A Nevada gun store and range is getting creative in order to maintain social distancing and still provide service for Nevadans who want to purchase firearms and ammunition. Reno Guns & Range is now offering curbside pickup for some items, and limiting the number of people who can be inside the store at any one time.

“We’ve taken steps to reduce our group classes, our group events and our rental firearms portion of what we have because that would fall under the entertainment portion of our business,” Jay Hawkins, of Reno Guns & Range said.

If you’re buying a gun, you’ll fill out all required paperwork and then be escorted into the store one at a time. This is all to maintain social distancing and to limit contact.

“If somebody has already picked out a firearm and they were waiting on a background check and that check has come back approved, then we’re doing similar to the ammo, simply making contact. We’re coming in getting that item, completing the paperwork outside and that way we are reducing the contact inside the facility,” Hawkins said.

It’s a smart idea, and Hawkins says it will allow for the store to maintain its normal operating hours. It sounds like the range portion of the gun store is still open as well, but folks are having to use their own firearms instead of renting them.

Hawkins says classes have been “reduced” at the range, but he didn’t say that they’ve been cancelled completely, so hopefully some of the new customers at Reno Guns & Range will be able to take a basic pistol course or the required training for their concealed carry license.

Obviously Hawkins wants to protect the health of his employees and customers, while also ensuring that people who want to be able to exercise their right to keep and bear arms in this national emergency can do so. This seems like a pretty creative way to remain open and practice social distancing, and I can’t help but wonder if we’ll see more gun stores around the country adopt similar tactics, at least until they’re ordered to close.

In Alameda County, California, Solar Tactical is vowing to remain open despite Gov. Gavin Newsom’s “shelter-in-place” order, telling customers via their Facebook page that the store is open by appointment only and urging them to contact local government to protest the order to shut down.

“Your 2nd Amendment right is no longer considered essential during forced shelter in place,” the shop said. “Please share and get the word out. Call your local officials, news stations, and Alameda County Sheriffs office to let them know how you feel about your 2nd Amendment rights being taken away.”

Alamada County Sheriff’s Ray Kelley says deputies have asked the store to close, but if they don’t, law enforcement will be back to post a notice to close before they “take enforcement.”

Alameda County has long been hostile to the Second Amendment. In fact, just a couple of years ago the county changed its zoning laws to prohibit any new gun stores from opening within the county limits, so it’s no big surprise that the county is doing everything it can to try to prevent residents from exercising their right to keep and bear arms. A far better solution for the county would be to allow stores like Solar Tactical to remain open but practice social distancing measures like Reno Guns & Range, but it’s becoming increasingly clear that some anti-gun jurisdictions are using the coronavirus emergency to target gun stores with closure rather than recognize the right of the people to keep and bear arms.