Some questions regarding Immigrants & their use of firearms

[Wal']

Tenn or Ark will likely be quite friendly as far as gun laws. If you have a green card,
you can probably do a bit of paperwork and buy guns without much problem.

In Memphis, you should be armed. Not kidding.

Bill

Just love the way the rest of us out here get a dose of reality every once in a while.

[Blammer]

I wish everyone would read the OP post completely before responding.

Notice he said NOTHING about BRINGING a firearm into the US or the desire to PURCHASE ONE!

all you need to do here in NC is show up to the range, ask to rent a firearm, choose the one you want to try, buy the ammo and shoot it up at the range. no big deal.

Have fun!

[Houndog]

Tenn or Ark will likely be quite friendly as far as gun laws. If you have a green card,
you can probably do a bit of paperwork and buy guns without much problem.

In Memphis, you should be armed. Not kidding.

Bill

Bill is 100% correct about Memphis! If you MUST be in the Memphis area, West Memphis AR is a little better than Memphis TN. Germantown TN and North Mississippi are even better as is Southern Missouri.

[Awsar]

just contact local ATF office they can be helpful and have all the info you need

[ErikO]

If you are here under a visa (non-resident alien status) you need to pass a hunter safety course and get a hunting license before you can purchase a firearm of any nature, even one that is too low of a caliber to be used for hunting anything larger than a pest.

Establish your residency (as in, having the same address for the length of time required of the state you live in) and feel free to buy any firearm that a Resident Alien or Citizen can.

Most ranges have no issue with non-felons renting guns. Get a US driver's license, establish your living arrangements and enjoy the shooting sports!

[Jammer Six]

I don't care about lines on a map, place of birth or immigration status.

You'd be welcome to shoot my weapons with me.

[walltube]

Argentino,

I understand your query about a visiting, non-US citizen wanting to enjoy some shooting at a nearby range during their stay. The word "immigrant" in your post, I think, may have been the cause of some confusion.

You are of course not importing any of your own firearms from home, correct? You are wanting to perhaps rent, or borrow an acommodating Cast Boolits member's firearm if available; and make use of a nearby range? Easy enough. This should pose no legal problem in the Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi area surrounding Memphis. There are members here that, hopefully, will lend some Southern hospitality to a Cast Boolit visitor from afar.

I have done such in years past when employed by Bechtel, Fluor, EBASCO, etc. where many project engineers hailed from the U.K., Canada, Australia, Europe sought the same as you. Being US gun laws are (were?) much less restrictive, they took every opportunity to visit any rifle, pistol or skeet range made available to them. Never a problem in Louisiana or any Southern State. Been 20 years or so, but the good memories remain.

Welcome to the USA and heed the warnings about Memphis.
Y.T.,
Harold

How about it Ya'll.

[Argentino]

Hi people and thank you very much for your help.

Maybe I made a mistake when referring to myself as an immigrant. To make things more clear: I will be there just as a non US -citizen, with a working visa and for 4 months more or less. I´ll be working and living there just for that period of time and then I´ll return to my home country. I won´t be importing any of my own handguns. I just would like to rent some guns to do some target shooting at a range while staying at your country.

Anyway I´m a little concerned about your warnings about Memphis. I don´t mean to discuss it here in this topic if you don´t want to (perhaps it is a delicate issue- I don´t know). But I´ll really appreciate any further explanations or suggestions that you might have so if you just prefer to PM me I will appreciate it.

Many thanks again to all of you.

[gbrown]

Hi people and thank you very much for your help.
Anyway I´m a little concerned about your warnings about Memphis. I don´t mean to discuss it here in this topic if you don´t want to (perhaps it is a delicate issue- I don´t know). But I´ll really appreciate any further explanations or suggestions that you might have so if you just prefer to PM me I will appreciate it.

Many thanks again to all of you.

It's not that it is a delicate subject, I think some people on the forum who might be current or former Memphis residents may be insulted by painting all of Memphis like that. Just a guess on my part. It's like Buenos Aires. The Argentinian government is trying to clean up parts for the upcoming World Cup, I think it is? There are places there that are ruled by drug gangs and you would not be comfortable in. Same with large cities in the U.S, but not necessarily to that extreme.

[walltube]

To all,
I find it my duty as a responsible human being to offer caveats to visiting foreigners that may be unaware of not-so-safe, dangerous, areas in a large American city. This applies to cities where I have, in the past, lived and worked. Familiarity is key.

At the risk of being labled an alarmist I offer my many years of living in New Orleans as a qualifier. I have also lived and worked in Memphis. I sometimes visit Memphis with family and friends, most recently February 2012. Happiness was I-55 Southbound.

Argentino, you owe us no apology. No hurt feelings here. Our cities are what they are. I am confident all us Americans here at CB wish you a safe, enjoyable and productive working visit. Do not hesitate to ask for advice.

Germantown, to the east of Memphis or NorthWest Mississppi for a better measure of secure surroundings.

Sincerely,
Harold aka Walltube

[Jammer Six]

I've walked/driven/ridden in the Tendeloin, East L.A. and South Chicago.

Never felt threatened. You'll be fine.

[Blacksmith]

Argentino

There are good and bad parts of cities and towns all over the world and in any country you might visit. The same city will have areas where you can walk in the middle of the night with no concern and other areas where in the middle of the day you risk being robbed or worse. If you could share where you will be working, either the name of the company or the general address, there are people on the forum who could advise you as to specific problems or the advantages in that area. They can probably also recommend places to stay and places to shoot that are convenient to get to.

Most cities and states in this country have very nice areas and interesting things to see and do. I am certain you will enjoy your visit and have more than enough to keep you busy. What things do you enjoy doing in your country? We know you like to shoot but what kind of shooting do you do? Rifles, handguns, shotguns and what type targets bulls-eye, trap shooting or skeet etc.

In this country we also have some interesting shooting competitions that I don't know if they do in other countries. We have cowboy action shooting, metallic silhouette, bowling pin matches, military service rifle, sporting clays and others. If you have never tried some of these maybe this will be your chance. The more you can tell us about your likes and your visit the better we can make suggestions.

[DCM]

If you see a lot of businesses/houses with bars on the windows and doors you are in a bad part of town.
If you see a lot of boarded up houses you are in the bad part of town.
If you see a lot of poorly kept up houses you are in the bad part of town.
If you must be in those parts of town make sure your gas tank is full so you will not have to stop for gas(I lost a co-worker that way), avoid all but the mandatory stops, Leave yourself an out in traffic and at stop lights.
If possible visit those areas early in the AM as many of the residents won't be awake yet, not always true but it usually helps.

[Blacksmith]

And lock your car doors and keep your windows up when driving in bad parts of town.

[Argentino]

OK people thanks again.

I guess that all my concern was because some of you suggested that I should be armed. I´m aware that is a relative normal thing to you to carry firearms.

But in my country is quite different because the Government here allow us to keep guns but they don´t allow us to carry them . It sounds ridiculous I know. But you can only move your guns from your home to the range or to a hunting trip but always unloaded and locked up in closed gun cases.

So being armed (to carry a loaded weapon with you) at my country is a big issue since it is only allowed when you can prove to your Government that your life is in risk by an imminent danger (you need to sign several statements explaining your needs for carrying a firearm). So I guess that is why I started to had some concerns. Anyway is clear for me now that is quite different of what I thought in the beggining.

By delicate issues I just meant what gbrown mentioned earlier: I didn´t want to upset any Memphis citizen by making inappropriate questions. I just wanted to know if there was something I should be aware of. It is clear for my now that like any other big city, Memphis has some good and some not-quite-good areas to be in. Just as it is in my home country for sure. I just need to pay attention that´s all.

I appreciate all your help. I´m sure I´ll have a nice stay

[Jammer Six]

I'm sure you'll have a nice stay.

The vast majority of citizens here do not carry weapons. There is a huge, huge amount of life here that is not violent, armed or dangerous.

Welcome.