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Bettendorf city council discussing changing its weapons ordinance

The Bettendorf city council is discussing making changes to its weapons ordinance, making it illegal to carry BB and other pellet guns out in the open.

BETTENDORF -- K & K Hardware sells around two or three BB and pellet guns per month, but a new ordinance being considered might change who is allowed to use those items.

"What young 12-year-old boy doesn't want a BB gun?" said Casey Keller, store manager at K & K Hardware.

The Bettendorf city council is discussing changing its' weapons ordinance, making it illegal to carry and transport BB guns, paint ball guns, air and gas guns and other similar devices.

"I think it's a good idea for young kids," said Keller. "Nobody wants to . . . have young kids shot because they're waving around what they know is a BB gun."

Keller said K & K sells both real and fake guns and it can be hard to tell the difference.

"This is just a BB gun and once I take it out of the package, it'd be hard to tell the difference," said Keller.

Long-time gun owner Richard Wells agreed that some of the '"fake" look real.

"But that doesn't mean it's okay to say it's illegal and what is the punishment if you do? That's always my question, you make all these laws but are you really gonna enforce them? And put a little 8-year-old in jail because he was carrying a gun around," said Richard Wells, gun owner.

Wells said it's a waste of time to make the change, especially since people with open-carry permits won't be affected.

"If they see somebody carrying a real fire arm what do they think, like I say, I'm legally able to carry my gun in an open carry holster," said Wells.

Here is the full ordinance:

Bettendorf city council discussing changing its weapons ordinance

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