Councilman Buys Guns, Advocates for Local Gun Range

Despite talks of the need for more gun control laws across the country—Murrieta Councilman Harry Ramos is advocating changing the city’s code to make it easier to open a gun range in the city.

Although there has been a push for gun control following last week’s school shooting in Newtown, CT, Ramos said he doesn’t think the tragedy will make it more difficult to change the city’s code so that a gun range could open in Murrieta. In fact, he told Patch it’s like "comparing apples to broccoli."

Ramos—who was recently sworn into office—said at Tuesday's City Council meeting that he discovered there wasn’t a gun range within the city limits when he and his wife purchased his-and-her firearms on Monday. He asked his colleagues to consider adding one at a later council meeting.

“I was mortified to hear that there are no shooting ranges within the city of Murrieta,” Ramos said during the meeting. “As a citizen, even though I do support gun rights 100 percent, I am completely for properly handling guns. I don’t see how that should even be a factor in this consideration.”

Although he said he doesn’t know if Murrieta needs its own gun range, Ramos would like to change the city’s code so that if someone wants to open a gun range they can.

“The free market will decide,” he said during an interview with Patch. “I personally am against any types of codes that limit legal business within the city limits.”

A strong supporter of the Second Amendment, Ramos said he is “a little turned off” by some of California’s gun laws. To obtain a Handgun Safety Certificate when they purchased their guns, Ramos and his wife had to pass a 30-question test. Although Ramos said his wife had never even touched a gun before Monday, his wife easily passed the test.

“There was absolutely no point in this test for gun safety because my wife has never had any training,” he said. “It really just seems like a way to make money for the state.”

If the city’s code is changed after the City Council considers his proposal, Ramos said he would like to have an indoor gun range in Murrieta so that community members like his wife can learn how to properly handle a firearm.

“I hope that there are some local entrepreneurs who are willing to take on this endeavor,” Ramos said. “I think they will be very successful.”