U.S.

From Valentine's Day to zombies, Vegas embraces in-your-face gun promotion as others pull back

Associated Press
Published | Updated

This July 28, 2012 photo provided by Bob MacDuff shows Lindsae MacDuff holding an automatic weapon at the Gun store in Las Vegas after her "shotgun wedding." One Las Vegas shooting range is selling “take a shot at love” packages that include 50 submachine gun rounds. Another is offering wedding packages in which the bride and groom can pose with Uzis and ammunition belts. And a third invites lovebirds to renew their vows and shoot a paper cutout zombie in the face. (AP Photo/Bob MacDuff) (The Associated Press)

This July 28, 2012 photo provided by Bob MacDuff shows MacDuff holding an automatic weapon at the Gun store in Las Vegas after his "shotgun wedding." One Las Vegas shooting range is selling “take a shot at love” packages that include 50 submachine gun rounds. Another is offering wedding packages in which the bride and groom can pose with Uzis and ammunition belts. And a third invites lovebirds to renew their vows and shoot a paper cutout zombie in the face. (AP Photo/Bob MacDuff) (The Associated Press)

One Las Vegas shooting range is selling "take a shot at love" packages that include 50 submachine gun rounds. Another invites lovebirds to renew their vows and shoot a paper cutout zombie in the face.

Never known for its understatement, Sin City is bucking the national trend of avoiding flippant gun promotions after the Newton, Conn., elementary school shooting.

At least half a dozen Las Vegas ranges opened last year, triggering a marketing arms race. Many are now offering Valentine's Day gun promotions.

Some gun control activists say the over-the-top advertising trivializes the dangers of high-powered weapons.

But shooting range marketing executives say it's all in good fun, and the guns never leave the property.