LAS VEGAS -- Local gun store said business is picking up with increased attention on gun control.
One of Southern Nevada's largest indoor gun ranges said certain types of guns have been sold out for weeks.
The Range 702 sees hundreds of customers wanting to buy and shoot guns, but more importantly, the issue is handling the weapons safely.
Since the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut, range instructors wanted to give people a chance to learn more about guns.
Instructor Jeff Hall is a former Alaska State Trooper and has traveled around the country teaching classes from beginners to seasoned law enforcement.
He said tragedies like Sandy Hook underscore the need for gun education and not necessarily gun control by running through some of the basics he teaches.
"Anybody who owns a firearm should have a good solid foundation of safe handling and practices with a gun. We offer a ride range here at the Range 702," Hall said. "Universally, the customers that come in don't want further restrictions on firearm ownership. Since some statements from the vice president and others, the sales of firearms and ammunition have gone through the roof."
Some politicians have suggested in the wake of the Connecticut shooting that a ban on certain weapons should be examined.
The thought of restrictions has meant big business according to gun store owners.
"For example, an AR-15 or an AK-47 was all sold out in about a week. Every firearm manufacturer that makes them in the country is back ordered up to a year," Hall said.
Representatives with the state-of-the-art gun range said a lot of what they do is provide an experience you can't get anywhere else.
"One of the things I get when I ask them if they are familiar with firearms, some people say, 'I air soft, or I paint ball,' and once they get in there and shoot the real thing, they are really surprised by the noise," Range Safety Officer Keith Dennis said.
Instructors at Range 702 don't expect business to slow down any time soon as long as gun control continues to be a debated topic.
