Well, I'm back! I had a blast in Prescott! Literally!
I visited Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops in Phoenix. The stores are mind-boggling. two floors with each floor having the same area as Sports Authority on Ward. Lots of neat stuff. I found the prices to be a little higher than what I'm used to seeing locally but the fact that they had products in stock was amazing.
I visited J&G Sales and a few other gun stores like Mazy's, High Country Guns, Tombstone Tactical and Prescott Valley Guns. All of the vendors were nice and easily approachable. I was surprised at how small the operation over at J&G Sales is. The salesman at J&G was the most friendliest and approachable guy in the gun business I've ever met. He was quite the conversationalist and was keen on observing the firearms I stopped to look at. He didn't wait to be asked and reached in the glass case and pulled out firearms and placed them in my hand. I must have held 5 or 6 pieces before I left that place. J&G also had the C&R pieces listed on their website in their display cases. I was so tempted to pick up the Polish P64 or Romania Tokarev 7.62x25 but ultimately decided not to because it would require spending money to buy reloading equipment for a new caliber versus buying accessories or better equipment than what I have. I saved my money and visited Harbor Freight Tools and picked up a handful of stuff I wanted instead.
It was quite the experience to see guys walking around with holstered firearms in AZ. You don't need a permit to acquire and you don't need to register your firearms. You can open carry, conceal carry, and carry loaded on your person or in your vehicle.
A buddy of mine threw his gun gear in the back of his truck and kept his AR in the cab next to the floor shifter and drove me out of the city limits to one of several shooting sites where I sampled his handguns and long guns until we lost the sunlight and were forced to quit. No one was there and we had the place all to ourselves. Shooting out in the open like that made me realize why there were so many gun accessories, sites, grips, holsters, etc. In Honolulu, you shoot standing or at a bench and have more need for an ass pad for the seat than a tactical sling or other accessories so many of the accessories available on the market made little sense to me until now.
On the question of buying guns out of state, I spent a lot of time scouring the internet in hurry to determine whether I could legally buy firearms in Arizona and came across a few good articles on the subject. With regard to ATF rules, I am of the understanding that if you are permitted to possess firearms (i.e., no felony convictions, etc.), you can buy long guns and shotguns and walk out of the store with them. Airlines don't care whether you purchased them legally just so long as you ship them in accordance with ATF and airline rules so bringing long guns, shotguns, and handguns, irrespective of whether you acquired them legally, will not, in and of itself, get you in trouble. Having said that, all handguns must be purchased through an FFL and, other than C&R handguns, must be shipped to an FFL in the non-resident's state. An non-licensed resident (meaning someone who is not an FFL) may not transfer a hand gun to a resident of another state.
The applicable ATF rules are as follows and can be found here:
http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#b1B. UNLICENSED PERSONS
(B1) To whom may an unlicensed person transfer firearms under the Gun Control Act ("GCA")?
A person may sell a firearm to an unlicensed resident of his State, if he does not know or have reasonable cause to believe the person is prohibited from receiving or possessing firearms under Federal law. A person may loan or rent a firearm to a resident of any State for temporary use for lawful sporting purposes, if he does not know or have reasonable cause to believe the person is prohibited from receiving or possessing firearms under Federal law. A person may sell or transfer a firearm to a licensee in any State. However, a firearm other than a curio or relic may not be transferred interstate to a licensed collector.
[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(3) and (5), 922(d), 27 CFR 478.29 and 478.30]
(B2) From whom may an unlicensed person acquire a firearm under the GCA? [Back]
A person may only acquire a firearm within the person’s own State, except that he or she may purchase or otherwise acquire a rifle or shotgun, in person, at a licensee's premises in any State, provided the sale complies with State laws applicable in the State of sale and the State where the purchaser resides. A person may borrow or rent a firearm in any State for temporary use for lawful sporting purposes.
[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(3) and (5), 922(b)(3), 27 CFR 478.29 and 478.30]
(B3) May an unlicensed person obtain a firearm from an out-of-State source if the person arranges to obtain the firearm through a licensed dealer in the purchaser’s own State? [Back]
A person not licensed under the GCA and not prohibited from acquiring firearms may purchase a firearm from an out-of-State source and obtain the firearm if an arrangement is made with a licensed dealer in the purchaser's State of residence for the purchaser to obtain the firearm from the dealer.
[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(3) and 922(b)(3)]
Shipping Methods:
B7) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm through the U.S. Postal Service?[Back]
A nonlicensee may not transfer a firearm to a non-licensed resident of another State. A nonlicensee may mail a shotgun or rifle to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. The Postal Service recommends that long guns be sent by registered mail and that no marking of any kind which would indicate the nature of the contents be placed on the outside of any parcel containing firearms. Handguns are not mailable. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun.
[18 U.S.C. 1715, 922(a)(3), 922(a)(5) and 922 (a)(2)(A)]
(B8) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm by common or contract carrier? [Back]
A nonlicensee may ship a firearm by a common or contract carrier to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. In addition, Federal law requires that the carrier be notified that the shipment contains a firearm and prohibits common or contract carriers from requiring or causing any label to be placed on any package indicating that it contains a firearm.
[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(2)(A), 922(a) (3), 922(a)(5) and 922(e), 27 CFR 478.31 and 478.30]
(B9) May a nonlicensee ship firearms interstate for his or her use in hunting or other lawful activity? [Back]
Yes. A person may ship a firearm to himself or herself in care of another person in the State where he or she intends to hunt or engage in any other lawful activity. The package should be addressed to the owner. Persons other than the owner should not open the package and take possession of the firearm.