Nevada Gun Laws Provide Interesting Case Nationally

Nevada has some of the most lenient gun laws in the nation. Residents do not have to register their firearms, and a permit is only required for carrying a concealed weapon.

Nevada is considered a "shall issue state" that allows for firearms to be carried openly or unloaded, and the application process is not strict. After basic questions are filed at the sheriff's office, a course must be completed for the specific model of firearm owned by the applicant.

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Nevada has more guns sold and registered than any other state in the U.S. There are no limits on bulk purchases amounts of ammunition in the state.

Gun dealers in Nevada do not need to be licensed by the state. Records or transactions for sales are not mandated by law either. Police inspections of Nevada gun shops are not allowed by state law.

Statistics from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives traced the source of 50,000 weapons used in California during crimes from 2009 to 2011 and found that roughly a fourth of those guns came from outside the state, according to a report from McClatchyDC. By far, Nevada and Arizona were the leading suppliers, accounting for roughly a third of out-of-state weapons used in crimes.

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Proponents for stricter gun control believe that the absence of state regulations on dealers combined with Nevada’s heavy tourism attribute to Nevada's violent crime numbers. Since 2000, Nevada has had on average 27 gun related deaths per 100,000 people annually, the most in the country.

However, those who defend the laws say that stricter control would violate citizens’ Second Amendment rights. "To me, about any law is too many laws," said Jim Wheeler, a Republican Nevada assemblyman in the McClatchyDC article.

This article does not constitute legal advice. Check the current gun laws before purchasing or traveling with a firearm.

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