresham. It's the "poor" section of Multnomah County, where Portland likes to dump all of its social problems.
For places to live I would strongly consider the West side of Clackamas County. Towns like Sandy, Boring, Damascus, Oregon City, Wilsonville, and Happy Valley are outside the "crazy zone" (Multnomah County), prices are relatively low, with relatively low taxes, and they are closer (within 30 minutes) to hunting, fishing, skiing, camping, and shooting. Damascus, Boring, Sandy, and surrounding places are what would be called "horse country" in some places. There are lots of homes on a couple acres or more, with great views of the mountains and surrounding countryside, with room for livestock, kids, gardens, etc.
Here's the view from my neighborhood:
The beach is still only a little over an hour away, and you can commute to downtown in about 30 minutes (20 miles). The Douglas Ridge Rifle Club and the Estacada Rod & Gun Club, both near Sandy, are within a few minutes of most of these locations. Shooting areas in the Mt. Hood National Forest lie just a few minutes further East. I would stay away from the West side of Portland, like Beaverton and Hillsboro because that whole area is a rats maze of suburbia, "business" parks, and terrible traffic congestion.
You can open carry loaded nearly anyplace in Oregon, with the notable exception of anywhere in Multnomah County. Getting a CHL is easy. The requirement is a 3 to 4 hour class on handling handguns and self-defense rules. No range time is required. It does not have to be an NRA class, but it has to be accredited. Most NRA classes are accredited. If your DD-214 specifically mentions handgun training then that counts. If not, you need an accredited class certificate from somewhere. I got a CHL primarily to eliminate worries about how I transport my handguns, and where in Oregon I do so. The CHL overrides any local ordinances. It also permits you to carry loaded while operating an ATV. There are places to shoot in the National Forests as well as many gun clubs and ranges. There's also lots of BLM land in Eastern Oregon for hunting and target shooting.
Like everywhere, there are good gun shops and poor ones in Oregon. Gun Broker and Northwest Armory are at the top of my list. The Gun Room, and to a lesser extent Keith's are on my list of places to avoid. Keith's has good prices and great selection, but the customer service can be extremely poor. There are no permits or registration required in Oregon, other than the CHL if you intend to carry concealed, and an instant background check when buying from a dealer or at a gun show. Face to face transactions with Oregon residents require no paperwork at all. If you go across state lines (sell to someone in WA) then you need to use an FFL, which usually runs about $25.
Stay active on this board and you'll learn a lot, really just about everything you need to know about firearms and living in Oregon is right here.
For places to live I would strongly consider the West side of Clackamas County. Towns like Sandy, Boring, Damascus, Oregon City, Wilsonville, and Happy Valley are outside the "crazy zone" (Multnomah County), prices are relatively low, with relatively low taxes, and they are closer (within 30 minutes) to hunting, fishing, skiing, camping, and shooting. Damascus, Boring, Sandy, and surrounding places are what would be called "horse country" in some places. There are lots of homes on a couple acres or more, with great views of the mountains and surrounding countryside, with room for livestock, kids, gardens, etc.
Here's the view from my neighborhood:
The beach is still only a little over an hour away, and you can commute to downtown in about 30 minutes (20 miles). The Douglas Ridge Rifle Club and the Estacada Rod & Gun Club, both near Sandy, are within a few minutes of most of these locations. Shooting areas in the Mt. Hood National Forest lie just a few minutes further East. I would stay away from the West side of Portland, like Beaverton and Hillsboro because that whole area is a rats maze of suburbia, "business" parks, and terrible traffic congestion.
You can open carry loaded nearly anyplace in Oregon, with the notable exception of anywhere in Multnomah County. Getting a CHL is easy. The requirement is a 3 to 4 hour class on handling handguns and self-defense rules. No range time is required. It does not have to be an NRA class, but it has to be accredited. Most NRA classes are accredited. If your DD-214 specifically mentions handgun training then that counts. If not, you need an accredited class certificate from somewhere. I got a CHL primarily to eliminate worries about how I transport my handguns, and where in Oregon I do so. The CHL overrides any local ordinances. It also permits you to carry loaded while operating an ATV. There are places to shoot in the National Forests as well as many gun clubs and ranges. There's also lots of BLM land in Eastern Oregon for hunting and target shooting.
Like everywhere, there are good gun shops and poor ones in Oregon. Gun Broker and Northwest Armory are at the top of my list. The Gun Room, and to a lesser extent Keith's are on my list of places to avoid. Keith's has good prices and great selection, but the customer service can be extremely poor. There are no permits or registration required in Oregon, other than the CHL if you intend to carry concealed, and an instant background check when buying from a dealer or at a gun show. Face to face transactions with Oregon residents require no paperwork at all. If you go across state lines (sell to someone in WA) then you need to use an FFL, which usually runs about $25.
Stay active on this board and you'll learn a lot, really just about everything you need to know about firearms and living in Oregon is right here.
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