Hello I am retired LEO moving to HI (big island) and I am having to leave a bunch of my M-4 type weapons here in mainland. Anyone there shooting any Mosin on the big island or where is the best place to shop for reloading. I am a curio and relic holder so all of my classic rifles should be safe. Speaking of safes I will need one since I am not even trying to bring anything with me other than what I have mentioned. I am kind of pissed I have to get rid of all of NFA gear no SBR or suppressors. I will look forward to any advice on what I should pack up and bring with me. I knew the legal issues would be rough but being retired LEO I do not plan on getting into the orange coveralls.

My kids are excited they are kind of down about all of their friends leaving them behind. Any home school families please drop me a line. Northern area Waimea area is where we are headed. I liked the area kind of like being in country and still like the idea of flip flops year round. Adios

AR15 / M4 rifles are just fine here.  Most things are good to go just no NFA items, nor any "assault pistols" as defined by Hawaii law.  Hawaii really isn't that bad on what can be owned here compared to many other places with strict gun laws.  You are actually better off bringing in your weapons to register them as opposed to going through the process to obtain new firearms locally.   

Thanks I am coming over for 2 months before I ship my container over. Do not get me started on the shipping cost. Where do you all shoot at? I am looking at having my own range (small one) if I buy the house I want. I cannot say for sure I have not seen how the land lays but it has over 5 acres might be enough to have a small pistol range with a big berm safety first. I have to check the regulations though who knows what the rules are there.

 I have my own small place here where I do the concealed weapons course and a homeowners defensive shooting course I run the LEO wives through here. I do not charge for it just my way of helping some of the deputies here whose spouses complain about shooting. It makes it easier for the husbands to buy another weapon if the wife shoots as well. It does not work for me though.

Thanks for the advice

Welcome oldgoatfarmer. Good to have you on our beautiful state!  Hope you have a pleasant move.

Aloha Oldgoat,
Hilo resident here. legal shooting ranges are few. you have one about an hour south of kona (manuka). used to be a small range in pa`auilo (south of waimea) but I stopped by there a couple months ago and the weeds between the benches and the berm were over 5 ft tall. I think the police shut that down. There is a county skeet range next to the Hilo dump. No indoor pistol ranges.   Your best bet is shooting into a good berm in the hunting areas, there are a few places where this has been established, the best being on the hilo side of saddle road (search the forums for "mile marker 16 saddle" and you'll find directions). To shoot in the hunting areas (and Manuka) you need to have a current license, you can find info on that through DLNR.

Reloading stock sells out over here. I'd recommend heading into Hilo to hit up Steub's Gun Shop, a local father-son venture. Great prices and fantastic service.

As to shooting on your 5 acres.... good luck with your neighbors. People aren't very accepting of their neighbors blasting off more than a few rounds. And anywhere you find 5 acre ag-lots around Waimea you're going to find other people transplants with likely more liberal views than you when it comes to bullets and neighborhoods.

    We moved to the Big Island a little over 2 years ago. I sold most of my firearms before the move. We bought a furnished house here, so didn't bring much with us. When your firearms arrive, you are supposed to take them to the Hilo Police Department and register them. I believe you are supposed to do it within 2 days. I did it, and it went smooth. Black powder firearms are exempt I understand. I am a 60 year old and started shooting and hand loading (under supervision) before I was 14. I brought reloading dies for the calibers I need for the guns I kept. I shipped lots of primers and al my .22LR ammo. No powder, and I haven't  hand loaded or fired any smokeless guns since we moved.  I did bring my air guns and have bought a few more here. I have an acre and I shoot the air guns whenever I want. That keeps me in good shooting practice. I just went to Steub's Gun Shop last week for the first time. He said there is a gun range somewhere in the area, but I would have to take a local course here before I could join. Apparently there is a big shortage of ammunition these days. As in NO .22LR. Glad I brought mine.

    Welcome to the island.

I lived in puna/ ainaloa (hilo) area for a year.  Didnt find anywhere close to shoot in hilo area.  Mostly shot my .22 Benjamin air rifle on my half acer.  Though I gotta say I heard gun blasts pretty often from hunters since my home backed up to the reserve.  Other than that only other shots I heard was my neighbor down the road either getting shot at or shooting at someone. 

Also check out J. Hara store out side of hilo been there a few times staff is friendly. I didn't bother shooting there due to lack of supplies as well mainly cause I'm a rimfire shooter and as its been for a while big island has been dry of ammo.  Hopefully sports authority can change that once .22 comes back into stock across the us

I live in waimea and there no where to shoot.  For me 22lr hasn't been hard to find. The last month I bought 5,000 round from local shops.  Now 223 and 556 is had to come by in hilo.   But kona guns and ammo is loaded with ammo.  Check out konaguns.com and bluewaterhunter.com.