Thinking about moving to Philly, but I love guns

[Yo_man_81]

I have some questions for members who live or lived in Philly.

My wife and I are considering moving to philly, society hill area. I have a PA LTCF and a Utah Carry Permit and conceal carry regularly. I plan on adding tactical firearms to my collection in the near term. I know that Philly city council has no qualms about passing illegal gun laws and then using taxpayer money to defend them in court against the taxpayers. I've also heard and read, Philly cops aren't too fond of people lawfully carrying firearms(especially Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey), open or concealed, and have confiscated lawfully carried firearms from permit holders (security personnel and LTCF). So my concerns are:

1) Do Philly cops enforce these illegal gun laws, or is it more for PR and symbolism? (i.e. pass a assault weapons ban that includes guns I have, or ban on conceal carry) I'm pretty sure there are gonna be new illegal ordinances passed every year. Do I need to worry?

2) I'm concerned that if there were a social crisis, riot, whatever, the Police would have no reservations about carrying out an order to collect guns, just as they did in New Orleans after Katrina. Thoughts?

3) How can I expect to be treated if for some reason I have a run in with a cop who discovers I'm conceal carrying? I listened to that audio of the pafoa member was open carrying in philly and got arrested. If that's any indication of how I would get treated as a conceal carry guy, that doesn't sound so great. I would be completely compliant and respectful if it happened.

My wife thinks I'm paranoid, but I am a student of history and study the gun control methods tyrants have used and how its ended up in an unarmed helpless people. I really like the society hill area of philly, but the anti gun tyrants who run the place got me worried. Am I paranoid? Or am I rightfully concerned? Thanks guys (and gals).

[phillykev]

I don't know of anyone with a PA LTCF who is carrying concealed to have any problems with the PPD. OC, they will give you problems. CC, you have contact with them for whatever reason and carrying on an out of state license, yeah, they could give you problems. But other than that, I wouldn't worry about it.

As far as Society Hill....I would look elsewhere. A little further south in Queen Village. Or a little west in Washington Square West are my 2 favorite areas right close by there. The problem with Society Hill is the night clubs. It's a great area during the day, weeknights, or early evening on weekends. But turns into what City Paper has termed "The Land of a Thousand Snookies" on Friday and Saturday nights when the Jersey crowds head into town to tear up the town, literally.

[dgg9]

1) Do Philly cops enforce these illegal gun laws, or is it more for PR and symbolism? (i.e. pass a assault weapons ban that includes guns I have, or ban on conceal carry) I'm pretty sure there are gonna be new illegal ordinances passed every year. Do I need to worry?

Cops will certainly abuse and harass open carriers. I think that's beyond dispute by now. As long as you're well concealed, no harm, no foul.

The various city gun bans are not even given lip service. You can buy an AR-15 and any number of full-cap mags at gun stores inside city limits. Just make sure you keep it in a safe -- if you get a gun stolen, PPD will revoke your permit if it's city-issued. Of course you have a grace period before you need to renew.

Knives of any kind are illegal to carry in the city. If you carry one anyway, make sure not to have the telltale folder clip showing.

Spray is ok.

2) I'm concerned that if there were a social crisis, riot, whatever, the Police would have no reservations about carrying out an order to collect guns, just as they did in New Orleans after Katrina. Thoughts?

Possible, but unlikely.

ETA: didn't PA pass some kind of anti-Katrina-type-confiscation law in the last year or so...?

[dgg9]

As far as Society Hill....I would look elsewhere. A little further south in Queen Village. Or a little west in Washington Square West are my 2 favorite areas right close by there. The problem with Society Hill is the night clubs.

I predict you mean Old City, not Society Hill. I lived in Society Hill for 3 years -- there are no bars there, in fact almost no retail of any kind. Just a lot of charming revolutionary era townhouses...really, it's the nicest area in the city.

[phillykev]

I predict you mean Old City, not Society Hill. I lived in Society Hill for 3 years -- there are no bars there, in fact almost no retail of any kind. Just a lot of charming revolutionary era townhouses...really, it's the nicest area in the city.

No, I'm talking about Society Hill. South of Market. Old City is north of Market. How long ago did you live there? A lot of the restaurants along 2nd and 3rd sts. between market and Walnut have gotten into the habit of turning into night clubs on weekends of late.

Society Hill is bounded by Market St. to the north, Lombard to the South, Front St. to the East, and 8th St. to the West.

[Yo_man_81]

Looking at Google maps, i think Washington Square West is where we're looking at.

[dgg9]

Society Hill is bounded by Market St. to the north, Lombard to the South, Front St. to the East, and 8th St. to the West.

Says who? I've heard Society Hill described as bounded by Walnut in the north.

The "restaurants along 2nd and 3rd sts. between market and Walnut" are uniformly referred to as being in Old City. Khyber, Nick's, the 1xx block of Chestnut -- all Old City.

http://www.aviewoncities.com/philade...ocietyhill.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society...,_Pennsylvania

"Society Hill is an affluent neighborhood in the Center City section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The neighborhood, loosely defined as bounded by Walnut, Lombard, Front and 7th Streets, contains the largest concentration of original 18th- and early 19th-century architecture of any place in the United States."

That's the classic definition. The only bars in that boundary at at the periphery, and technically part of those other contiguous areas: Old City, and the Abbott Square part of South St.

[dgg9]

Looking at Google maps, i think Washington Square West is where we're looking at.

That's the upper NW part of Society Hill -- wicked expensive too! But it's a primo location. Stay at or south of Walnut and you're ok -- Chestnut St at night can be sometimes dicey.

I live only a few blocks SW of that, btw -- look me up when you're in town.

[dgg9]

How long ago did you live there?

I lived (rented) on the 4xx block of Spruce from 98 to 01. At that point I wanted to buy but quickly found it was completely unaffordable to buy in Society Hill.

[phillykev]

Says who?

Yeah, you're right, had my boundaries mixed up. Even so, I have a buddy at 3rd and Pine who's been complaining about the crowds coming out of that area lately.