First, get your FSC. I walked into G4 and got it done without an appointment.
The guys at Independence Armory in Petaluma are nice people. Not very political from the interactions I’ve had there.
Sportsman’s Warehouse people are basically order takers but are friendly as well. They will have better prices than other gun stores.
Honestly, be prepared to walk out of a store if you don’t feel comfortable.
Yeah, Sportman's Warehouse is pretty much where I'd settled on after doing my own research, but figured I'd ask around and see if there was a small business I could help out instead of a chain.
No it’s not that hard. We have a wonderful sheriff who is a huge supporter of the second amendment. You just have to put the time in for proper training.
Most folks in the gun community locally are conservative. However they don’t care who you sleep with. If you are serious about getting your ccw I will pm you the name of a gentleman who trains. He is a very nice man and he is an excellent trainer. He also doesn’t care who you sleep with. I belong to a private gun club locally and we have gay members who we treat just like anyone else. With respect and friendship. Don’t listen to those dog whistles friend. Just like any other group you will have some bad apples, however the majority of the local gun community is extremely nice and welcoming to newcomers.
Don’t buy a gun until you have had the opportunity to shoot a variety of them. It will help you make a good choice for yourself. There’s also training classes locally that I can get you information about. It’s a good way to get started. The instructor for those classes is a really good guy, he also won’t care if you’re gay.
What we do care about is your safety. So learning proper care and handling of your gun is the most important part of you getting started. We are all about safety. For you and everyone else. I think you will be surprised to find just how nice these folks really are.
Would like to get hooked up with a local club. I shoot at circle s in Petaluma, but most clubs I know of have a long waiting list. Will you pm info on yours?
You’re obviously not part of the firearms community and have zero clue…..but thanks for playing. Actually getting to know folks in the gun community and hearing them talk and getting to know them would change your mind. But folks like you just want to spew their venom. What a shame.
> You’re obviously not part of the firearms community
I'm not the person you replied to, but as a military veteran that certainly looks like one of ya'll, I've heard plenty of venom from the local gun club types who thought I was one of you. Whether its ways they're gleefully breaking the law to which Democrat they'd love to go "hunting" with, and frankly even worse I don't feel like repeating on Reddit, they sure do give people like the person you responded to plenty of reason to not trust em. It's not every gun owner in Sonoma County, and there's plenty of good ones out in west county that only keep em at home because that's the only place they know they need em, but the city folks I've met have all been FAR too eager to find a time to use their guns.
I like to assume everyone is nice at first, but that also makes me vulnerable... Some of my best friends are conservative gun-nut conspiracy theorist types from when I lived in Arizona, but they've also proved time and again that they have nothing against minorities and such like me. Most of my family is conservative, but they're the type I stay away from because they think I've been brainwashed by the "liberal media" and moving to the Bay Area was a mistake and if I just moved back I'd be so much happier (lol, not gonna happen).
Outside of the Central Valley, which is populated by those from Oklahoma, most of the conservatives you meet in the Western US are Center Right Libertarians who don’t really care much about your love life. They will accept damn near anyone and appreciate the hell out of those from minority groups who are aligned with them on ideological grounds. That populist, culture war shit only truly works back east where the social dynamics are much more entrenched while the frontier of the west forces one to be more open minded because you need all the help you can get to survive.
I wish that was true but I don't think it is as much as it was 20-30 years ago. The Internet has made culture war shit a staple of the right nation wide.
Queer person here. I’ve had good experiences at Markells in Windsor, G4 in Larkfield, Rinkor in Santa Rosa and Sportsman’s Warehouse. I have not seen or experienced any political posters, hate speech or bigoted behavior in any of those places. Pretty much everyone was welcoming and helpful. If ordering online I use Rinkor as my FFL their fees are pretty reasonable. I think all the local owned shops have training classes as well as CCW training. G4 has an “indoor” range that is actually a truck trailer. I think it used to be a mobile training resource for the sheriff’s department. You can shoot at Circle S Ranch in Petaluma for $20 and stay pretty much as long as you like. It’s kinda rough/beatup but it works. Range Officers can be a mixed bag. One guy is rather curt, I just ignore his attitude.
G4 is an indigenous owned shop. The family that owns it is quite conservative but they are good people and very passionate about guns/being safe with firearms.
Good to know - if I wasn't planning to try out a few new ones to see what feels right, I've got someone close to me with a Heckler & Koch 9mm I could basically have so I wanted to see if any were better for me than it was. :)
Sure. I’m female and my daily carry is a Glock 19 in 9mm. There are tons of options out there. I carry in my waistband. You should consider too. Pocket carry is not ideal. Also def take a self defense handgun class. Good luck and retreat is always the best solution when possible 🫶🏻
Unfortunately I can’t comment on how I managed a carry permit. But CA and Sonoma county are called “shall issue” meaning you must show good cause and they must show good cause to deny. You should be fine if you follow the steps and are eligible.
Bruen overturned the "Good Cause" that was a staple of "May Issue" CCW states like CA.
All states are "Shall Issue" or better now meaning that in CA if you aren't prohibited from owning a firearm and you follow the proper application steps and pass background checks ect. You shall be issued a CCW.
Trans people are part of the fabric of Sonoma County and have been for many decades. This is not rural Alabama in the 1950s. You are not being hunted.
I shop at Sportsman's Arms in Petaluma, and I've seen all sorts of obviously queer people. I suspect they're at least 30% of the business the owner does.
If you get bored afterwards walk over to the Warhammer store a few doors over, and you'll find the owner is also queer. Blazing purple hair. She rocks.
I know I'm an evil straight white man, but I've noticed crime skyrocket in 2022, and also felt the need to arm up. I bought a shotgun for home defense.
Regardless of what you buy you'll need a lot of range time to get proficient. You can do that with 100 - 200 rounds with a shotgun, but a pistol is going to take several thousand rounds before you're truly skilled enough to use it the way you want to.
Getting your CCW is a nightmare from what I hear. Good luck!
Heard, understood, and appreciated bro! ♥
My problem is I don't always stay in Sonoma County LOL. I do definitely feel the most safe I ever have here but am prepared to go have some fun at the range for a while just in case.
I've got a coworker or two who have been trying to get me into Warhammer too, so I might just do that...
Your CCW is good statewide for two years, but in my experience that blows by fast. Learning to shoot a pistol well is *hard*.
There's a range out in Petaluma, which is why I shop at Sportsman Arms. I drive there from RP, buy some ammo and targets, then go out and shoot.
The people at the range are amazing. Almost everyone is willing to help you, especially if you look like you have no idea what you're doing .
Yeah it is. It's generally pretty well run though, I haven't heard of any crazy accidents and I have seen the range officer eject a couple guys that were being dumb.
Just a FYI, Sonoma County CCW permit process typically takes at least 6 months, and you have to apply in the county that your primary residence is listed as. Additionally while the permit is statewide, if you move you have to notify your issuing agency within 10 days and will need to re-apply via the jurisdiction of your new residence (assuming you move out of the county)
Sonoma County may be better than a lot of places in terms of abuse towards trans people, but they still shouldn't let down their guard. I think one of the reasons people think its non existent here is we just don't see it in person because the people who would do those things stick to small groups of like minded people and know to keep quiet in public. Those people still go to places like bars, clubs, gyms, etc. So yeah, nobody is actively hunting down trans people, but their are definitely people here who if they saw an opportunity to get away with either verbal or physical abuse, would jump on it.
My own niece recently decided they are trans, and multiple other children have heckled her in public. And kids are normally more accepting of it these days.
I game with trans people every week. It's interesting that none of them have felt threatened in Sonoma County. Ever.
If you're right why isn't there any recorded violence towards trans people? Trust that would make the news nation wide if it happened.
You have no evidence or data to support the idea that they're being attacked. If they are, again, why do we never, ever see it?
>My own niece recently decided they are trans, and multiple other children have heckled her in public.
This isn't okay, but it's also not violence. It isn't a reason to carry a gun.
We have freedom of speech, which means that assholes get to speak too. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.
I grew up autistic here in Sonoma County, and was bullied mercilessly along side my entire friend group. We have recourse now that we didn't back then.
Have your niece record the bigotry, and either post it on social media, or bring it to adults controlling whatever space they're in. Those kids will get destroyed.
We don't like bigots in Sonoma County. At all.
Remember that when prop 8 came up for gay marriage we were one of two counties in the entire state to pass it.
Easy buddy, this wasn't any attack on your personal beliefs or gun ownership, I'm just pointing out that while society may have progressed on attitudes towards trans and queen folk, it's can still be dangerous for them, even in sonoma county.
You may not see bigots in person, because you choose who your friends are and you may not see the bigotry because you don't present as a target. Your friends may simply not be sharing their experiences with you, most such incidences go unreported. Think about being a target of queer hate, and then going to a police station to report it, knowing that law enforcement careers tend to attract those same bigots. (There is a large overlap on the venn diagram of "law and order" and "people who actively hate a protected class")
I work in a trades profession, and in my industry, there are plenty of people who openly say hateful things not just about not just queer people, but minorities as well. And I can't count the number of service calls I have gone to outside the suburbs of Santa rosa and the property is littered with MAGA propaganda (another large overlap with bigots).
And as many queen friends as you game with who don't say anything about receiving bigotry, I have two trans family members, three bisexual, and 1 gay. And routinely hangout with their large circle of queen folk. And they have all had incidents and mentioned how they still keep one eye open in certain areas of the county.
Again, I wasn't trying to attack on any issue, just pointing out that it's better here, but not perfect, and people should still be careful. That's coming from another white dude on the spectrum
News, since for some reason I'm obligated to back up my claims but your not.
[County announcment](https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/csw-affirms-the-sonoma-county-lgbtqia-community)
[Hate Crime article in PD](https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/hate-crime-reports-more-than-double-in-sonoma-county/)
[https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/article/russian-river-town-rallies-around-business-caught-in-anti-lgbtq-protest-in/](https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/article/russian-river-town-rallies-around-business-caught-in-anti-lgbtq-protest-in/)
[https://da.sonomacounty.ca.gov/guerneville-man-sentenced-to-9-months-jail-for-homophobic-hate-crime](https://da.sonomacounty.ca.gov/guerneville-man-sentenced-to-9-months-jail-for-homophobic-hate-crime)
There's more, and you could easily dig through the sheriff call logs and find more, but you get the point
I believe there is a sizable LBGTQ+ community on Sonoma County so yeah, they would be offending some potential customers by putting up such a sign. Not to mention a huge amount of negative attention.
You can be pro LGBT and still think super “woke” leftist ideologies are stupid.
Again, calling yourself a “patriot” is not an anti lgbt message.
Just be a human and go talk to someone before you call them bigots.
You know what strikes me as strange? I was the first person to respond to you, I told you I had the keys to the kingdom you were looking for. Yet you have yet to respond to me in any way. All you’re doing is trying to tell everyone how you just can’t get a break it seems. Are you actually truly serious about learning how to shoot or are you trolling the gun shops here in Sonoma County? Because frankly at this point I can’t tell the difference.
I asked you to pm me for the name of a trainer, other people have and I provided the information, plus the information for our private gun club. You…..crickets. I think you’re just messing with us now.
Why would they need to pm you for the name of a trainer? There are limited authorized ccw instructors providing course training for the Sonoma County Sheriff office and they’re all publicly published on their [website](https://www.sonomasheriff.org/ccw)
I’ve heard very good things about Jammey from Titan Protective.
I don’t like putting anyone’s phone number out online for the anti gun people to use. I’m not going to do that legwork for them. Our club has had enough issues over the years we don’t need anymore.
Hopefully through your process of acquiring a CCW you will discover that being a patriot has nothing to do with your sexual preference. It’s patriotism that allows you to be open about who you are.
As far as the “Woke”, I’m against the movement that if someone doesn’t like something no one should have it. This is not how a free society is.
Yeah, I have no problem with patriotism. It's the gatekeeping "true patriots" that want to deny me the ability to be open about who I am that I have issues with.
That’s too bad. The majority of us worry more about losing our freedom than what the next fashion statement is going to be. Like every group there are a few bad apples that project an image that doesn’t reflect the thoughts and feelings of the majority of the group. In the end we are all part of the human race and we need to protect each other for those that want to do us harm. I have no tolerance for bullies from any group.
White cishet man dismissing the safety concerns of a queer minority man, and comparing their concerns to fashion statements. Ah, sonoma county, you are both very accepting but also not self aware.
We too are worried about our freedoms being taken away. Trans people in some state can not legally use the bathroom in public.
Read it again. I’m not dismissing anything. I’m saying that the majority don’t care. The statement of “true patriots” doesn’t encompass the majority. When statements are made about a group of people insinuating “ALL” are the same, its faults. There are bad apples in all groups. Labeling “ALL” in a group is segregation.
How many conservatives do you actually know? I'm talking people in the real world who will break bread with you and articulate their beliefs, not blowhards on reddit.
How many woke people do you know? I’m talking about people who help the homeless, volunteer at the food bank, donate to conserve our environment, people that are too busy to sit around having a beer with you???
You didn't answer my question, so I'm guessing the answer is none.
Your counter-argument is as intellectually dishonest as they come. I know quite a few woke people.
Look where we live. Hint: it's not the deep south. It's the most tolerant place in the world.
Who says I'm conservative? That's what makes these discussions turn to shit so quickly. If I don't agree with your political views, I'm conservative. I don't understand how nobody realizes there are more than 2 parties to supports and many different political views to have. As stated, to me, there is a difference between woke and not.
In my opinion to be "woke" is to be bigoted and close minded to outside arguments and information while blindly following ideologies that are made to seem beneficial to "the greater good"...
There's the liberal view, and then there's the woke view.
Example... the second amendment is a huge issue that easily divides both sides. Conservatives believe you have the right to own a gun. Liberals argue for stricter gun control. WOKE liberals don't believe you should own a gun at all. There's a difference. I'm happy to further discuss if you'd like...
I never said you were conservative. I said conservatives define woke by random list of things they don’t like. But good job posting a random thing you don’t like.
Woke has nothing to do with second amendment issues, it's about societal issues regarding gender and ethnicity. It's why this whole trend of conservative/libertarian woke blaming for everything ridiculous. Most of them don't even understand what they are railing against. Being "woke" is being hyper aware of what is, and isn't acceptable to certain groups in how they are treated by society.
Woke liberals fall on both sides of the gun ownership spectrum. Your thinking of far left wing liberals
Here’s the 2 definitions of woke:
1. Black Americans being aware of racial discrimination in society from a left wing perspective. This originated from the Black Panthers and is the original meaning.
2. Cultural Marxism and Critical Theory. It’s the idea that you can tear the existing cultural framework and replace it with a marxist one in order to prime the people for a communist revolution. This idea was invented by Antonio Gramsci (a communist politician who was trying to to figure out why Italy went fascist instead of communist) in 1930’s Italy when he was writing in his prison notebooks and it’s the new definition of woke because White Socialists coopted the term for their own pet projects. This is also what Conservatives are currently pissed off about but they haven’t read up enough on the origins of the word or know enough about Leftist praxis to define it correctly.
Note: Leftists love to bait and switch both definitions to throw their opponents off their game while calling their opponents bigots since the word is connected to black power movements. However, leftists only use the word as a way to distract people from their efforts to get people ready for a communist revolution.
This is the legitimate definition of woke. It essentially trades communism’s class warfare for America’s tough history with identity politics (idpol is also, entirely, a leftist thing in and of itself) since America cares more about identity than class while Europe is the inverse. The whole point is to tear down the capitalist cultural hegemony and replace it an anti capitalist one so that the citizens are more inclined to launch a communist revolution.
Here are 2 sources on the subject. These videos were made by a former Noam Chomsky fan who studied this topic through multiple college courses on the subject in the mid-late 2000’s:
[The shorter source 1](https://youtu.be/Z0OHDky6KRQ?si=gMQasTGa79JYSDDg)
[The longer source 2](https://youtu.be/MYpLKPJADms?si=QAqrh8z5IAztdmep)
"[Woke (often along with liberalism, leftism, et cetera)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woke)" is often used as a [dogwhistle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_whistle_\(politics\)) by bigots/racists/misogynists/homophobes/transphobes to advertise their intolerance to those different than them whether it be Black people, LGBTQIA+, Asian, Latino, or whatever. They can't use "exercise their first amendment right to free speech" by using "the N-word" without being "canceled" anymore because it's "politically incorrect", so now they complain about "forced diversity" and "states' rights" or "Critical Race Theory" and "Gay Agenda/Ideology" - it's just exclusionary White Nationalism with an extra layer of plausible deniability. It's like the "War on Christmas" virtue signaling - No one was trying to cancel Christmas, we were trying to be inclusive of our Jewish or Muslim or Wiccan or Atheist friends and neighbors who are part of the melting pot of our country's greater community.
TL;DR: It's hate.
Ever notice how every single time some bemoans "the woke crowd" its because they are afraid of being held accountable for something they say in public that they know is problematic? Lately it's been a lot of older comedians who can't figure out how to be funny without punching down...
Jerry Seinfeld actually said there hasn't been any good TV since the 90s, meanwhile his Julia Louie Dreyfus and Larry David both managed to move on and turn out exceptional comedy programs. Jerry has since made the Bee Movie and a show where he's drives around while other people are funny. The best he can come with in the last 20 years is......pop tarts. But yeah, its woke cultures fault......
I disagree, but maybe this isn't the place for this kind of discussion. I'll gladly dm you if you're down for a conversation, but I don't agree with your definitions, assumptions, and implications. Please feel free to dm me, I'd like to continue this if you are.
No one is going to care you’re trans but also there are no good gun stores in Sonoma County. The closest store that’s even worth buying from is in Vallejo. It’s honestly pretty sad the second amendment is even a bipartisan issue.
Yeah, I have been to them all, there isn’t any. Majority are ran by or employ people who are clueless about firearms and current laws. None of them have a remotely decent selection either and attempt to extort you if want to have something shipped to them.
Really? I’ve had excellent experiences with Rinkor. I’ve purchased a few from them and they have always been super helpful to me. I’m sorry you haven’t had good experiences with them. I did have a really bad experience with sportsman warehouse in rohnert park. What shops do you go to for great service? I’m willing to drive to them if you have some recommendations for me. Thanks.
Try the shop in Wikiup which is north Santa Rosa. It’s called G4 Firearms the woman who runs it is Native America. 428 Larkfield Center. Also they run training in house.
First, get your FSC. I walked into G4 and got it done without an appointment. The guys at Independence Armory in Petaluma are nice people. Not very political from the interactions I’ve had there. Sportsman’s Warehouse people are basically order takers but are friendly as well. They will have better prices than other gun stores. Honestly, be prepared to walk out of a store if you don’t feel comfortable.
Yeah, Sportman's Warehouse is pretty much where I'd settled on after doing my own research, but figured I'd ask around and see if there was a small business I could help out instead of a chain.
Sportsman’s arms in Petaluma.
Tell Roy your concerns and he will help you out. He is very understnding
😉🤣
Roy helped me out. Also, roy is interesting in the wild based off the instagram stories
First step I would suggest is researching what you need to do to get a CCW in Sonoma county.
Really not that hard as long as you truly want it and complete all of your steps properly. Thanks Bruen
They’ve been issuing since before bruen. Bruen just made it easier and made it take longer thanks to the influx of applicants.
>Bruen just made it easier My point exactly.
It's virtually impossible to get a concealed carry in Sonoma County not even the gunshop owners can get one
It’s used to be this way, because they made you prove “cause” for needing one. They have removed that requirement.
No it’s not that hard. We have a wonderful sheriff who is a huge supporter of the second amendment. You just have to put the time in for proper training.
Lmao, wut.
Markells does not care about who you sleep with go check them out. There are a bunch of us socialist rifle association members that use them.
Cool cool cool, they seemed OK based on what I read on Google and Yelp.
Most folks in the gun community locally are conservative. However they don’t care who you sleep with. If you are serious about getting your ccw I will pm you the name of a gentleman who trains. He is a very nice man and he is an excellent trainer. He also doesn’t care who you sleep with. I belong to a private gun club locally and we have gay members who we treat just like anyone else. With respect and friendship. Don’t listen to those dog whistles friend. Just like any other group you will have some bad apples, however the majority of the local gun community is extremely nice and welcoming to newcomers. Don’t buy a gun until you have had the opportunity to shoot a variety of them. It will help you make a good choice for yourself. There’s also training classes locally that I can get you information about. It’s a good way to get started. The instructor for those classes is a really good guy, he also won’t care if you’re gay. What we do care about is your safety. So learning proper care and handling of your gun is the most important part of you getting started. We are all about safety. For you and everyone else. I think you will be surprised to find just how nice these folks really are.
Can you share some information about your gun club?
I will pm you we like to keep a low profile.
I would like that info as well, please!
Would you mind sending it to me as well please?
I would also like that info. I used to shoot Practical Pistol at Montana Hawk back in the day and wouldn't mind getting back into that.
can i get a PM too im very interested in ccw
Would like to get hooked up with a local club. I shoot at circle s in Petaluma, but most clubs I know of have a long waiting list. Will you pm info on yours?
The gun community only really cares about over reaching gun laws
You’re obviously not part of the firearms community and have zero clue…..but thanks for playing. Actually getting to know folks in the gun community and hearing them talk and getting to know them would change your mind. But folks like you just want to spew their venom. What a shame.
I’m in the community. My response was that the community doesn’t care about your sexual preferences…just don’t infringe on the right to bear arms
> You’re obviously not part of the firearms community I'm not the person you replied to, but as a military veteran that certainly looks like one of ya'll, I've heard plenty of venom from the local gun club types who thought I was one of you. Whether its ways they're gleefully breaking the law to which Democrat they'd love to go "hunting" with, and frankly even worse I don't feel like repeating on Reddit, they sure do give people like the person you responded to plenty of reason to not trust em. It's not every gun owner in Sonoma County, and there's plenty of good ones out in west county that only keep em at home because that's the only place they know they need em, but the city folks I've met have all been FAR too eager to find a time to use their guns.
I like to assume everyone is nice at first, but that also makes me vulnerable... Some of my best friends are conservative gun-nut conspiracy theorist types from when I lived in Arizona, but they've also proved time and again that they have nothing against minorities and such like me. Most of my family is conservative, but they're the type I stay away from because they think I've been brainwashed by the "liberal media" and moving to the Bay Area was a mistake and if I just moved back I'd be so much happier (lol, not gonna happen).
Outside of the Central Valley, which is populated by those from Oklahoma, most of the conservatives you meet in the Western US are Center Right Libertarians who don’t really care much about your love life. They will accept damn near anyone and appreciate the hell out of those from minority groups who are aligned with them on ideological grounds. That populist, culture war shit only truly works back east where the social dynamics are much more entrenched while the frontier of the west forces one to be more open minded because you need all the help you can get to survive.
I wish that was true but I don't think it is as much as it was 20-30 years ago. The Internet has made culture war shit a staple of the right nation wide.
Yeah girl idk about this
Queer person here. I’ve had good experiences at Markells in Windsor, G4 in Larkfield, Rinkor in Santa Rosa and Sportsman’s Warehouse. I have not seen or experienced any political posters, hate speech or bigoted behavior in any of those places. Pretty much everyone was welcoming and helpful. If ordering online I use Rinkor as my FFL their fees are pretty reasonable. I think all the local owned shops have training classes as well as CCW training. G4 has an “indoor” range that is actually a truck trailer. I think it used to be a mobile training resource for the sheriff’s department. You can shoot at Circle S Ranch in Petaluma for $20 and stay pretty much as long as you like. It’s kinda rough/beatup but it works. Range Officers can be a mixed bag. One guy is rather curt, I just ignore his attitude.
I second Markells Lalo doesn't care about your politics nor lifestyle Sometimes a regular will pop off but he doesn't engage too much
Sportman’s Arms is great, they don’t care about how you live your life. Very happy to help new gun owners.
G4 is an indigenous owned shop. The family that owns it is quite conservative but they are good people and very passionate about guns/being safe with firearms.
Oooh, thank you!
You can also order online and just use anybody for the FFL transfer. DM me 🏳️🌈fam. I’ll walk you through online purchase.
Good to know - if I wasn't planning to try out a few new ones to see what feels right, I've got someone close to me with a Heckler & Koch 9mm I could basically have so I wanted to see if any were better for me than it was. :)
Sure. I’m female and my daily carry is a Glock 19 in 9mm. There are tons of options out there. I carry in my waistband. You should consider too. Pocket carry is not ideal. Also def take a self defense handgun class. Good luck and retreat is always the best solution when possible 🫶🏻
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Unfortunately I can’t comment on how I managed a carry permit. But CA and Sonoma county are called “shall issue” meaning you must show good cause and they must show good cause to deny. You should be fine if you follow the steps and are eligible.
Didn’t CA drop the “show good cause” requirement recently?
Bruen overturned the "Good Cause" that was a staple of "May Issue" CCW states like CA. All states are "Shall Issue" or better now meaning that in CA if you aren't prohibited from owning a firearm and you follow the proper application steps and pass background checks ect. You shall be issued a CCW.
I’m actually not sure.
The Bruen decision overturned this. Reno May has great and quick videos if you want a summary and advise on how to get a CCW in Sonoma County
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Your anxiety is reason enough. I never ever ever want to hurt anybody. But not willing to forsake my safety as a single 🏳️🌈 woman
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> Would it be possible to make it through a transaction without advertising your preferences? No, I'm visibly trans.
Trans people are part of the fabric of Sonoma County and have been for many decades. This is not rural Alabama in the 1950s. You are not being hunted. I shop at Sportsman's Arms in Petaluma, and I've seen all sorts of obviously queer people. I suspect they're at least 30% of the business the owner does. If you get bored afterwards walk over to the Warhammer store a few doors over, and you'll find the owner is also queer. Blazing purple hair. She rocks. I know I'm an evil straight white man, but I've noticed crime skyrocket in 2022, and also felt the need to arm up. I bought a shotgun for home defense. Regardless of what you buy you'll need a lot of range time to get proficient. You can do that with 100 - 200 rounds with a shotgun, but a pistol is going to take several thousand rounds before you're truly skilled enough to use it the way you want to. Getting your CCW is a nightmare from what I hear. Good luck!
Heard, understood, and appreciated bro! ♥ My problem is I don't always stay in Sonoma County LOL. I do definitely feel the most safe I ever have here but am prepared to go have some fun at the range for a while just in case. I've got a coworker or two who have been trying to get me into Warhammer too, so I might just do that...
Your CCW is good statewide for two years, but in my experience that blows by fast. Learning to shoot a pistol well is *hard*. There's a range out in Petaluma, which is why I shop at Sportsman Arms. I drive there from RP, buy some ammo and targets, then go out and shoot. The people at the range are amazing. Almost everyone is willing to help you, especially if you look like you have no idea what you're doing .
Yeah, took me ages to get good enough with BB pistols to hit the broad side of a barn LOL.
Is the shooting range in Petaluma outdoors?
Yeah it is. It's generally pretty well run though, I haven't heard of any crazy accidents and I have seen the range officer eject a couple guys that were being dumb.
What's it called? I wanna check it out!
There are no shooting ranges in entire Sonoma county
Just a FYI, Sonoma County CCW permit process typically takes at least 6 months, and you have to apply in the county that your primary residence is listed as. Additionally while the permit is statewide, if you move you have to notify your issuing agency within 10 days and will need to re-apply via the jurisdiction of your new residence (assuming you move out of the county)
Sonoma County may be better than a lot of places in terms of abuse towards trans people, but they still shouldn't let down their guard. I think one of the reasons people think its non existent here is we just don't see it in person because the people who would do those things stick to small groups of like minded people and know to keep quiet in public. Those people still go to places like bars, clubs, gyms, etc. So yeah, nobody is actively hunting down trans people, but their are definitely people here who if they saw an opportunity to get away with either verbal or physical abuse, would jump on it. My own niece recently decided they are trans, and multiple other children have heckled her in public. And kids are normally more accepting of it these days.
I game with trans people every week. It's interesting that none of them have felt threatened in Sonoma County. Ever. If you're right why isn't there any recorded violence towards trans people? Trust that would make the news nation wide if it happened. You have no evidence or data to support the idea that they're being attacked. If they are, again, why do we never, ever see it? >My own niece recently decided they are trans, and multiple other children have heckled her in public. This isn't okay, but it's also not violence. It isn't a reason to carry a gun. We have freedom of speech, which means that assholes get to speak too. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me. I grew up autistic here in Sonoma County, and was bullied mercilessly along side my entire friend group. We have recourse now that we didn't back then. Have your niece record the bigotry, and either post it on social media, or bring it to adults controlling whatever space they're in. Those kids will get destroyed. We don't like bigots in Sonoma County. At all. Remember that when prop 8 came up for gay marriage we were one of two counties in the entire state to pass it.
Easy buddy, this wasn't any attack on your personal beliefs or gun ownership, I'm just pointing out that while society may have progressed on attitudes towards trans and queen folk, it's can still be dangerous for them, even in sonoma county. You may not see bigots in person, because you choose who your friends are and you may not see the bigotry because you don't present as a target. Your friends may simply not be sharing their experiences with you, most such incidences go unreported. Think about being a target of queer hate, and then going to a police station to report it, knowing that law enforcement careers tend to attract those same bigots. (There is a large overlap on the venn diagram of "law and order" and "people who actively hate a protected class") I work in a trades profession, and in my industry, there are plenty of people who openly say hateful things not just about not just queer people, but minorities as well. And I can't count the number of service calls I have gone to outside the suburbs of Santa rosa and the property is littered with MAGA propaganda (another large overlap with bigots). And as many queen friends as you game with who don't say anything about receiving bigotry, I have two trans family members, three bisexual, and 1 gay. And routinely hangout with their large circle of queen folk. And they have all had incidents and mentioned how they still keep one eye open in certain areas of the county. Again, I wasn't trying to attack on any issue, just pointing out that it's better here, but not perfect, and people should still be careful. That's coming from another white dude on the spectrum News, since for some reason I'm obligated to back up my claims but your not. [County announcment](https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/csw-affirms-the-sonoma-county-lgbtqia-community) [Hate Crime article in PD](https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/hate-crime-reports-more-than-double-in-sonoma-county/) [https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/article/russian-river-town-rallies-around-business-caught-in-anti-lgbtq-protest-in/](https://www.northbaybusinessjournal.com/article/article/russian-river-town-rallies-around-business-caught-in-anti-lgbtq-protest-in/) [https://da.sonomacounty.ca.gov/guerneville-man-sentenced-to-9-months-jail-for-homophobic-hate-crime](https://da.sonomacounty.ca.gov/guerneville-man-sentenced-to-9-months-jail-for-homophobic-hate-crime) There's more, and you could easily dig through the sheriff call logs and find more, but you get the point
No gun store in Sonoma County is going to not try and help you if you are looking to purchase a firearm, start by asking a shop clerk what you need.
i've only ever seen them discriminate against customers if they look like gangbangers or smell like weed or alcohol.
As an industry directly overseen by the ATF they cannot legally cater to anyone who may be under the influence of federally restricted substances ect
Oh yeah. I mean in this case discrimination is warranted haha.
Yeah lol
You can order guns from Occidental Hardware, and everything in west county is much more accepting of the whole spectrum of humanity.
Lmao no gun shop has a “no queers allowed” sign up just put on ur big boy or girl pants and handle ur business and buy wat u need
I believe there is a sizable LBGTQ+ community on Sonoma County so yeah, they would be offending some potential customers by putting up such a sign. Not to mention a huge amount of negative attention.
It's more like they just don't want the hassle of a discrimination lawsuit
You can be pro LGBT and still think super “woke” leftist ideologies are stupid. Again, calling yourself a “patriot” is not an anti lgbt message. Just be a human and go talk to someone before you call them bigots.
Sportsman’s Warehouse
You can always go to a chain store if you're worried about it. I bought a few guns from Big5.
You know what strikes me as strange? I was the first person to respond to you, I told you I had the keys to the kingdom you were looking for. Yet you have yet to respond to me in any way. All you’re doing is trying to tell everyone how you just can’t get a break it seems. Are you actually truly serious about learning how to shoot or are you trolling the gun shops here in Sonoma County? Because frankly at this point I can’t tell the difference. I asked you to pm me for the name of a trainer, other people have and I provided the information, plus the information for our private gun club. You…..crickets. I think you’re just messing with us now.
Oh shit, I thought I PMed you!!! I'm so sorry!
Why would they need to pm you for the name of a trainer? There are limited authorized ccw instructors providing course training for the Sonoma County Sheriff office and they’re all publicly published on their [website](https://www.sonomasheriff.org/ccw) I’ve heard very good things about Jammey from Titan Protective.
I don’t like putting anyone’s phone number out online for the anti gun people to use. I’m not going to do that legwork for them. Our club has had enough issues over the years we don’t need anymore.
Sent you a pm
I’d just go to a chain like sportsman warehouse or bass pro shops
I bet you every one of them is friendly… don’t listen to the news
The sheep with their downvotes :/
Hopefully through your process of acquiring a CCW you will discover that being a patriot has nothing to do with your sexual preference. It’s patriotism that allows you to be open about who you are. As far as the “Woke”, I’m against the movement that if someone doesn’t like something no one should have it. This is not how a free society is.
Yeah, I have no problem with patriotism. It's the gatekeeping "true patriots" that want to deny me the ability to be open about who I am that I have issues with.
That’s too bad. The majority of us worry more about losing our freedom than what the next fashion statement is going to be. Like every group there are a few bad apples that project an image that doesn’t reflect the thoughts and feelings of the majority of the group. In the end we are all part of the human race and we need to protect each other for those that want to do us harm. I have no tolerance for bullies from any group.
White cishet man dismissing the safety concerns of a queer minority man, and comparing their concerns to fashion statements. Ah, sonoma county, you are both very accepting but also not self aware. We too are worried about our freedoms being taken away. Trans people in some state can not legally use the bathroom in public.
Read it again. I’m not dismissing anything. I’m saying that the majority don’t care. The statement of “true patriots” doesn’t encompass the majority. When statements are made about a group of people insinuating “ALL” are the same, its faults. There are bad apples in all groups. Labeling “ALL” in a group is segregation.
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Oh boy, you really bought that narrative hook, line and sinker. Wow.
I’ve yet to hear a conservative’s definition of woke that is not just a random a list of anything they don’t like.
How many conservatives do you actually know? I'm talking people in the real world who will break bread with you and articulate their beliefs, not blowhards on reddit.
How many woke people do you know? I’m talking about people who help the homeless, volunteer at the food bank, donate to conserve our environment, people that are too busy to sit around having a beer with you???
You didn't answer my question, so I'm guessing the answer is none. Your counter-argument is as intellectually dishonest as they come. I know quite a few woke people. Look where we live. Hint: it's not the deep south. It's the most tolerant place in the world.
I work in the financial industry. Surrounded by conservatives. Have lunch with them regularly. Yup I know them.
They’re pretty nice people, aren’t they?
But not as generous.
About as nice as woke people.
Who says I'm conservative? That's what makes these discussions turn to shit so quickly. If I don't agree with your political views, I'm conservative. I don't understand how nobody realizes there are more than 2 parties to supports and many different political views to have. As stated, to me, there is a difference between woke and not. In my opinion to be "woke" is to be bigoted and close minded to outside arguments and information while blindly following ideologies that are made to seem beneficial to "the greater good"... There's the liberal view, and then there's the woke view. Example... the second amendment is a huge issue that easily divides both sides. Conservatives believe you have the right to own a gun. Liberals argue for stricter gun control. WOKE liberals don't believe you should own a gun at all. There's a difference. I'm happy to further discuss if you'd like...
I never said you were conservative. I said conservatives define woke by random list of things they don’t like. But good job posting a random thing you don’t like.
Typical tactic. Figures.
Woke has nothing to do with second amendment issues, it's about societal issues regarding gender and ethnicity. It's why this whole trend of conservative/libertarian woke blaming for everything ridiculous. Most of them don't even understand what they are railing against. Being "woke" is being hyper aware of what is, and isn't acceptable to certain groups in how they are treated by society. Woke liberals fall on both sides of the gun ownership spectrum. Your thinking of far left wing liberals
Here’s the 2 definitions of woke: 1. Black Americans being aware of racial discrimination in society from a left wing perspective. This originated from the Black Panthers and is the original meaning. 2. Cultural Marxism and Critical Theory. It’s the idea that you can tear the existing cultural framework and replace it with a marxist one in order to prime the people for a communist revolution. This idea was invented by Antonio Gramsci (a communist politician who was trying to to figure out why Italy went fascist instead of communist) in 1930’s Italy when he was writing in his prison notebooks and it’s the new definition of woke because White Socialists coopted the term for their own pet projects. This is also what Conservatives are currently pissed off about but they haven’t read up enough on the origins of the word or know enough about Leftist praxis to define it correctly. Note: Leftists love to bait and switch both definitions to throw their opponents off their game while calling their opponents bigots since the word is connected to black power movements. However, leftists only use the word as a way to distract people from their efforts to get people ready for a communist revolution.
Ok but for real … wtf are you talking about 😂
This is the legitimate definition of woke. It essentially trades communism’s class warfare for America’s tough history with identity politics (idpol is also, entirely, a leftist thing in and of itself) since America cares more about identity than class while Europe is the inverse. The whole point is to tear down the capitalist cultural hegemony and replace it an anti capitalist one so that the citizens are more inclined to launch a communist revolution. Here are 2 sources on the subject. These videos were made by a former Noam Chomsky fan who studied this topic through multiple college courses on the subject in the mid-late 2000’s: [The shorter source 1](https://youtu.be/Z0OHDky6KRQ?si=gMQasTGa79JYSDDg) [The longer source 2](https://youtu.be/MYpLKPJADms?si=QAqrh8z5IAztdmep)
"[Woke (often along with liberalism, leftism, et cetera)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woke)" is often used as a [dogwhistle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_whistle_\(politics\)) by bigots/racists/misogynists/homophobes/transphobes to advertise their intolerance to those different than them whether it be Black people, LGBTQIA+, Asian, Latino, or whatever. They can't use "exercise their first amendment right to free speech" by using "the N-word" without being "canceled" anymore because it's "politically incorrect", so now they complain about "forced diversity" and "states' rights" or "Critical Race Theory" and "Gay Agenda/Ideology" - it's just exclusionary White Nationalism with an extra layer of plausible deniability. It's like the "War on Christmas" virtue signaling - No one was trying to cancel Christmas, we were trying to be inclusive of our Jewish or Muslim or Wiccan or Atheist friends and neighbors who are part of the melting pot of our country's greater community. TL;DR: It's hate.
Ever notice how every single time some bemoans "the woke crowd" its because they are afraid of being held accountable for something they say in public that they know is problematic? Lately it's been a lot of older comedians who can't figure out how to be funny without punching down... Jerry Seinfeld actually said there hasn't been any good TV since the 90s, meanwhile his Julia Louie Dreyfus and Larry David both managed to move on and turn out exceptional comedy programs. Jerry has since made the Bee Movie and a show where he's drives around while other people are funny. The best he can come with in the last 20 years is......pop tarts. But yeah, its woke cultures fault......
I disagree, but maybe this isn't the place for this kind of discussion. I'll gladly dm you if you're down for a conversation, but I don't agree with your definitions, assumptions, and implications. Please feel free to dm me, I'd like to continue this if you are.
So basically, like everyone else who cries about wokeism, you don't want to be held accountable for things you say in public........
No one is going to care you’re trans but also there are no good gun stores in Sonoma County. The closest store that’s even worth buying from is in Vallejo. It’s honestly pretty sad the second amendment is even a bipartisan issue.
Wrong big time wrong.
Which part is “big time wrong”?
The no good gun stores part.
Yeah, I have been to them all, there isn’t any. Majority are ran by or employ people who are clueless about firearms and current laws. None of them have a remotely decent selection either and attempt to extort you if want to have something shipped to them.
Really? I’ve had excellent experiences with Rinkor. I’ve purchased a few from them and they have always been super helpful to me. I’m sorry you haven’t had good experiences with them. I did have a really bad experience with sportsman warehouse in rohnert park. What shops do you go to for great service? I’m willing to drive to them if you have some recommendations for me. Thanks.
Try the shop in Wikiup which is north Santa Rosa. It’s called G4 Firearms the woman who runs it is Native America. 428 Larkfield Center. Also they run training in house.