Keep and Bear Arms - Gun Owners Home Page

AZ: The legal right to Self-Defense Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
In its natural form and going back to the beginning of time, we have felt that we have the right to self-defense. This statement is true but if you are not aware of the specifics to a self-defense claim, you might find yourself in legal trouble. It is expected that a person has the right to self-defense and the defense of another.

IA: Iowa Firearm Coalition advocates for improved school security, disputes 'gun free zones'
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The Iowa Firearm Coalition held its annual "Second Amendment Day," at the Iowa capitol building Thursday morning.

"In the wake of the tragedy at Perry High School, we believe this Second Amendment Day will be the most important and impactful one we have held in Iowa history," said IFC President Dave Funk. "The time has come for common sense, fact based legislation that will once and for all keep our children safe at school - our kids cannot afford to wait any longer."

ME: Maine's mass shooting has renewed calls for stricter gun laws Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
Gun safety activists have not had much luck in the Maine legislature. Lawmakers there have crafted some of the most permissive gun laws in the country. But last year, Maine saw the deadliest mass shooting in the state's history, and advocates for stricter gun laws now say their numbers are growing. Steve Mistler from Maine Public has the story.

IN: House panel hears gun advocate support, banker concerns on privacy bill
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A House committee on Thursday heard testimony but delayed a vote for a bill that some said would preserve gun owner privacy but that financial institutions feared could burden them with hefty compliance costs.

This bill is in response to activism by large corporations and global organizations who sought to institute new merchant category codes to track firearm purchases, Rep. Jake Teshka, R-North Liberty, told the committee.

An international standards organization of which the U.S. is a member approved a code specific to firearm sellers in 2022.

WI: Proposals would resurrect racial, ethnic equity panel, referendum to ban guns on Kenosha County property Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
Two separate proposals one that seeks to resurrect a defunct panel tasked with studying racial and ethnic equity issues, the other calling for a legally binding referendum to prohibit the general public from bringing firearms to Kenosha County buildings will be heard in committees in the coming weeks.

FPC WIN: Third Circuit Strikes Down Pennsylvania Young Adult Carry Ban
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Today, Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) announced that the Third Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down Pennsylvanias laws that prevent 18-to-20-year-old adults from carrying a loaded firearm outside of the home for self-defense. The opinion in Lara v. Evanchick can be viewed at FPCLegal.org.

It is undisputed that 18-to-20-year-olds are among the people for other constitutional rights such as the right to vote, freedom of speech, peaceable assembly, government petitions, and the right against unreasonable government searches and seizures, wrote Judge Kent A. Jordan, author of the majority opinion.

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FPC is joined in this lawsuit by the Second Amendment Foundation.

VA: A man is acquitted in a 2021 fatal shooting outside a basketball game at a Virginia high school
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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A Virginia jury has acquitted a man in the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old outside a high school basketball game in 2021.

The Newport News Circuit Court jury took about 50 minutes last week to find Demari Batten, now 20, not guilty of manslaughter in Justice Dunham's death, The Daily Press reported.

The shooting happened as fans left a game at Menchville High School against Woodside High School on Dec. 14, 2021. Batten, who was 18 at the time, testified that he was in a friend's car when Dunham and other teens attacked him and tried to grab his gun.

CA: Californias SB2: Promoting safety or violating rights?
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Said law [SB2] would ban citizens with carry concealed weapons permits (CCW) from carrying their sidearm essentially anywhere except some public streets. It is rightfully viewed as a spiteful revenge bill responding to the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruling in the 2022 Bruen case, whereupon they ruled that ability to be armed in public was a guaranteed Second Amendment right. This followed the Heller SCOTUS ruling which affirmed that citizens have an individual right to be armed under the Second Amendment unconnected to a well regulated militia, and the McDonald case, which affirmed that said right was incorporated against the states.

WA: "Sensitive Places" Expansion Passes Out of Committee Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
On Thursday, January 18th, the Senate Law and Justice Committee passed an amended version of Senate Bill 5444, a "sensitive places" expansion bill, out of committee. SB 5444 increases gun-free zones where law-abiding citizens are left defenseless in publicly accessible areas, including: Public parks Public transit State and local government buildings Public libraries, and Zoos and aquariums

Democratic bill to bar militia activities faces constitutional questions Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
During the American Revolution, militias known as Minutemen formed the backbone of the revolutionary forces. These groups, comprised of men aged 16 to 60, were tasked with serving, keeping arms and training for the defense of their towns. While historical militias were state-operated and answered to the government, todays militias operate without government regulation.

MO: A Pro-Gun Elections Official Is Rewriting Missouri Ballot Initiatives
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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For years Missouris Republican Legislature has overseen a rightward turn on guns, taking the state from some of the countrys most restrictive laws to the most permissive. But several initiatives submitted for inclusion on the ballot in 2024 are seeking to change that.

The initiatives would restrict the carrying of firearms in public, require a permit and safety training to carry guns concealed, mandate that customers at gun shows pass a background check before buying a firearm, and make it a felony to sell a gun to anyone under the age of 18. They would also give local municipalities the authority to restrict firearms, effectively reversing a state law that gives Missouri legislators sole authority over gun regulations.

Analysis: Gun Policy Remains Inexplicably Absent from Republican Primary Race
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Former President Donald Trump won the Iowa caucus on Monday. And he did it without having to defend his record on gun policy because none of his opponents have made it an issue in the race.

His remaining opponents, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, have done little to try and draw a contrast with Trump on guns. Theyve spent much time going after each other rather than the frontrunner. But, even in criticizing each other, theyve avoided the topic of firearms.

SD: Johnson Bills Strengthening 2nd Amendment Rights Pass Committee
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The Tribal Firearm Access Act, led by Johnson and Rep. Mary Peltola (D-AK), protects tribal sovereignty and lists tribal governments as eligible entities to issue identification documents for the purposes of transferring a firearm. U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) leads companion legislation in the Senate.

The Travelers Gun Rights Act, led by Johnson, allows law-abiding RV-ers, active-duty military, military spouses, and others who rely on a P.O. Box for their primary mailing address to obtain a firearm. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) leads companion legislation in the Senate.

TX: Texas lawmakers say more changes needed to prevent school shootings
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Veteran state Rep. Joe Moody of El Paso said the report should once again start a debate about changing gun laws.

"I do think that was a major missed opportunity," said the Democratic lawmaker.

On Jan. 18, a federal report investigating the police response to the shooting found multiple failures by officers that allowed the attack to continue even after police responded.

The report looked at thousands of pieces of data and documentation and relied on more than 260 interviews, including with law enforcement and school personnel, family members of victims, and witnesses and survivors from the massacre.

Moody said he wishes the report focused attention on the state of Texas' gun laws.

VA: Tough new gun control measure surfaces, as others clear key gatekeeper Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
With a new Democratic majority on a House of Delegates subcommittee where gun control bills used to die, a proposed assault weapons ban got a thumbs up Thursday the day a new proposed control measure never seen before in Virginia was filed. That new bill, House Bill 1424, sponsored by Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, proposes that people need to have a permit to buy a gun.

Third Circuit Nixes Gun Carry Ban for 18-to-20-Year-Olds
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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The US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on Thursday blocked Pennsylvania from enforcing a trio of statutes that functionally prohibited young adults between the ages of 18 and 20 from carrying firearms during a state of emergency.

The Commissioner of Pennsylvania State Police argued that adults in that age group arent considered part of the people to which the Second Amendment of the US Constitution applies, and therefore the gun owners challenge failed at the first step of an analysis the US Supreme Court laid out in N.Y. State Rifle & Pistol Assn v. Bruen. The court rejected the argument, which it said concerned an issue of first impression.

Judge Rules Post Office Carry Ban Unconstitutional, But You Still Can't Legally Do It
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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A federal judge over the weekend ruled the law prohibiting firearms inside post offices to be unconstitutional. In the case United States v. Ayala, Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle on Saturday dismissed charges of a postal employee arrested for carrying a firearm in a post office, saying the ban violated his Second Amendment rights. Citing the 2022 Supreme Court ruling in Bruen, Judge Mizelle said the post office gun ban, which took effect in 1972, doesnt meet the requirements to be considered constitutional.

Full 4th Circuit will hear challenge to Marylands assault weapons ban
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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The entire 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will take up a challenge to Marylands ban on assault-style weapons, marking the second major gun case that the appeals court has agreed to rehear recently.

The 4th Circuit will hear the case en banc, meaning that oral arguments will take place before all of the courts 14 active judges at their March session.

The rehearing order is an unusual step because the three-judge panel that originally heard the case had not issued a ruling yet. The panel heard arguments in December 2022 and appeared poised to strike down the ban on semiautomatic assault-style weapons under the U.S. Supreme Courts new framework for Second Amendment cases.

5 Best Left-Handed AR-15s: 2024 Options for the 10%
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Being left-handed in the gun world can be frustrating because the vast majority of firearms are made for right-handed shooters. Sure, you can be a leftie and run a right-handed gun, but it would certainly be easier to utilize guns specifically designed for people with a dominant hand on the less-common side. Weve done the research to make southpaw shooting easier by finding the best left-handed AR-15s on the market. These AR-15s are not only made for people who shootor want to shootleft-handed, but they have specific purposes, and well tell you all about it.

MS: Hyde-Smith, Guest Sign Amicus Brief Defending First Amendment Rights Of Gun Groups Submitted by: Mark A. Taff Website: www.marktaff.com	There are no comments on this story Post Comments \| Read Comments
U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and U.S. Representative Michael Guest (R-Miss.) have signed an amicus curiae brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in NRA v. Vullo, a case that pits the First Amendment rights of gun groups against hostile government regulators.

AR: After Meeting with Governor Sanders During Her European Trade Mission, Walther Manufacturing Announces $30M Expansion in Fort Smith, Arkansas
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Following the companys meeting with Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders during her European trade mission this summer, Walther Manufacturing is expanding its presence in Fort Smith, Arkansas, creating an expected 76 new jobs over the next five years. The expansion represents a capital investment of up to $30 million in the region.

Walther Manufacturing is making a substantial investment in our Fort Smith factory to facilitate the expansion of our research development and manufacturing of U.S.-produced firearms and accessories, said Tom Goike, Walther Manufacturing President and CEO.

FL: Judge Rules Ban on Firearms in Post Offices Unconstitutional in Landmark Case
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This week, U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle issued a consequential ruling regarding the prohibition of firearms within U.S. Post Offices.

The case centered on Emmanuel Ayala, a postal worker facing charges of illegal firearm possession in a federal facility. Ayala founded his defense on the monumental United States Supreme Court decision in Bruen (June 2022), contending that the ban on guns in post offices was unconstitutional as applied to him because of a lack of historical precedent.

How To Become A Better Concealed Carrier
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Responsible concealed carry brings forth a host of benefits that extend beyond individual safety.

For those committed to their well-being and that of their community, concealed carry is a pledge towards self-defense and community security. The concealed carrier becomes a guardian, ready to face unforeseen challenges while contributing to a safer environment. The importance of this responsibility lies not only in personal defense but also in fostering a sense of security for those around.

We paired up with Arms Directory to delve into the intricacies of becoming a better concealed carrier, and explore some best practices you can follow.

AO Review: Springfield Armory 1911 TRP .45 ACP Coyote Brown Finish
Submitted by: Mark A. Taff
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Exciting news has been pouring over the internet today as Springfield Armory made the announcement that they unleashed 6 new iterations of the venerable 1911 TRP. A handgun with a legendary reputation for being a former FBI contract pistol, and now available to the general public, the 1911 TRP is known as being a Tactical Response Pistol that can moonlight as both a surgically-accurate defensive pistol as well as a crush all your friends in your local gun clubs pistol league as well. It was roughly 3 4 years ago that Springfield Armorys 1911 TRP seemingly dried up. Shooters were not sure if it was softly discontinued or if COVID dramatically killed the production of this stalwart workhorse.