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Best way to find all gun shows in Texas, and other questions.

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  • gail22

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    Dec 10, 2008
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    Hi all,

    I've been using Google to search for Texas gun shows and every time I do, it seems like I find different web sites.

    I live in Illinois, so I would want to come to a show in a least expensive area for motels in Texas. For instance, I suspect Houston or San Antonio would be more costly than Fort Worth? (I don't really know.)

    It looks like I'll be moving at the end of December (but probably only locally). I do not, as yet, have an Illinois gun permit because I moved here from New York State and I think they'd want me to change my drivers license to an Illinois State one, which I don't want to do. Also, the laws here are stricter - I am certainly eligible to get a gun permit or license, but there's a lot of red tape to go through.

    I thought it would be nicer to go to a Texas gun show because it would give me a little vacation, and time away from Chicago (which would be great), but I'd have to prove I were a resident of Texas to legally purchase a hand gun (which I want for home security because I'm an older lady on my own).

    If I stayed at a motel for a couple of weeks, would that qualify me as a resident of the State of Texas, or would I need a Texas drivers licence or utilities bills?

    Any feedback would be much appreciated.

    Best to you all,

    G.
    Capitol Armory ad
     

    txinvestigator

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    May 28, 2008
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    Ft Worth, TX
    Hi all,

    If I stayed at a motel for a couple of weeks, would that qualify me as a resident of the State of Texas, or would I need a Texas drivers licence or utilities bills?

    Any feedback would be much appreciated.

    Best to you all,

    G.


    No. ATF Online - Firearms FAQs

    But you could buy the handgun here and have it shipped to a licensed dealer in your state, provided that meets the laws in your state, I BELIEVE.
     

    JKTex

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    Mar 11, 2008
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    Gail, while it's too bad New York and Illinois are the way they are, please don't try to skirt the law and use Texas to try to do so. Being a Texan is great and growing up not knowing what it's like to not be able to drive around with a rifle or shotgun hanging in the rack in the back window, or own just about anything we want, we do respect the law.

    I think the question was answered but no, you can't hang out in a motel or hotel and become a Texan. Buying a gun is easy when you follow the law. Buying a gun illegally is not as easy for the non-criminal but in either case, trying to by an gun illegally in Texas makes you an enemy of those of us that cherish our rights.

    BTW, I'm not sure why people think about Fort Worth like they do. Any major city in Texas will have cheap motels and ultra expensive Hotels and everything in between and pricing will vary from one part of town to another. Did you know Fort Worth is a major hub of top notch cultural arts and other attractions? It has the bad parts of town, it has the historical and it has some awesome art and cultural areas and venues. Dallas just has all the celebrities and great music legends.

    BTW, no matter what you decide, you can save a trip buy purchasing online, assuming you can legally take posession from a FFL where you live. www.sportingarms.com is a great place to try first. Becky is awesome and I know she could help you deiced what would be right for you, she and Tom always have great prices. But they'll still need to ship to a FFL near you and you'll still need to be legally able to recieve it from them.
     

    gail22

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    Dec 10, 2008
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    Hi, with thanks to you both! Please, first forgive my tardy reply - I'm getting ready for a move, and everything's very hectic.

    Second, please forgive me if I offended in suggesting I wanted to purchase a hand gun illegally, or by my ignorance of what various cities in Texas are like. I did not mean to do either of those things at all!

    I do appreciate your suggestions as to how I could legally buy a hand gun in Texas, and I would really love to visit Texas, so it is an idea.

    I am not happy about living in Chicago - in fact, I always hated it so much here, that's why I moved to NY when I was young and lived there for the bulk of my life - until circumstances forced me back to Chicago.

    I am extremely concerned about the proposed ban on gun ownership in Cook County that I saw in another thread on the forum. I'm so glad I saw it - as soon as I did, I made that call and voted against the ban or whatever they want to do.

    You have probably heard that the governor of IL was just arrrested? Well, Chicago is the crookedest city in the crookedest state in the US. That's how it's always been, and looks like how it always will be. And I'm extremely concerned because if it becomes illegal to own a gun in Cook County, I'm out of luck because anyplace else I'd need a car and I just can't afford one (I'm on a fixed income).

    So I just pray it stays legal in Cook County so I can own a gun. By the way, I'm not so much a gun nut, as someone who believes in Second Amendment rights. I've never even touched a gun in my life, so I would need a lot of practice learning how to handle one, and I'd be able to get dealers to help with that here. Oh - so I mean to say, I can't just buy a gun without holding it in my hand first, to see if I can hold it comfortably, and learning to keep it cleaned, and shoot properly. etc.

    My thanks and best wishes to you,

    G.
     

    gail22

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    Dec 10, 2008
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    Just a word about my last sentence - that's why I hoped to be able to buy a gun at a big gun show where there would be a lot of variety to choose from - and it's nice to hear that i CAN do that, and then have it shipped to a local dealer (probably in a neighboring county). So I do thank you again, both, for all your great advice.

    All my best to you,

    G.
     

    gail22

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    Dec 10, 2008
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    Oh, and also, the only reason(s) I didn't want to have to switch my NY drivers license is because it's good until my birthday in 2010, and it's the prettiest one I ever had - NOT my photo, but the colors - very pretty mixture of light pinks and blues. :-)
     

    Texan2

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    Nov 8, 2008
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    i understand your concerns and its good to know that we have someone in Cook County that is standing up for their rights.
    i hope you do get to come visit Texas...there are alot of retired/fixed income folks here, as Texas is much cheaper to live in that Chicago in most cases.
    but as was stated, you wont be able to walk into a gun show and pull out your NY id and buy your gun. Use the internet to get one sent to a dealer in your state and save your Texas vacation.....to be a vacation. There may be other counties in ILL that are more relaxed when it comes to aquiring guns.
    You may also want to check the law in ILL...in Texas, once you move here you have to get a Texas DL and surrender your out of state DL...I imagine there would be a similar statute in ILL.
     

    gail22

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    Dec 10, 2008
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    Hi,

    Thank you for your reply. Yes, I have heard it is much less expensive to live in Texas than most cities in the north (Chicago is nearly as expensive as NY now, almost - so many people are losing their homes that rental prices have risen just in the past four years).

    I'd dearly love a vacation in Texas. I wouldn't know where to go first, I guess it would be a long vacation if I wanted to see a lot of it. :-)

    With moving locally this month, I'm hoping for a better living situation (quieter, etc.) - someplace I can relax, and then I guess I'll have to get my drivers license changed to an IL one (I wish I didn't have to - I am very fond of my pink and blue NY one), and send in my application for a permit or whatever I need here to be able to buy a gun in IL. I'm just very worried they'll pass some ordinance that residents of Cook County can't possess a gun. How could they even do that if it is a Federal right?

    I don't know. This is an awful city and state. I hate it. I wish I hadn't come back here.

    Well, thank you again for your reply.

    All the best,

    G.
     

    Texan2

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    It will be a bit more difficult to ban handguns in light of the recent Supreme court decision....not that their decision cant be changed by a newer decision.
    Best bet is to get what you can, while you can...and work to have your voice heard concerning upcoming legislation that affects you and your neighbors.
     

    gail22

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    Dec 10, 2008
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    Hi,

    What was the newest Supreme Court decision?

    It's not easy to bring up or advocate gun ownership rights here. This is an extremely gun-control oriented populace - they even have propaganda commercials on TV here to scare people about gun crimes ("your kids will get killed" - that sort of thing). It was the same attitude in NY. Most people in the cities and surrounding suburbs sneer at the NRA the way Republicans sneered at the word "liberal".

    It's kind of funny - I used to be a Liberal Democrat but one day, very long ago, when the subject of gun control came up in a conversation with a boyfriend, he was pro gun control and I realized I wasn't, because I remembered it's the Second Amendment right and we shouldn't chip away at our own rights.

    I wonder when "liberal" stopped meaning freedom?

    Your advice is good. I just hope our rights will remain intact as long as possible.

    All the best,

    G.
     
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