Nevada/Las Vegas people; open carry?

[CONNEX 3300]

I searched this but all of the threads are a few years old. Laws and department training change in that amount of time.

I am an Oklahoma resident that will be visiting Las Vegas for the SHOT show. My carry permit is not recognized by Nevada. Until I can obtain a non-resident Nevada permit, I would still like to be able to defend myself. I read that open carry is legal without a permit, but special rules apply to Clark County. What are those special rules?

Am I getting myself into deep crap if I open carry in LV? I will not be drinking, and I'm not trying to create a scene or political statement. I would conceal if allowed, but until then I would rather make people uncomfortable than go unarmed.

What are y'all's thoughts/experiences regarding open carry in LV?

 

[Art Eatman]

Pick a store; phone one and ask.

https://www.google.com/#q=firearms+++las+vegas,+nv

 

[NavyLCDR]

Pick a store; phone one and ask.

https://www.google.com/#q=firearms+++las+vegas,+nv

What good will a gun store do? That is kind of like asking the guy at the WalMart auto center about driver's license laws.

I read that open carry is legal without a permit, but special rules apply to Clark County. What are those special rules?

Am I getting myself into deep crap if I open carry in LV? I will not be drinking, and I'm not trying to create a scene or political statement. I would conceal if allowed, but until then I would rather make people uncomfortable than go unarmed.

What are y'all's thoughts/experiences regarding open carry in LV?

The only special rule in Clark County is that handguns must be registered by residents after a certain period of residency (I think 90 days). You are not a resident, so the handgun registration requirement will not apply to you.

You are going to get all kinds of answers that will tell you all kinds of reasons why you will be looking for trouble if you open carry. However, the people the DO open carry and do so on a regular basis just don't experience any problems:

http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?112-Nevada

However, be aware that it is against Federal law [18 USC 922(q)(2)] to carry a loaded firearm on public property (like the street/sidewalk) within 1000' of a school in any state unless you have a permit/license issued by the same state the school is located in (regardless of concealed/open carry and regardless of reciprocity). There are a couple of other exceptions for hunting and/or school permission.

 

[mbogo]

The stores here are NOT competent legal experts. They give out more erroneous information than the police (which is saying something ).

There are no laws prohibiting open carry. It is legal here except in certain government buildings (e.g., court houses, jails, et al.), and school grounds (except with the written permission of the school administrator). Federal buildings (with Federal employees on the premises) and Post Offices also prohibit possession of firearms by civilians, but that's true just about anywhere.

The following is anecdotal, based on my own experiences living here.

You will find that most casinos do not allow OC. This presents a dilemma if you are staying in one of them during your visit.

If they see you carrying on the way in or out, they will ask you to remove the firearm from the premises; if you conceal it to avoid detection, you are violating Nevada's concealed carry statute.

If you're staying in a hotel/motel, you may find them more receptive to OC.

If you enter a business and are asked to leave, you must do so or the police will be called and you will be cited (civil violation).

Otherwise, OC is perfectly normal; the only people who might object are tourists and transplants from the Northeast, California, and Chicago.

See this thread http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?45415-Nevada-%28Open%29-Carry-Pamphlet, and print out the pamphlet so you can have it with you.

I have heard that the Sands Expo Center and/or the NSSF will not permit OC (or CCW) at the Shot Show; check with them beforehand if you intend to OC at the show.

mbogo

 

[Quiet]

LVMPD advises not to open carry where the tourists are at (on the strip, malls, casinos, etc).
It is legal to do so, it's just they recommend not to.

Reasoning, comes to two issues:
1. Weapon retention in a crowded venue.

2. Some tourists are from countries that do not allow civilians to own firearms. Those tourists may see a person open carrying and call the police. Cops respond and treat it as a felony "man with a gun" call.

The ACLU of NV has been working with LVMPD to treat open carriers better. Because of the pressure from the ACLU of NV, LVMPD did alter some of their policies on how to approach/deal with someone open carrying in the touristy areas (more "how you doing", less gun in face don't move).


In addition...
You can not possess/carry in Government owned/operated property, school/colleges and child day care facilities.

Private property (casino, hotel, store, etc) can ask you to leave their property for any reason.
Failure to leave, may result in a trespassing citation.

 

[CONNEX 3300]

Thanks everyone! As mbogo mentioned, the SHOT show doesn't allow carry of any kind, so my carry will only be to other places.

Y'all have been very helpful. If in a pinch I will open carry around town, but most of my time will be spent between the hotel and the show, so just knife carry I guess.

I'm looking forward to obtaining my Nevada permit in the future and being able to comfortably explore more of the city.

 

[Red Wind]

^Sounds good. But as NavyLCDR said, be aware of those school zone locations.1000 feet is almost 1/5 of a mile. Schools sprout like mushrooms in many urban areas.

Be careful and have fun.

 

[Quiet]

... so just knife carry I guess.

Basic NV knife laws...
Not legal to import/possess a "switchblade knife" and belt buckle knife.
Not legal to conceal carry a dirk, dagger, machete.

Legal to open carry any type of bladed instrument (knife/dirk/dagger/machete/sword/etc)
Legal to carry a folding pocket knife (pocket clip is visible, then it's not concealed)

Clark County (Las Vegas) also restricts the conceal carry of any knife with a blade length of 3" or more.


Nevada Revised Statue 202.350
1.  Except as otherwise provided in this section and NRS 202.355 and 202.3653 to 202.369, inclusive, a person within this State shall not:
(a) Manufacture or cause to be manufactured, or import into the State, or keep, offer or expose for sale, or give, lend or possess any knife which is made an integral part of a belt buckle or any instrument or weapon of the kind commonly known as a switchblade knife, blackjack, slungshot, billy, sand-club, sandbag or metal knuckles;
(d) Carry concealed upon his or her person any:
(2) Dirk, dagger or machete;
(4) Knife which is made an integral part of a belt buckle.
8.  As used in this section:
(a) “Concealed weapon” means a weapon described in this section that is carried upon a person in such a manner as not to be discernible by ordinary observation.
(h) “Switchblade knife” means a spring-blade knife, snap-blade knife or any other knife having the appearance of a pocketknife, any blade of which is 2 or more inches long and which can be released automatically by a flick of a button, pressure on the handle or other mechanical device, or is released by any type of mechanism. The term does not include a knife which has a blade that is held in place by a spring if the blade does not have any type of automatic release.

Clark County Code 12.04.180
It is unlawful, within the unincorporated area of Clark County, for any person to carry upon his person a concealed weapon of any description, including a knife with a blade of three inches or more, a gun, pistol, revolver or other firearm, capable of being concealed, without first having received written permission therefor from the sheriff.

 

[Valkman]

Open carry is indeed legal but I would go nowhere near the Strip or Downtown casinos.

 

[NavyLCDR]

Clark County (Las Vegas) also restricts the conceal carry of any knife with a blade length of 3" or more.

Clark County Code 12.04.180
It is unlawful, within the unincorporated area of Clark County, for any person to carry upon his person a concealed weapon of any description, including a knife with a blade of three inches or more, a gun, pistol, revolver or other firearm, capable of being concealed, without first having received written permission therefor from the sheriff.

You missed the highlighted portion of the county ordinance. Las Vegas is incorporated, no?

 

[mbogo]

Not all of it. I live in an unincorporated section of Las Vegas.

mbogo

 

[MichigammeDave]

And the Strip is in unincorporated Clark County.

 

[Quiet]

And the Strip is in unincorporated Clark County.

What he said.

Incorporated area is downtown (Fremont Street area).

 

[dprice3844444]

http://www.handgunlaw.us/
http://www.handgunlaw.us/states/nevada.pdf

 

[aka108]

Clark County is not Nevada. It is a extension of SoCal and overall a very liberal area. The only carry I would do there would be with a Nevada permit and as the Great One said, "period".

 

[NavyLCDR]

Not all of it. I live in an unincorporated section of Las Vegas.

mbogo

And the Strip is in unincorporated Clark County.

What he said.

Incorporated area is downtown (Fremont Street area).

Thank you for the corrections