How is Houston for the gun lovers?

[StrykerDM]

Originally Posted by Lazarus

What about Austin?

Austin is more liberal in a lot of things, but then again, its liberal as far as Texas liberal goes (not California liberal by any means). Living in the actual city of Austin would be expensive and crowded, but the surrounding towns are nice and relatively quiet, and a lot of them are gorgeous places. My gf's parents and older sister just moved to Round Rock and a buddy from college lives in North Austin, and they're both really nice areas. Its a little more spread out than the current city area's. As far as ranges go, I'm sure there are some good ones around. There was a good one that we went to called Red's or something like that...

As far as ethnicity goes, Austin is very diverse as well...

[Lazarus]

Years ago a guy told me about Round Rock and I continue to hear nothing but good things about that area. Is there any rural type areas where one could buy a house on a few acres?

[jnclement]

Sorry, I just refuse to live in that nasty triangle that will contain 90% of all Texas by 2010. The Texas with the great history is dying.

[Brickboy240]

Our DA (who is involved in a scandal and on his way out...soon) has had no effect on our gun laws. We have the same gun laws you have in West Texas. This isn't Los Angeles...jeez!

Yes, it is hot and humid in the summer months, but from mid October to mid-April, its pretty nice here. A few cold days but many very nice days. I rode my motorcycle in a t-shirt on New Years Eve...you won't be doing that in Midland or Amarillo! Summer here is stiffling but we endure and the winter months are worth putting up with the summers. It does rain alot here, but that keeps everything green in the warm months. Other parts of Texas turn an ugly brown in summer while we're green and pretty. Every downside has an upside..ok?

Forget that Texas image of cactus and tumbleweeds, Houston is like a big greenhouse and is full of lush, green foliage. If you like living in a forest or want a nice outdoor flower garden, Houston is the place for you. Many times, in the summer, it rains so often, I do not have to set out a sprinkler. I do have to mow a thick lawn...but man...it looks like the Scotts fertilizer commercial in June.

Houston is not perfect, it suffers the same maladies that almost any big US city has to deal with. Inner city has more crime, really high real estate and bad neighborhoods and many choose to live in the outskirts. It has bad traffic and sprawl. Nothing that Dallas, St. Louis, Phoenix or other big US cities does not have. If you can handle or are used to living in a big city...Houston will not scare you one bit.

Austin? Austin is a smaller version of Houston in a more hilly area with less humidity. You'd be surprised at how bad the traffic is in Austin, even though it is not nearly as big as Houston or Dallas. The pretty areas of Austin are VERY expensive and having an hour commute in Austin is not unheard of...like Houston. For a small city, Austin always seems congested and crowded for such a small city.

Round Rock? That is an Austin suburb. I have a cousin that lives there. Yes, its nice, but you're looking at a congested commute, unless you work for Dell. The nicer houses are climbing in price as well. Decent schools, good shopping. Yes, this is a nice area, but its getting more developed by the hour and resembles any suburb in any other city, really. Commuting to a job on the other side of Austin or going to the airport from Round Rock is frustrating...and thats coming from a Houston traffic warrior!

One thing Houston definately has over Austin - a larger job market. Yes, the A#1 reason I am here - my business. The job market in Houston is very good and diverse. Austin and San Antonio...less so. That is a huge consideration when you're staring a possible recession in the face, is it not?

- Brickboy240

[m9fan]

Originally Posted by Brickboy240

Houston is very gun friendly. Tons of places to shoot, tons of gun stores and gun shows as well. I know several gun enthusiasts and this is a very gun-heavy culture...its Texas afterall!

If there is any other race of people I see regularly at the range, it is Asian people. I believe shooting is a very popular sport amongst Asians in Houston. You will NOT look out of place at ANY Houston shooting range or gunstore.

This city is a mix of people. I have neighbors from Bolivia, Argentina, Russia and Scotland. Don't worry about diversity, there is a huge Asian community in West Houston...you'll fit in here just fine. Most people I know associate with a wide range of peoples. I am white but have friends of all races and find them all very interesting and beautiful people in their own ways.

Do some reaserch...this is a pretty good place to live if you can stand the traffic and heat.

- brickboy240

As a resident and CHL holder, I couldn't agree more! Goin' to the High Caliber Gun & Knife show tomorrow, as a matter of fact...

[PackerfanXD]

If Texas is so gun-friendly, why can you not open carry there?

[lobster_roboto]

Originally Posted by m9fan

As a resident and CHL holder, I couldn't agree more! Goin' to the High Caliber Gun & Knife show tomorrow, as a matter of fact...

Same here...

Houston resident and CHL holder.

I've pretty much conceded to the idea that whatever brickboy says I generally agree with.

I'm going to the conroe show not this weekend but next.

[Brickboy240]

Oh sweet Jesus...get off the open carry issue...will you? Thats really dancing on the head of a pin, when you get right down to it. A total non-issue.

Obviously, you have NEVER been here. If you spent 24 hours here, you'd see that this is a VERY gun-friendly place. The whole state is. This is not California or New Jersey...other than no open carry...everything else is wide open. Some states that allow open carry have silly rstrictions in certain areas like registration or magazine limits.

Not having open carry is not really a big deal....I have never thought "gee...I'd really love to have this Glock 22 on the OUTSIDE of my shirt...where EVERYONE (including possible attackers) can see that I have a gun. Think about it, to some criminals, a gun is like a Rolex...it says "rob me, please..I have something of value on my person."

If you cannot see the obvious advantage of NOBODY knowing who has guns and who does not and think that your pistol should be out there for all to see...well...I cannot help you.

- Brickboy240

[PackerfanXD]

Originally Posted by Brickboy240

Oh sweet Jesus...get off the open carry issue...will you? Thats really dancing on the head of a pin, when you get right down to it. A total non-issue.

Obviously, you have NEVER been here. If you spent 24 hours here, you'd see that this is a VERY gun-friendly place. The whole state is. This is not California or New Jersey...other than no open carry...everything else is wide open. Some states that allow open carry have silly rstrictions in certain areas like registration or magazine limits.

Not having open carry is not really a big deal....I have never thought "gee...I'd really love to have this Glock 22 on the OUTSIDE of my shirt...where EVERYONE (including possible attackers) can see that I have a gun. Think about it, to some criminals, a gun is like a Rolex...it says "rob me, please..I have something of value on my person."

If you cannot see the obvious advantage of NOBODY knowing who has guns and who does not and think that your pistol should be out there for all to see...well...I cannot help you.

- Brickboy240

Relax. Take a deep breath.
Just because I think it's ridiculous to be possibly sited for reaching for an item on the top shelf at Walmart and showing a portion of a pistol, is no reason to come off like a dick. I don't open carrry but I like the fact that I can. I'm sure Texas is great in every other area but I find it more than strange that people would freak out if they saw a gun.

[Majk]

Originally Posted by m9fan

As a resident and CHL holder, I couldn't agree more! Goin' to the High Caliber Gun & Knife show tomorrow, as a matter of fact...

Just researched pearland last night. The wife and I looked at dozens of houses online and I gotta say prices are awesome. Even some in Houston.

I looked at houses compared to ours in the same price range. On the whole, in TX you got one more bedroom and another bathroom plus a little more square footage for the same money. Property taxes were about 15-20% higher but the prices more than made up for it.
It looks like Pearland is 15-20 minutes from Houston as far as I could tell.
She'd have to find a post office around there that would take her on, so she has some flexibility as to where we can live near there.

It's just getting her to leave NE. and her family. But the cold and snow really help my cause.

We might have to call upon one or two of you TX guys when we get closer to moving. Maybe one of you can hook us up with a good realtor and maybe offer some suggestions on where to live.
We've been to Houston a couple of times and San Antonio, but never paid enough attention as to living and working there. I will say it is true, southern people are more friendlier. I have family near Fort Worth and whenever we visited they called me a yankee and expected me to be rude. I always thought that was funny when I was a kid.