Knoxville

I'm pretty sure I'm going to be attending UT@Knoxville in the Fall of next year for graduate school. I currently live in NC, but I don't have a NC CHP because I OC most of the time and can't carry on campus or at work. There is no use in paying for the NC permit only to be used until June of 2011. I am however thinking about getting a Utah permit which is good in NC and TN. This would let me carry in TN while my TN app is being processed.

I've read up a bit on laws in TN and they seem to be pretty similar to NC, except for a few points. I'm happy that I will not have to notify an officer of possessing a permit. I'm also happy that I'll be able to carry in a restaurant that serves alcohol (unless I am partaking). I still won't be able to carry on campus. Am I allowed to keep a handgun in my car if my vehicle is parked?

Now a few questions about Knoxville. How do people and LE behave towards OC and firearms in general? Can anyone suggest a good place to shoot? Volunteer Rifle & Pistol Club looks pretty good based on their website and prices. Does anyone shoot here? $96/year is a steal compared to what I pay here! Are there any good gun shops in Knoxville that you guys prefer?

I'm going to be making a trip out to Knoxville in December and I hope I'll have time to shoot a little or atleast visit a gunshop. I'm not looking forward to the almost 8 hour drive

A bit off topic: How is vehicle tax done in TN? In NC, it's based on the value of your vehicle. Someone else told me TN charges a flat fee for any vehicle.

Are you moving to TN or just coming to attend school? Will you maintain residency in NC?

I will be permanently moving to TN. I intend on buying a home there as well.

UTK is a great place to go to school! I did my undergrad there and Knoxville isn't that bad of a town to live in really. That being said, UT is not a firearm friendly university. According to the UTK police website http://web.utk.edu/~utpolice/Weapons_Storage.html You are not allowed to have any weapons on campus at all even with a permit. You are required in TN to give your permit to an officer on demand but you are not required to inform an officer when your pulled over that you are carrying a weapon you just have to give him your permit. If you have any questions about the university in general, don't hesitate to PM me.

mattwestm said:

I will be permanently moving to TN. I intend on buying a home there as well.

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1. If you are establishing residency here, you must get a TN carry permit within 6 months of doing so regardless of what other carry permit you come here with. You can get a permit immediately after establishing residency here, which is generally considered to be the date you get a TDL, although rent/util bill probably suffices also.

2. You cannot legally have a gun on campus, even in your car, except as operator of car, when picking someone up or dropping off an it is legal for a non-student adult to store a handgun in car parked on campus property, but not for an adult student, go figure.

Any business can now post in TN, either worded by statute or simple gunbuster sign. Carrying past a sign is "$500 fine only", however there is another statute that says permit will be jerked for disobeying this statute. It has not been tested in court yet, so we don't know how will play out.

TN gun law, like many states, is a real blend of sane and idiotic rules.

What else you want to know?

- OS

utbob2004 said:

... According to the UTK police website http://web.utk.edu/~utpolice/Weapons_Storage.html You are not allowed to have any weapons on campus at all even with a permit. ...

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It doesn't matter what UTK says about things, state law is what counts. They can only make rules for students/staff/faculty, not for others.

It is legal for a non-student adult to have gun stored in car on school property, but not for students. It is a fireable offense for staff and faculty, but not against state law.

Anyone with a permit can have gun in car while picking up or dropping off on school property. Also, except for a couple of dead end roads and some alleys, all streets/sidewalks through UTK are Knoxville city streets, so you are legal to drive on them with our gun/permit, and even legal to walk on the city sidewalks through the campus. Not that any of that does a student much good, since there's very little metered parking on the streets and of course you can't attend classes on the sidewalks.

- OS

How is OC in Knoxville and across the state in general? Weird looks? Problems from LE?

mattwestm said:

How is OC in Knoxville and across the state in general? Weird looks? Problems from LE?

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I never had an issue in Middle TN (been gone a while though.)

mattwestm said:

How is OC in Knoxville and across the state in general? Weird looks? Problems from LE?

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Generally okay. Weird looks, sure, 'bout every time I've done it.
REALLY weird looks, if you're carrying an AK 47 pistola.

You might get a cop to ask to see your permit once in a rare while. Or not.

I seldom open carry, so I'm not the best litmus test, but that's generally what the folks say who open carry all the time.

You might want to hang out at TnGunOwners.com some, if you're gonna live here.

- OS

Oh Shoot said:

Generally okay. Weird looks, sure, 'bout every time I've done it.
REALLY weird looks, if you're carrying an AK 47 pistola.

You might get a cop to ask to see your permit once in a rare while. Or not.

I seldom open carry, so I'm not the best litmus test, but that's generally what the folks say who open carry all the time.

You might want to hang out at TnGunOwners.com some, if you're gonna live here.

- OS

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tngunowners is the absolute worst place to go for information regarding open carry. The owner is anti-open carry. You will probably be banned if you advocate open carry on his forum.

kwikrnu said:

tngunowners is the absolute worst place to go for information regarding open carry. The owner is anti-open carry. You will probably be banned if you advocate open carry on his forum.

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You know, it's good that Will Rogers never had a chance to meet you, Lenny.

- OS

Oh Shoot said:

You know, it's good that Will Rogers never had a chance to meet you, Lenny.

- OS

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strawman

Note for clarification: Kwikrnu has been banned from tngunowners, and most other gun ownership / firearm related sites. Whenever this occurs, he will claim them, rightfully, or wrongfully, anti-gun, or anti-oc, or anti-his rights.

tngunowners, Tennessee Firearms Association ( http://www.tfaonline.org/ ), and other sites are good places to get a feel for gun ownership in TN.

I have open carried, but not in Knoxville. So far, no issues.

I see several others OC in my area, Nashville, TN, with no issues as well. Most people do not even notice.

HvyMtl said:

Note for clarification: Kwikrnu has been banned from tngunowners, and most other gun ownership / firearm related sites. Whenever this occurs, he will claim them, rightfully, or wrongfully, anti-gun, or anti-oc, or anti-his rights.

tngunowners, Tennessee Firearms Association ( http://www.tfaonline.org/ ), and other sites are good places to get a feel for gun ownership in TN.

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Tennessee Gun Owners web site is anti-open carry.
The TFA website has little to offer one who open carries.

I could easily make up a new user name and join either forum, but they have nothing to offer the open carrier. Most of the clowns that post on those sites are not interested in furthering gun rights or in carry laws.

I believe in the right of the residents of Tennessee to carry firearms in their defense. My case has shown that Tennessee does infringe upon the right to carry arms. The recent TN AG opinion states that Tennessee can prohibit the carry of arms in public if they choose.

kwikrnu said:

strawman

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On TGO, I have actually been as close to a defender of your actions as you'll find there.

Your lack of civility has finally overridden any concerns I harbored for your rights.

- OS

Oh Shoot said:

On TGO, I have actually been as close to a defender of your actions as you'll find there.

Your lack of civility has finally overridden any concerns I harbored for your rights.

- OS

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We're not talking about me, we are talking about the right to carry and specifically the right to carry openly. The group known as tn gun owners is anti-open carry. The owner of the site is anti-open carry. It is a poor resource to learn about open carry. The owner will ban anyone who speaks of open carry on a regular basis.

kwikrnu said:

We're not talking about me, we are talking about the right to carry and specifically the right to carry openly. The group known as tn gun owners is anti-open carry. The owner of the site is anti-open carry. It is a poor resource to learn about open carry. The owner will ban anyone who speaks of open carry on a regular basis.

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None of that is true, including the "we're not talking about me" part.

Btw, you know the army/navy revolver ordinance is on the books in who knows how many burgs around the state. Including Knoxville.

My last comment to you: why don't you take them on one by one, Spartacus?

- OS

Oh Shoot said:

None of that is true, including the "we're not talking about me" part.

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It is all true.

OCed in a Cracker Barrel restaurant in western Knoxville on 30 Dec. A few stares, no problems.