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I knew all about Arizona’s so-called “gun show loophole” that some law enforcement officers say puts guns in the hands of Mexican cartels and L.A. gangsters. But until you are actually offered the opportunity to buy an AR-15 with only a cash exchange and a handshake, it still seems unbelievable.

I went to the gun show with my research assistant, David Robles, as part of my reporting for an upcoming article for Phoenix Magazine. For the first couple hours, David and I just took it all in. I think he thought I had lost my edge: I was struck dumb by the sheer amount of weaponry. There were defused grenades for $25 that the seller explained could be reactivated by people with the right skills. (“But that’s on them,” he said.) There were tables with antique knives with Nazi symbols and others lined by 50 caliber rifles that I’ve been told could take down a lightly-militarized vehicle from a mile away.

But I was here for the assault rifles – specifically the AK-47s and AR-15s that are the weapons of choice among the drug cartels. If I purchased from a licensed dealer at the gunshow, I would have had to fill out a form to make sure I wasn’t a felon before I bought one, or four, or a dozen assault rifles. Still, there were plenty of opportunities to get around that minor inconvenience. The first private seller I approached about buying a couple assault rifles asked me for my driver’s license to make sure I wasn’t an illegal immigrant and informed me I didn’t look like the typical AR-15 buyer. (Of course, I’m not; I had a notebook in my hand.) At the second private table, the seller assured me before I even asked anything at all that I could buy all nine of his semi-automatic weapons without any paperwork required, though he also would check my I.D. By then, though, a young man with an AR-15 for sale (he was moving out of state and needed the cash) had approached me: all I needed was the money. http://crawfordondrugs.com/2010/07/inside-the-phoenix-gunshow/]

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Asked who could buy his Uzi semi-automatic weapon with a bundle of 30-round magazines, Norm replied, "Anyone who has $2,000."

In Nevada, it's perfectly legal for one private resident to sell firearms to another resident, no questions asked. Still, private sellers are supposed to ask for proof of residency, and no one from California is allowed to directly purchase any gun the Golden State classifies as an illegal assault weapon - such as Norm's Uzi with the high-capacity magazines.

Yet law enforcement officials say that loophole is exploited every weekend, when sellers - motivated by the chance for quick cash - turn a blind eye to the buyer's home state.

In an attempt to gauge how frequently private sellers checked for identification at the Las Vegas Gun Show, a Chronicle reporter approached five sellers to ask about buying a tactical rifle such as an AR-15.

Of the five, one asked to see proof of Nevada residency before the sales discussion progressed, while four never asked. They were informed they were talking to a reporter only after the terms of the sale were agreed upon and the cash was requested.

A seller named Joe agreed to sell a POF-brand AR-15-style assault weapon, including grenade launcher, for $3,500. Joe, who said he was originally from Ocean Beach in San Diego, pressured his California client to act fast.

"These are banned in your state, but they're going to get banned everywhere soon," he said. "You can buy it for an investment."

One private seller, Ron Delia of Las Vegas, quickly begged off the transaction after he was told his potential buyer was from California. "I can't help you there, pal. If you were from Nevada you could walk out the door with it. Sorry."

At Saturday's show, a teenager named Jacob walked the aisles with an AR-15 slung over his shoulder and a "For Sale" sign pinned to his chest. For $1,800, Jacob said, the deal would include magazines of 20 and 30 rounds.

Jacob turned the final stage of the transaction over to his father, Doug, who declined to give his last name.

Told that his would-be buyer lived in California and the weapon was illegal there, Doug said it didn't matter.

"As far as I'm concerned," Doug said. "I'm selling you a DVD player."More at http://www.sfgate.com/nation/article/Gun-show-loophole-visible-in-Las-
Vegas-4208818.php

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Yeah, any Al Qaeda operative would have had a helluva time buying an assault weapon at a gun show. You betcha...

Brenda, Magons, KPO and AgentRouka, aren't you glad you don't live in America in this respect?