Guns and Hoover dam

[mephisto]

This might be an incredibly obtuse question but I need to know. My grandmother died last night and I’m going to Utah on Thursday for the funeral. So I tell my wife to start getting stuff together and I tell her to make sure there is space for my pistol, in its caring case. She says that we can take it because we are going over Hoover dam. Is there anything wrong with having a gun while you go over a dam? I plan on putting it in the trunk before we get to the damn. Can I do this, I don’t think there is any problem?

 

[RustyHammer]

I don't know what the NV / AZ gun laws are, but when I was there in December, they were stopping cars randomly and checking them. Had things backed up for miles.

 

[Lone Star]

Isn't Hoover Dam a Federal reserve? I assume they're worried about terrorists blowing it up.

Lone Star

 

[auschip]

No issues with driving across the dam with firearms, but they do want to search trailers and such. I just pulled a Uhaul from Vegas to Houston, and because they would have wanted to open every box in the trailer, I ended up taking 95 South through Laughlin and Bullhead City.

 

[Bill Hook]

Put it in the trunk, unloaded many miles before getting to the dam, to be safe. You might be mistaken for Osama's brother, etc. otherwise.

 

[HankB]

Too many dam problems. (Sorry . . . couldn't resist.)

 

[Dave P]

ya know, I am damn tired of all this terrorist crap that being used as an excuse to gut our civil rights.

 

[EOD Guy]

Here is some information from their web site:

http://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/traffic.htm

 

[Lennyjoe]

I have driven over the Dam a few times with firearms and have never had a problem. They are stopping vehicles for inspections but most of them are trucks and motorhomes.

Take a look at the hill on the east side of the dam. Nice little bunker up there. Great little pearch for a sniper.

 

[RobW]

Let's face it: All of the BoR is in the sewer, exept Amendmend III, and, if the holy Government decides so, it will be gone tomorrow.

 

[R127]

deleted

 

[Scottmkiv]

The only reason that they don't violate the third ammendment is because they are free to steal your money to build new houses (and golf courses etc) to house soldiers. No need to force you to house soldiers when they can tax as they please.

 

[WT]

Scott - yes, I saw the golf course that the Army engineers built in Iraq. Talk about a sand trap .............

 

[Joe Demko]

Perhaps you should ask somebody who is a gundam expert.


Sorry. I watch too much anime and couldn't resist.

 

[crewzer]

I worried about the same thing, going to Front Sight with my AR15 and 1000rds of ammo and my good ole trusty Glock 29, but since it isn't posted and as long as you abide by the laws especially in Nevada you should be fine.

 

[Blue Jays]

Good Evening All-

As a person who has been to Las Vegas several times both for business and pleasure, I can assure you they DON'T play games at Hoover Dam.

Even before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 they were very serious about security. Metal detectors, wands, frisking....the works. They had this one rule about "no bags" that was especially puzzling. Security made me walk about 3/4 of a mile back to my car because I had a little padded nylon pouch for my Canon S200 PowerShot digital camera that wasn't much bigger than a pack of cigarettes. They wouldn't let me take the dam(n) tour until I disposed of the "contraband" item. They wouldn't even crack a smile when I practically turned the little carrying case inside-out to prove that it was just some innocent fabric with a zipper and a patch of velcro...

As far as driving across the dam, you should be OK....but I would ensure that your ammunition is stored separately from your firearms. You could probably have a CCW and still manage to violate some obscure law.

Sorry to hear about your loss,

~ Blue Jays ~

 

[NavajoNPaleFace]

When I go to the Vegas area I always cut west just north of Kingman to Laughlin and cross over and go in the back way.

The roads are great and it doesn't take much longer considering if you ever get stuck in one of the Hoover Dam's notorius 1 hour, or longer, back ups.

 

[six 4 sure]

I’ve crossed the dam a couple of times with guns since September 11 both without incident. As long as it’s unloaded, locked in the trunk, and the ammo separate you should be fine. I crossed while heading home for Christmas months after the bombing. I had enough firearms and ammo to cause many questions and was waved through. Try to look non-threating.

I would suggest avoiding the dam, if possible, if you’re planning to cross on a Friday or Saturday. Especially during the hours of 3-7p.m. That thing backs up a ways on the weekends. Depending on where you’re coming from the Laughin suggestion might be the fastest route.

six

 

[CGofMP]

Silly isn't it?

Silly that we even have to worry about such things. Common sense is lost on the government it would seem. Perhaps they are afraid a 9mm fired at the dam is going to produce a catastrophic failure,the loss of lives and property downstream from the havoc produced by your insane use of such a fearsome weapon on a billion ton structure could kill thousands.

Remember these are the same kinds of people that produce material like this.

BTW What happens if you decline the warantless search of your vehicle or trailer?

Charles

 

[auschip]

They turn you around and ask you to take a different route. No big deal at all.

 

[Cadwallader]

Not to sound too crazy here but it kinda makes you wonder if the feds find the "Russian suitcase nuke" rumors credible. Nothing less that could be packed into a small vehicle would be a real threat to the dam.

 

[NavajoNPaleFace]

I was wondering the same thing, Cad.

Not to long after 9-11 there were reports (probably closer to rumors) the Hoover Dam was part of a plan of attack at some point.

They said, and I believe it, a large jet like those used in NYC and Washington and loaded with full fuel hitting anywhere on the dam wouldn't be enough to crumble it.

So, you have to wonder, huh?

 

[Bill Hook]

A suitcase nuke could fit on a motorcycle, so why the big deal about searching trucks?

 

[444]

"Take a look at the hill on the east side of the dam. Nice little bunker up there. Great little pearch for a sniper."
You probably know this, but there are two of those. They are machine gun positions that were manned during WWII.

I have driven from here to Gunsite three times since 9/11. Twice with 3-4 AR15s in my vehicle, all openly wearing a handgun. However I didn't go across Hoover Dam. I haven't gone that way for years. It is nothing but a PITA. The dam itself is a traffic jam even without security. The winding roads cut through the mountains mean a seriously decreased speed. The area is heavily patrolled, there are people walking across the road........ That is the good part. The bad part is that when I used to go that way, the road was two lanes for miles on each side of the dam. It is a given that two or three retirees with their travel trailers or motorhomes will drive at 35 miles an hour extending your trip by an hour. I detour around the dam by going from Kingman to Golden Valley, to Bullhead City, to Laughlin, to Searchlight. If I have no evil assult weapons in the car, I cut through a tiny piece of occupied California to get to I-15. I cut across from Searchlight through Nipton California bypassing Henderson and all that.