DocHawk

Hi Whisper, I'm a new transplant from Southern California - our family of five came to Chattanooga without knowing a soul here. I fought the good fight on the Left Coast, served in elected office as the President of a local Board of Education, own and operate a successful but heavily oppressed gun shop, and was a guest speaker in local churches. Once we realized our home state was truly unsalvageable, I began a nationwide search for the ideal place to settle for my future generations, with an eye towards a 3-5 year plan. That 3 year plan became a 3 month plan, as our home value skyrocketed and I realized that *now* was the time, as my three kids are all still at home with us, but in 3-5 years we might have one married or otherwise tied to the area. Having the whole family mobile at a time when our home had gained $1M in equity was the right timing, as uncomfortable as it was to move on short notice. I'm a very studious person - I love detailed research and data-driven decisions backing up prayerful consideration. In looking at the whole of the nation - every state, every region - Chattanooga rose to the undisputed top of the list. Tennessee for obvious reasons, but Chattanooga offers the very best of the Volunteer State's advantages, for our tastes and desires, with any drawbacks minimized. I founded my firearms business in CA 8 years ago. After a layoff from the building materials industry when things slowed in 2012, I returned to my military roots and began gunsmithing (I got my GS Cert at SDI after I left the service) out of my home. What was intended to be a side job while I found my next career ended up being so successful, I *had* to open a brick and mortar. It has been a wonderful ride. My shop remains open in CA, but I am removed from daily operations. My staff handles everything including the local gunsmithing operations under the man who apprenticed under me. I am here now in Harrison Bay and I'd be happy to take a look at anything you need done. I don't have a lathe here like at the shop, so my barrel and round rod machine work is limited, but I have all my skill and a second set of most of my specialty tools. In any case, gunsmithing or not, I sure would like to meet like-minded people who are also looking for a new network of local friends. - David

Big Bucks Pawn across the river in Hixon is very fair.

I just made a cross-country trip from Nov 9-15. On the way out, the airports were normal. On the return flights, the three airports we passed through had all been decorated! It was fun to see the transition.

Let me know if you happen to travel down through Chattanooga!

The Taylor's is actually an Armscor/Rock Island with a Taylor's mark on it. Good to go.

Hello Volunteers, I moved my family to Chattanooga from behind the Iron Rainbow Curtain this year; as my kids prepare to strike out on their own, I just could not saddle my future generations with million dollar starter homes, corrupt and bloated government, and a culture that runs counter to almost everything we believe in. I own and operate a successful firearms manufacturing business, full service gunsmithing operation, and retail store in CA. The state figured out a few years ago that they could not eliminate the 2nd Amendment, so instead they have cleverly attacked FFLs by increasing fees to the point where doing gun business in CA will be unsustainable. Imagine having to pay $15 every time you sold a box of ammo that you make $7 on... the math puts people out of business very quickly! I have gunsmithing staff remaining in my CA store who I trained up, and I'll be doing my own gunsmithing work from my ranch in Harrison Bay. We love Chattanooga - it feels like heaven on earth. I wonder if you folks know how good you've had it here! I'm also an avid automotive enthusiast, and I appreciate the proximity to the Appalachians and several top-notch racetracks in the region. Looking forward to the rest of our lives in Tennessee.