I attended the SHOT Show in Las Vegas this winter. It was a great show. I met up with a lot of gun people. I met old friends and made new ones. Many of these folks did not have Nevada gun permits, but they were carrying anyway.

While I fully understand this, and toyed with the idea myself, I just have too much to lose if hit with a felony for carrying a firearm illegally–such as my psychologist License, my NRA Police Firearms Instructor License, and my gun rights. Therefore, I flew out to Vegas and attended the show with no firearms–and I carry all the time, wherever I legally can!

The fact is that our gun rights, or “gun privileges,” are remarkably fragile. It is just too easy to lose them. Getting caught and convicted of a minor bureaucratic infraction, such as ignoring the fact that the jurisdiction you are in is a “gun-free zone”, can result in your losing your gun rights. Losing your gun rights can mean not only losing your licenses to carry firearms, but also, losing your firearms; that is, your right to own and possess them.

A host of other silly as well as dangerous circumstances can also disarm you. If you value your gun rights, don’t get snared up in a road rage incident. Nothing good can come of it.

Don’t get caught up in a domestic disturbance no matter how wronged you feel. Don’t get charged with public drunkenness, or disturbing the peace. If you do, you are like to lose your “pieces” and your peace.

The truth is that I felt a bit naked in Vegas and at the SHOT show without a firearm since I am used to carrying all the time, and there were thousands of disabled display guns all around me.

The upshot of this year’s SHOT Show trip was that I went back to Las Vegas about a month after the SHOT Show and applied for my Nevada license to carry firearms, since unfortunately, Nevada no longer maintains CCW reciprocity with any other states.

Obtaining a Nevada concealed carry permit was fairly straightforward.

The folks at The Gun Store Las Vegas (http://www.thegunstorelasvegas.com) were very nice to me and gave me the required Nevada Concealed Handgun Permit Course which includes all of the paperwork. Then, I had to go to the Las Vegas Metro Police Department to turn in the paperwork and get fingerprinted. Three months later, I received my Nevada gun permit in the mail.

Note however, that unlike many other “shall issue” states’ CCW permits, Nevada requires the applicant to qualify on the range with the specific handguns one intends to carry. These handguns are then listed on your gun license, and it is illegal to carry any handguns other than the ones with which you qualified. I qualified with the Glock 26, Glock 19 and a .357 magnum Ruger GP-100.

That means I cannot legally carry a Glock 27 or a Glock 23 in Nevada. However, I can carry any revolver I choose, as the Nevada law does not require you to specify on your license any specific revolver. That’s a good thing. The Ruger GP-100 is a great shooter, range gun, and home defense gun, but snubbies rock for concealed carry.

Multi-state Non-resident Concealed Carry Permits.  Over 34 states recognize other states’ CCW permits. Unfortunately, your home state’s gun permit is not recognized by all 50 states like a driver’s license, and there is no National Concealed Carry Permit. However, the closest thing to it is a non-resident concealed carry permit from a state whose gun permit is recognized by numerous other states. Three such permits are the non-resident gun permits issued by Florida, Virginia, and by Utah (http://www.personaldefensesolutions.net/ccw/CCW01.html).

While none of these three separate gun permits will allow you to legally carry in New Jersey, New York, or Nevada (“The Three No’s”), obtaining these permits will legally expand your carry privileges to over 33 states.

See www.HandgunLaw.us for the most up to date listings as the inter-state reciprocity agreements unfortunately change from time to time. In fact, Nevada used to recognize the Utah Non-Resident multi-state gun permit.

Because the Florida, Virginia, and Utah non-resident multi-state carry permits are so valuable and in such demand, my wife and I used to offer the required class for the Florida and Virginia permits at local gun shows here in Pennsylvania. Now, we run this class, including the required separate class for the Utah permit, at a number of gun ranges around the Philadelphia area (http://www.personaldefensesolutions.net/ccw/CCW01.html).

The Florida Permit is valid for a remarkable seven years, and the Virginia and Utah Permits are valid for five years each. The Florida Non-Resident CCW permit is recognized by 31 states including Pennsylvania, Delaware, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. The Virginia Non-Resident CCW permit is recognized by 22 states. Note that these numbers may vary as they change. Keep up to date at www.HandgunLaw.US.

The value of obtaining the Virginia CCW Permit in addition to Florida’s is that it serves as a back-up given that state attorney generals’ inter-state reciprocity agreements change unpredictably. When you acquire the Virginia permit, you are covered should certain states drop out of their agreements with Florida and vice versa. Last but certainly not least, the Utah Non-Resident CCW Permit is recognized by 29 states. Again these numbers can change.

A One Stop Shop. In order to eliminate the hassle of having to run around to do everything needed to apply, my wife and I formed an operation (www.PersonalDefenseSolutions.net) that supplies all the necessary services in one place: application packets, assistance in completing all forms, notary, required passport photos, fingerprinting, and the required handgun safety and concealed carry class which includes a live fire range qualification.

After class completion, students receive a Certificate of Training which must be included in one’s application packets. The Utah Non-Resident Multi-state Permit class is given as a separate class by a Utah Certified Concealed Firearms Instructor as required by Utah law.

If you are Retired or Active Duty Law Enforcement, or Honorably Discharged or active duty military, you do not need to take the Basic Handgun Safety Class for the Florida and Virginia permits. In place of a Certificate of Training, you will need to include in your application packets: a photocopy of your military honorable discharge papers, or a photocopy of your DD-214, or a copy of your military I.D., or a certificate of completion of any firearms course offered by an NRA-certified or Law Enforcement Firearms Instructor. The instructor’s name, training classification and NRA number must be legible.

With the Florida, Virginia and Utah non-resident gun licenses, you are good to carry in 33 states. Add New Hampshire and Maine, which can be done by mail order, and you are up to 35 states. Protect your gun rights.

Don’t carry illegally. AS long as it is possible, exercise your rights legally. Within reason, obtain licenses to carry firearms so that you can carry legally wherever your travels take you. This sends an important message to those who would take away our God given rights.