Return of National Reciprocity Bill: Because Your Rights Don’t Stop at State Lines! - Larry Z

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Gun Sales Fell Again in December, Down for the Whole Year - Stephen Gutowski

Background checks associated with gun sales fell by 7.5 percent year-over-year in December and 3.5 percent for 2024. Those are the findings of the latest analysis of the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) numbers by the firearms industry’s trade association. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) reported the system performed 1.6 million sales-related checks in December and 15.2 million for all of 2024. That puts December and 2024 total sales down below some pre-pandemic sales levels. The continued sales slide has fallen through several false floors over the past four years after Americans flocked to their local gun stores at a record pace driven by uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and widespr...  Read More

2024 and Beyond: What the New Administration Means for Hunters, Gun Owners, and Conservationists - The Hunting Wire

Mark Oliva - Managing Director, Public Affairs, NSSF 1. Question: What immediate differences can sportsmen, and gun owners expect in policy, law, and funding directives under the new administration? Answer:  We can expect significant changes in how the Trump administration would work with the firearm industry versus what we’ve experienced over the past four years with the Biden-Harris administration. This started, of course, with President Biden calling firearm manufacturers “the enemy” from the debate stage. Since then, his administration has pushed a “whole-of-government” attack on the lawful production and sale of firearms. Immediate changes could be expected in the ATF’s “zero-tolerance” policy, which has seen hundreds of ...  Read More

ATF Raid on Mark Choppa: A Chilling Attack on 2A Rights - Larry Z

ATF?\ In the early hours of a quiet morning last month, Mark Choppa (aka Mark Manley), a Second Amendment advocate, educator, and community activist, found his home under siege by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). What should have been an ordinary day began with tactical agents surrounding his home, flashbang grenades detonating, and rifles aimed at his family — including his children. Who is Mark Choppa? Mark Choppa isn’t just any gun rights advocate. He’s a dedicated mentor and community leader who spends his days teaching firearm safety, conflict resolution, and de-escalation strategies in Baltimore schools. He also coaches girls’ flag football and runs workshops educating urban communities...  Read More

Concealed Carry Rises, Crime Falls: Key Study Insights in News Updated: Larry Z

A new study by the Crime Prevention Research Center reveals critical insights into the state of concealed carry permits in the U.S., highlighting a mix of growth trends, changing demographics, and the broader implications of Constitutional Carry laws. The total number of concealed carry permit holders has declined for the second consecutive year, reaching 21.46 million in 2024. This marks a 1.8% drop since 2023, attributed primarily to the rise of Constitutional Carry laws in 29 states, where permits are no longer required for carrying a concealed firearm. Despite the decline in permit numbers, the study emphasizes that more individuals are legally carrying firearms, especially in these states. Key Findings Permit Trends: Indian...  Read More

12-year-old Newton County student facing felony for toy gun at school, deputies say [Fox 5 Atlanta)

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NICS BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR GUN SALES UP IN SEPTEMBER 2024 - Chris Eger

Last month saw a measurable bump in the number of background checks for likely gun sales compared to the same month in 2023. The figure of 2,072,550 checks conducted through the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System last month is a 1.8-percent increase from the FBI NICS figure of 2,035,410 in September 2023.  When adjusted by removing figures for gun permit checks and rechecks by states that use NICS for that purpose, the latest total stands at 1,156,223, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade group for the U.S. gun industry. This number remains 1.3 percent higher than the September 2023 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1,141,847.  Of note, last month continues the...  Read More

Olympic Shotgunner Wins Gold Again. So Meta Shut Him Down - News Wire - Larry Keane

The Big Tech overlords celebrated in a much more sinister fashion. Meta shut him down. No Facebook. No Instagram. No celebrations of American shooting gold. (Photo: Hancock) Vincent Hancock did it again. The 35-year-old won the Men’s Skeet Olympic gold medal, breaking a wildly-impressive 58 out of 60 clay targets and edging out his fellow teammate, competitor and student, Connor Prince, by just one shot. Hancock became a four-time Olympic gold champion in his sport, having previously earned Olympic gold medals in 2008, 2012, and 2021. He is the only skeet shooter to take home an Olympic gold medal more than once. That should earn him some accolades. Maybe something like a Google-doodle. Don’t count on it, though. The Big Tech overlord...  Read More

Federal Firearm Licensee Act Introduced! - Larry Z

Senator Dick Durbin Existing laws allow too many guns to be sold to individuals who pose a danger to our communities. I’m introducing the Federal Firearm Licensee Act to establish new requirements for licensed dealers to secure their business premises & conduct physical checks of their inventories. WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, introduced the Federal Firearm Licensee Act last week. This legislation aims to change federal laws governing licensed firearm dealers, supposedly targeting those engaging in unlawful pr...  Read More

Vending Machines: A New Way to Buy Ammo! - Larry Z

This week, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, found itself at the center of a groundbreaking and slightly cheeky innovation in ammunition sales, reports ABC News. While a local grocery store decided to remove its ammo vending machine, the concept itself is booming across the state. Developed by American Rounds, this isn’t your average snack dispenser. It uses cutting-edge artificial intelligence and facial recognition to ensure that each shotgun shell or rifle round goes to the right hands, matching buyers with their IDs in a flash. Here’s the kicker: this method isn’t just cool—it boosts safety and cuts down on theft. The company proudly states on its website that all transactions not only meet but exceed the legal standards for ammo sales. Des...  Read More

JUNE YIELDS TWO KEY LEGAL VICTORIES WRITTEN - JADE MOLDAE

In consecutive days earlier this month, the firearms industry celebrated two legal victories — one in the U.S. Supreme Court, and the other in a U.S. District Court. Both decisions addressed the limits of the ATF’s authority on rule-making — much to the chagrin of the anti-gun movement. Garland v. Cargill June 14, in a 6–3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled a semi-auto rifle equipped with a bump stock is not a machinegun. The case, known as Garland v. Cargill, challenged ATF’s sudden decision to include bump stocks under the definition of “machinegun” in response to the tragic mass shooting on the Las Vegas Strip in October 2017. Writing for the majority, Associate Justice Clarence Thomas noted, “We hold that a...  Read More

The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) just sued Uncle Sam! - Larry Z

It’s showdown time! The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) just sued Uncle Sam! They’ve launched a federal lawsuit in Texas to shoot down the firearms carry ban at U.S. Post Offices and their properties. They’re not just talking tough; they want the court to declare the ban unconstitutional and to halt its enforcement. The Firearms Policy Coalition has jumped into the fray alongside SAF. Texas residents Gavin Pate and George Mandry are also on board, taking the fight right to Attorney General Merrick Garland’s doorstep in his official capacity. The legal battleground? U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth Division. Legal sharpshooters R. Brent Cooper of Cooper & Scully, P.C. in Dallas, and David...  Read More

Little Has Changed as NRA Heads into First Meeting Since Corruption Verdict - Stephen Gutowski

The National Rifle Association has been moving forward with business as usual since a jury found the group and its leadership responsible for corruption in February. That could change as it opens its Annual Meeting on Friday in Dallas, Texas. The NRA has enacted few, if any, reforms or leadership changes in the wake of a New York jury deciding it failed to safeguard its charitable asserts, retaliated against whistleblowers, and its former CEO and Treasurer were liable for millions of dollars in damages. While longtime CEO Wayne LaPierre announced his resignation shortly before the trial and the jury finding against him, the NRA has continued to promote his involvement with the group by prominently featuring LaPierre in its ad for the ...  Read More

Alabama lawmakers pass bill to ban card companies from tracking gun purchases - AL.com

Alabama lawmakers gave final passage Tuesday to a bill to prohibit credit card companies from requiring the use of a code that distinguishes firearms purchases from other transactions SB281 by Sen. Tim Melson, R-Florence, also says a financial institution cannot decline a purchase on a payment card solely because it is a gun purchase And it says a government entity cannot keep a list or registry of privately owned guns and gun owners. The House of Representatives passed SB281 by a vote of 85-5 with nine abstentions. The Senate had passed it 32-0 last week. It goes to Gov. Kay Ivey, who can sign it into law. “The right to own firearms is enshrined in our nation’s Bill of Rights, and gun owners should be allowed to purchase a w...  Read More

Analysis: Nixing Credit Card Codes is the Latest Gun-Rights Policy Trend - Jake Folgleman via [The Reload]

Financial privacy measures have quickly become one of the fastest-spreading policy successes of the gun-rights movement. Just this past week alone, three more Republican-led states enacted laws restricting the use of specialty merchant category codes (MCCs) for gun and ammunition stores. The Governors of Iowa, Tennessee, and Georgia signed bills with nearly identical language prohibiting credit and debit card companies from using any MCC that “distinguishes a firearms retailer from a general merchandise retailer or a sporting goods retailer.” The laws also contain provisions prohibiting financial institutions from discriminating against lawful gun businesses and from disclosing transaction data in most instances. The total number o...  Read More

As the NRA struggles, the gun lobby has a new leader in D.C.

The NSSF, the firearms industry’s biggest trade group, spent more than twice as much money on federal lobbying as the NRA last year. By Suzy Khimm WASHINGTON — The top advocate for the gun industry in Washington is spending more than ever to influence the federal government. The group accuses President Joe Biden of waging war on the Second Amendment. It resists any effort to create universal background checks and argues that attempts to crack down on untraceable “ghost guns” are unnecessary.  And it’s not the National Rifle Association.  The NSSF, founded more than 60 years ago to promote hunting and recreational shooting, has grown into the country’s largest firearms trade association. The organization spent more than $5.4 m...  Read More

Analysis: The NRA in Limbo - Stephen Gutowski

A jury just ruled against the NRA in its corruption case, but it could be months before the final repercussions are handed down. On Friday, six jurors returned to the Manhattan courtroom they’d called home for the previous seven weeks and entered their verdict in the civil case against the gun group and its leadership. It found the NRA did not properly safeguard its charitable assets and protect whistle-blowers. It determined longtime CEO Wayne LaPierre was liable for $5.4 million in damages and longtime Treasurer Woody Phillips was responsible for $2 million. Those findings leave the defendants open to a number of punishments. LaPierre and Phillips could be barred from working at the NRA and forced to pay the group those millions. T...  Read More

Background Checks in January Indicate Steady Interest in Gun Ownership Despite Dip (News Wire)

In the latest figures released, January 2024 saw a bit of a dip in firearm background checks. The NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) numbers came in at 1,197,294. That’s a 5.6% decrease from January last year. Even the unadjusted FBI figures dropped by 16.6% compared to the same month in 2023. But here’s the kicker – January marks the 54th straight month where adjusted checks exceeded 1 million. That’s over four years of consistent, high interest in firearms month after month. Before we dive deeper, here’s a quick heads-up. Those numbers don’t tell the whole story. They don’t count the legal transfers based on qualifying permits in 24 states. If you’ve got the right permit, you can skip the extra b...  Read More

Black Friday Sees Record FBI Gun Background Checks - Stephen Gutowski

Americans were out in full force buying guns during the start of the holiday shopping season. That’s the implication of the background check numbers released by the FBI on Monday. The agency, which oversees the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), reported a record number of checks on Black Friday 2023. This year’s 214,913 checks are up 5.5 percent from the previous record set in 2017 and ten percent from last year. Black Friday 2023 was the third-busiest day in the history of the FBI’s background check system–though the agency’s official report has yet to be updated to reflect that fact. However, the week leading up to this year’s Black Friday did not climb into the top ten rankings. The 680,671 NICS checks perf...  Read More

150,000 Israelis Apply for Gun Permits After Hamas Attacks Stephen Gutowski

Less than a month after Hamas terrorists slaughtered 1,400 people, Israelis have applied for more gun permits than they have over the past three years combined. In an exclusive interview with The Reload, the Chair of the Israeli Knesset’s Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee said the government has seen an unprecedented surge in demand for personal firearms. Simcha Rothman said applications for handgun permits have climbed to 150,000 as the government has, at least to some degree, opened up eligibility for civilians to own and carry pistols. “More than 100,000. Much more than that. I would say around 150,000,” Rothman told The Reload. “So, it’s an increase. The yearly average is 40,000 or 50,000. In less than a month, it’s three ti...  Read More

Vickers Pleads Guilty: Shockwaves in Firearms Industry as Alleged Conspiracy Unravels - Larry Z

Larry Vickers is a legend in the firearms community. Is he the victim of a witch-hunt by the Feds? (Photo: Vickers Tactical In a shocking development last Friday, a federal grand jury indicted five individuals on charges of conspiring to illegally acquire machine guns and other regulated firearms. Among those indicted are prominent figures from North Carolina, North Dakota, and Maryland. Table of contents Key Figures Indicted Alleged Deceit for Firearms Vickers Pleads Guilty Potential Consequences for the Accused Commentary: Second Amendment Foundation Speaks Out Key Figures Indicted The indictment unveiled the names of Sean Reidpath Sullivan, Larry Allen Vickers, James Christopher Tafoya, Matthew Jeremy Hall, and Jam...  Read More

Jewish Americans Arm Themselves in Wake of Israeli Horror - Stephen Gutowski

Yehuda Remer and another instructor teach a firearms course in the wake of the 2023 Hamas terror attacks / Sean Sherida “There’s another order coming from Hamas to kill the Jews. I happen to be Jewish, and I don’t want to be killed.” That’s the succinct explanation Joshua, a doctor in Los Angeles, gave for why he decided to buy his first gun this week. He’s far from alone. New owners and trainers alike described scenes of gun stores and safety classes full of Jewish Americans hoping to protect themselves from the kind of slaughter that played out on October 7th when Hamas terrorists streamed over the border into Israel and ruthlessly slaughtered more than 1,400 men, women, and children. “I was at a local gun store a couple of days a...  Read More

Israel National Security Minister to Massively Arm Civilian Security Teams in Wake of Hamas Attack - Larry Z

Main Takeaways In a crucial move, Israel National Security Minister Ben Gvir announces substantial weapons procurement for civilian security teams. Immediate provision of acquired assault rifles, helmets, and bulletproof vests aims to bolster civilian defenses against threats. Previous shortages of weaponry during crucial conflicts spotlight the urgent necessity of this new armament strategy. Ben Gvir Amplifies Civilian Security Armament Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel’s National Security Minister, revealed on Tuesday a pivotal move of purchasing 10,000 rifles to enhance civilian security teams’ capabilities amidst the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. He notes this approach is crucial for towns near Israel’s perimeters and in diverse dem...  Read More

Elon Musk on 2A: Armed Citizens Are Essential to Democracy - Larry Z

Elon on 2A - View on X ' Tech Billionaire Elon Musk recently voiced his support for the Second Amendment on X.com. He responded to a user named “End Wokeness,” who observed, “The past 3+ years have been one long infomercial for the 2nd amendment.” In reply, Musk highlighted the role armed citizens play in safeguarding our democratic way of life. Musk wrote, “As tragic as the mass shootings are, armed citizens are essential to the defense of democracy.” This isn’t the first time Elon has defended the 2A publicly. GunsAmerica covered his previous comments last year when the Tesla founder spoke to CNBC. “I strongly believe that the right to bear arms is an important safeguard against potential tyranny of government,” he explained. ...  Read More

WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMS NEW OFFICE OF NATIONAL GUN CONTROL EFFORTS - Chris Eger

The Biden Administration on Thursday confirmed it was standing up a new "White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention," reporting to Vice President Harris.  As previously reported by Guns.com, the taxpayer-funded office, the first of its kind, will be used to spearhead policy efforts by the administration when it comes to the national conversation on guns. However, rather than offer gun owners, Second Amendment advocates, and shooting sports groups a seat at the table, the Oval Office said it will name two gun control activists – Everytown's Robert Wilcox and Greg Jackson of the Community Justice Action Fund – as "Special Assistants to the President" with the titles of "Deputy Director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Preven...  Read More