NSSF Celebrates Major Legal Victory as District Court Strikes Down Illinois’ MSR Ban

WASHINGTON, D.C.— NSSF®, The Firearm Industry Trade Association, celebrated today the decision by U.S. District Court Judge Stephen P. McGlynn of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois striking down as unconstitutional the Illinois law that bans most semiautomatic firearms including Modern Sporting Rifles (MSRs), certain models of semiautomatic handguns and standard capacity magazines. The decision is a significant victory for the millions of law-abiding gun owners and the firearm industry in Illinois.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed into law HB 5471, the “Protect Illinois Communities Act (PICA),” in January 2023. HB 5741 is among the nation’s most expansive gun control laws and banned the sale of hundreds of models of rifles including commonly-owned MSRs, certain semiautomatic handguns and rifle magazines with a capacity greater than 10 cartridges and pistol magazines with a capacity greater than 15 cartridges.

NSSF, along with several co-plaintiffs, filed a legal challenge seeking to strike down this unconstitutional law and prevailed. Notably, in his decision Judge McGlynn wrote, “PICA is an unconstitutional affront to the Second Amendment and must be enjoined. The Government may not deprive law-abiding citizens of their guaranteed right to self-defense as a means of offense.” More specifically, the court held that MSRs and standard capacity magazines are in common use and have legitimate self-defense purposes.

“This decision handed down by Judge McGlynn is welcomed and what we in the firearm industry have known all along: commonly-owned firearms and standard capacity magazines are protected by law-abiding Americans under the Second Amendment,” stated Lawrence G. Keane, NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “The U.S. Supreme Court has already recognized that semiautomatic rifles ‘traditionally have been widely accepted as lawful,’ and with over 28 million of these rifles in circulation today, they are clearly commonly-owned for lawful purposes, meeting the threshold set by the Supreme Court in its Heller decision.

Semiautomatic handguns are overwhelmingly the choice of firearm for personal self-defense. This law was clearly unconstitutional and did nothing to punish criminals who choose to break the law. It only deprives law-abiding Americans from being able to exercise their full spectrum of Second Amendment rights.”

While the court struck down the law, it did stay its permanent injunction for 30 days to give the State the opportunity to appeal and seek an emergency stay from the Seventh Circuit, which means that the law temporarily stays in effect.

NSSF will continue to monitor.

Comparing the Global Rate of Mass Public Shootings to the U.S.’s Rate and Comparing Their Changes Over Time

The U.S. is well below the world average in terms of the number of mass public shootings, and the global increase over time has been much bigger than for the United States.

Over the 20 years from 1998 to 2017, our list contains 2,772 attacks and at least 5,764 shooters outside the United States and 62 attacks and 66 shooters within our country. By our count, the US makes up less than 1.13% of the mass public shooters, 1.77% of their murders, and 2.19% of their attacks. All these are much less than the US’s 4.6% share of the world population. Attacks in the US are not only less frequent than other countries, they are also much less deadly on average. Out of the 101 countries where we have identified mass public shootings occurring, the United States ranks 66th in the per capita frequency of these attacks and 56th in the murder rate.

Not only have these attacks been much more common outside the US, the US’s share of these attacks has declined over time. There has been a much bigger increase over time in the number of mass shootings in the rest of the world compared to the US.

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Gun Owners Made a Difference in the 2024 Election Results.

The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is today congratulating the nation’s gun owners—especially those in critical “battleground” states—for obviously making a difference in the outcome of Tuesday’s presidential election.

“America’s gun owners saw the threat of a Kamala Harris presidency and took action,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “Millions of ‘gun voters’ turned out to reverse the nation’s course on firearms rights, and keep Kamala out of the Oval Office. It was gun owners who also made the difference in Montana, re-electing pro-gun Gov. Greg Gianforte and replacing Democrat Sen. Jon Tester with Republican Tim Sheehy, thus shifting the Senate majority to GOP control.

“In this election,” Gottlieb observed, “the Democrats shot blanks and the voters buried their gun ban agenda. 

“But,” he cautioned, “I bet they will double down on gun prohibition because they know that it was gun owners that removed them from power and they are gunning to get even. The fight to defend gun rights is not over and every gun owner who helped win this battle must remember that the war on gun rights is ongoing.”

Gottlieb said Trump’s triumphant return to public office “will become the stuff of legend.” He added that the importance of gun owner participation in this historic achievement cannot be overstated. 

“Here is a man who endured four years of turmoil while he was in office,” Gottlieb noted, “and he suffered from Democrat-engineered ‘lawfare,’ and survived two assassination attempts including one which nearly cost him his life. Yet, despite his wound, he refused to call for more gun control, and encouraged his supporters to fight. And that is exactly what we intend to do, because the right to keep and bear arms is what protects this nation from tyranny, and frustrates the enemies of liberty.”

A well regulated Militia’ is Alive and Well

Tactical shooting, sometimes known as action pistol or practical shooting, is a firearms discipline that involves shooting at targets in simulated self-defense or combat scenarios. The United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) is the largest tactical shooting organization in the United States with over 37,000 active members. At USPSA competitions, members “engage in dynamic and challenging courses of fire, where speed, accuracy, and power are equally tested” (USPSA). The International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA), based in Bogata, Texas, is an organization that emphasizes the skills associated with self-defense and concealed carry scenarios. IDPA boasts a membership of over 25,000, representing all 50 states and over 70 nations.

Both of these organizations function as the governing bodies of countless firearms competitions and training classes that occur weekly in the United States and, in the case of IDPA, around the world. There is a wide array of organized shooting sports (skeet, trap, long-range rifle, cowboy quick-draw, Steel Challenge, to name just a few) and associated organizations which cater to those activities, but it is the tactical shooting sports that have exploded in popularity in the United States over the past ten to fifteen years.

The current craze in the tactical shooting world is “3-gun,” which requires competitors to use a modern sporting rifle (a rifle built on an AR platform), a handgun, and a tactical shotgun, and where the target distances might vary between one and 500 yards: “Just as it is with the practical pistol matches, 3-gun simulates combat or self-defense situations” (NSSF).

One might reasonably ask why, with all the various shooting sports available, it is the tactical shooting sports that have grown exponentially in recent years. The answer is simple: There is a growing recognition in the United States that average citizens may, in the not-too-distant future, have to defend themselves against ungovernable crime — or tyranny. These are the two primary reasons that over a million guns per month are sold in the U.S.

Most of us grow up believing that the only place to access expert firearms training is in the military or law enforcement, but that is not the case. In fact, many shooters from those backgrounds use USPSA and IDPA training and competitions to enhance the sometimes-perfunctory training they receive in their professional capacity. While it is true that many members of USPSA and IDPA are active/retired military or law enforcement, they are in the minority. The overwhelming majority of shooters come from civilian backgrounds, representing every conceivable profession and demographic. Most competitors are male, to be sure, but there is a large and growing cadre of female shooters, many of them spectacularly talented and accomplished.

The point is this: There are currently tens of thousands of highly-skilled, civilian tactical shooters in the United States. Some of those skilled civilians include Hollywood actors such as Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Garner, Micheal B. Jordan, Colin Farrell, Chris Hemsworth and many others who have trained with 3-Gun guru Taran Butler, founder of Taran Tactical Innovations and frequent guest on History Channel’s Top Shot. There is even a small but growing subset of tactical shooters who are also dedicated to extreme fitness (CrossFit, powerlifting, Krav Maga, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, distance running, etc.) — a kind of civilian special forces, if you will.

Unsurprisingly, the political mood at IDPA and USPSA matches is decidedly right-of-center and unapologetically patriotic. Pro-American, pro-Second Amendment, and “Don’t Tread on Me” T-shirts abound, as do camo truckers’ caps advertising a favorite gun or ammo manufacturer. Perhaps the degree of patriotism is best illustrated by relating an incident that occurred the first time I attended an IDPA match at a particular gun club in Northern California.

My shooting partner and I had arrived early to help with the set-up, and, as is common practice prior to any tactical pistol or rifle competition, we were called to a shooters’ meeting by the match director who, in this case, was a retired drill sergeant right out of Central Casting. As the forty or fifty shooters settled into a semi-circle around the director, I was completely unprepared for what happened next. Below is a word-for-word account of how the shooters’ meeting started and what [in brackets] was going through my mind at the time:

(The match director speaking to the group in a booming, commanding voice.)

“Take off your hat.” [What? Why?]

“Put your hand over your heart.” [Wait, what?]

“Face the flagpole.” [Huh?]

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag….” [Oh.]

No preliminaries. No dissembling. No introductory remarks along the lines of “we’re going to recite the ‘Pledge of Allegiance’ for those of you who wish to join.” And the subtext was crystal clear:  If you have a problem removing your hat, if you have a problem placing your hand over your heart, if you have a problem showing some respect, if you have a problem publicly declaring your allegiance to the symbol of this great country dedicated to liberty and justice and founded under the care and protection of God, you’re probably in the wrong place.

At the time of this shooters’ meeting, I had not recited “the Pledge of Allegiance” in decades. But on this particular morning, as the sun peeked above the Sierra Nevada mountains, providing the backdrop for the Stars and Stripes, I was deeply moved. Reciting the “Pledge” for the first time as an adult, understanding for the first time the gravity and responsibility of taking such a pledge, standing among a group of unapologetic patriots with a Glock 17 on my hip, the light bulb illuminated.  It was at this exact moment when I realized I was willing to fight in defense of my country and its founding principles.

The many activities required of any shooter to become a competent tactical pistol or 3-gun competitor — dry fire drills, live fire drills, safety workshops, trips to the range, training classes, Concealed Carry Permit renewals (optional), videos, competitions, equipment purchases, and endless reloading (optional) — all came together in an instant. I realized that my willingness to defend my country was directly related to my ability to handle a firearm.

Of course, competitive shooting is not the only path to firearm proficiency, but it is a rewarding path to follow. It provides the shooter with measurable goals and a way to chart his or her progress. I am by no means an elite competitor; I usually finish my matches with a score placing me squarely in the middle of the pack.  What I am is a safe, responsible, competent gun owner and handler who is willing and able to defend his family, his country, and himself.

In the United States, there are tens of thousands of patriotic, competitive shooting enthusiasts from every walk of life: from teenage girls with pink Glocks, to octogenarian veterans carrying an ancient, army-issue Colt 1911. They can be found at the hundreds of firearms competitions that take place every weekend in the United States and practicing at the thousands of gun ranges that dot the landscape. So, sleep well America. Your well-regulated militia is alive and well and in training.  And it is seeking new recruits.

Country Singer Jay Allen Robbed at Gunpoint in East Nashville

Country singer Jay Allen has reconsidered his stance on gun ownership after being the victim of an armed robbery at an East Nashville grocery store.

The singer and former The Voice contestant opened up about the scary experience on social media, assuring fans that he’s “ok (besides being out a few bucks.)”

But what really distressed him wasn’t the loss of the money — it was the feeling of vulnerability and terror that stuck with him, even after the danger had passed.

“Even with having a muscular stature and being covered in tattoos, it didn’t matter,” Allen reflects. “He had a gun, and I didn’t. I felt helpless, taken advantage of, and mad at myself more than anything.”

In the wake of the incident, Allen says he made a big decision: To purchase a firearm for protection.

“I’ve always been on the fence about guns, but today I’m a proud new gun owner,” he continues. “It’s strictly for self-defense, and I will NEVER feel that way again.”

Allen also shared a closeup shot of his new pistol, as well as video of himself at a gun learning to use it.

They were only brought to keep him out of office, and they failed.

DOJ to Drop Trump Cases.

Word is trickling out that the DOJ will fire Special Counsel Jack Smith and drop both of the federal cases against Trump soon.

MSNBC’s Ken Dilanian said “What’s interesting here is that the DOJ is moving to end them even before he takes office, citing the longstanding DOJ policy that sitting presidents can’t be prosecuted. And there were some thought that maybe special counsel Jack Smith was going to sprint through the finish line, was going to work up until the last day, force Trump to fire him, wait till a new Attorney General was appointed. But that does not appear to be the thinking inside the department. The thinking is that these cases can’t go forward.”

CNN’s Paula Reid said that Smith is in talks with the Biden Justice Dept’s Office of Legal Counsel to figure out how to “wind down” the cases.

FoxNews also reported that Jack Smith is on the way out, and the cases will be dropped soon, and ABC announced the same.

So far, this news only applies to the two federal cases, the classified documents case in Florida and the J6 case in DC. However, former AG Bill Barr has urged all of the state prosecutors to also “respect the people’s decision and dismiss the cases against President Trump now.”

Ending the Jack Smith prosecutions the day after the election is an absolute admission that these were political show trials- and now the show's over cry more, libs

Federal Appeals Court Upholds Colorado Under-21 Gun Sales Ban

The Centennial State can once again deny 18-to-20-year-olds the ability to purchase any firearms.

A three-judge panel for the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday overturned a lower court injunction against Colorado’s recently passed gun sales ban for adults under 21. The panel determined that the lower court “abused its discretion” by finding the ban likely unconstitutional. Instead, it ruled that commercial firearm purchases are not covered under the Second Amendment.

“Pineda has partially met his burden at step one by demonstrating that (1) 18- to 20-year-olds fall within ‘the people,’ and (2) the arms he wishes to purchase constitute protected “arms,” Judge Richard Federico wrote for the majority in RMGO v. Polis. “However, Pineda fails to prove that SB 23-169 implicates his right to ‘keep and bear’ arms, the third prong of step one. This is because SB 23-169 is presumptively lawful as a law that imposes conditions or qualifications upon the sale and purchase of arms and thus does not fall within the protections of the plain text of the Second Amendment.”

The ruling deals a significant blow to Colorado gun-rights advocates looking to stave off the state’s increasingly restrictive approach to firearms. The opinion opens the door for the state’s young adult sales ban to take effect for the first time, and its capacious view of permissible commercial sales restrictions could invite many additional regulations.

The case stems from Senate Bill 169, which Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed into law in May 2023. The bill raised the state’s minimum age to purchase any firearm to 21. State policy previously allowed 18-year-olds to purchase rifles and shotguns but not handguns.

Rocky Mountain Gun Owners (RMGO) immediately sued Polis over the law and secured a preliminary injunction against its enforcement last August, the same day it was supposed to take effect.

“The Court finds that the Governor has failed to meet his burden to demonstrate that SB23-169 is consistent with the Nation’s historical tradition of firearms regulation,” Judge Philip Brimmer wrote at the time.

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Now, consider this. The national demoncraps did it to themselves even earlier.
The election numbers anomaly was called out 4 years ago, but there were just too many people, politicians and otherwise, who didn’t want to open that door.

Well, if they had let Trump win, as he likely should have, the election yesterday would have been for who would succeed him, as he would be term limited out.
I think DeSantis would have run and likely won, as Newsom would have been the likely opposition. We sure wouldn’t have seen Harris running.

But, here we are; Trump is ‘back on the menu’ and as SloJoe only got to replace one flaming airhead liberal on the Supreme Court with another, we may see a new batch of younger, and hopefully better on the RKBA than Barrett and Kavanaugh, replacement Justices.

And what will 2028 look like? We’ll likely see Vance run, as well as DeSantis. The only question is which demoncrap will survive that party’s primaries? I think Harris will try again, but Newsom, Whitmer and a bunch more see her like a shark smells blood in the water.

Trump won in Pennsylvania, which made it impossible for Harris to win the election.
Why did he win?
The Amish vote that the Republicans went out for.
Overzealous state bureaucraps, mostly demoncraps, went and did it to themselves.

Amish turn out for Pennsylvania vote in ‘unprecedented numbers’

Republicans could see a boost in Pennsylvania from a demographic rarely seen at the polls: the Amish.

The state’s famed “Pennsylvania Dutch” registered to vote in “unprecedented numbers” in response to a January federal raid on a local raw milk farm in Bird in Hand, Pa., a source familiar with the situation told The Post.

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture stormed Amos Miller’s farm Jan. 4 after reports of illnesses in children linked to raw dairy products purchased there, according to the local media outlet Lancaster Farming.

The Amish community saw the move as an overzealous reach by the government and was planning to vote for GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump, whose party favors less government intervention.

“That was the impetus for them to say, ‘We need to participate,’ ” the source said of local Amish voters. “This is about neighbors helping neighbors.”

The Amish community rallied around Miller, who cited his religious beliefs as a reason for not adhering to Food and Drug Administration guidelines.

“If you think about Amish people and their connection to nature, I mean, some of these people work in the fields barefoot to be closer to the earth,” the source told The Post.

Actual numbers of Amish voters were unclear as of Tuesday night, though horse-and-buggy rigs were seen at polling locations in photographs from the region.

Well, it appears we dodged a commie bullet. Still don’t have a filibuster proof majority in the Senate to get somethings repealed, but I’ll happily take no new gun control legislation.