Gun Rights News
News and opinion on the fight to defend the Second Amendment. The Daily Signal provides reporting on court rulings, state policies, and gun rights advocacy.
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- News
Seattle Approves New Tax on Guns, Ammunition
The Seattle City Council passed a new tax on guns and ammunition Monday to raise revenue for violence prevention and gun safety research. The council unanimously approved the measure, adding a $25 tax on firearms sold in the city and a 5-cent tax on each round of ammunition. The legislation also requires gun owners to…Natalie Johnson -
- Opinion
DC Gets Slapped Again By a Federal Court Over Its Restrictive Gun Laws
The District of Columbia has lost the latest round in the seemingly never-ending litigation over the rules it keeps implementing to restrict Second Amendment rights. In Wrenn v. District of Columbia, federal District Court Judge Frederick Scullin issued an injunction prohibiting the District from requiring that anyone seeking a concealed carry permit demonstrate a “good…Hans von Spakovsky -
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Small Business Owner Says Bank Denied Service Because She Sells Guns
A small business owner from Central Florida alleges she was denied service by one of the largest banks in the United States strictly because she sells guns. “It’s a slap in the face,” Peggy Craig, owner of Michael’s Pawn and Gun in Fruitland Park, Fla., told The Daily Signal in an exclusive interview. “It affects…Kelsey Bolar -
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Access, Denied: More Gun Sellers Blocked From Financial Sector
After serving multiple deployments overseas with the U.S. Army Special Forces, Josh Burns began building his own rifles at home. In Sept. 2013, he and his wife Felicia, who also served in the military, decided they would make a business out of selling guns. “This is his hobby that [Josh] masks as a business so…Kelsey Bolar -
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Gun Shop Owner Says This State’s Restrictive Law ‘Killed Us in Terms of Business’
A gun and ammo shop in New York blames the state’s strict regulations on firearms for bringing an end to its business. “The SAFE Act killed us in terms of business,” Kordell Jackson, owner of Jackson Guns and Ammo Shop in Henrietta, N.Y., told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. “It was very difficult with sales and regulations…Ben Smith -
- Opinion
Firearms Industry Concerned About What Obama Will Do in Next Two Years
The SHOT Show — Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade Show — is the world’s largest gun show. Held annually in Las Vegas, it’s intended for those in the trade, not the general public. Walking its almost 16 miles of booths is a near-marathon feat of endurance, and every mile exhibits more firepower than all the…Ted Bromund -
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How Gun Owners Reacted to a Lawmaker’s Gun Control Pitch
MONTPELIER, Vt.—Speaking at a large pro-gun rally at the Vermont statehouse this week, state Sen. John Campbell told law-abiding Vermonters they would need to undergo criminal background checks before buying guns. “The major issue in this bill people are concerned with is expanding the background checks to all sales,” Campbell said. “There are people—probably 99.9…Bruce Parker -
- Opinion
What the Firearms Industry Thinks About the UN Arms Trade Treaty Signed By Obama Administration
LAS VEGAS—Supposedly, the U.N. Arms Trade Treaty, which took effect Christmas Eve, is no big deal. But people who work in the business of manufacturing, importing and exporting firearms are concerned about the treaty and what it means for them and their industry. I talked to several last week at the Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor…Ted Bromund -
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Ready, Aim, Fire: Choke Point Draws Heat From Gun Industry
LAS VEGAS—Banned from financial services that are essential to running a business, firearms sellers attending the world’s largest gun exhibition last week in Las Vegas spoke out against the government’s controversial program known as Operation Choke Point. “We continue to hear from dealers and others in our industry that suddenly, out of the blue, they…Kelsey Bolar -
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Smoking Gun? Tape Recordings Reveal the Real Reason Bank Closed Gun Seller’s Account
Another gun seller says his firearms business was forced to shut down its bank account as a result of the government’s secretive initiative known as Operation Choke Point. This time, he’s offering audio recordings to prove it. Mike Schuetz is a former state employee who worked as a probation and parole officer for eight years…Kelsey Bolar -
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Gun Dealers Targeted by Operation Choke Point
Retailers in the gun industry told The Daily Signal’s Kelsey Harkness this week that they’re being discriminated against by payment processors that prohibit the use of their systems for online—and some in-store—sales of firearms, ammunition and certain accessories. The news prompted a full segment last night on Fox News’ “The Kelly File.” Watch the clip…Daily Signal Staff -
- News
Firearms Sellers Say They’re Being Choked Off From Payment Processors
Go to a gun show, and you won’t find many merchants using PayPal. You’ll also find few vendors using popular payment processors such as Square, Stripe and Spark Pay. That’s because some payment processors explicitly prohibit the use of their systems for online — and some in-store — sales of firearms, ammunition and certain accessories….Kelsey Bolar -
- Opinion
The New Sneaky Tactic Gun Control Advocates Are Embracing
Gun control advocates are changing strategy. If you can’t get legislation infringing upon the Second Amendment with President Obama sitting in the White House and Harry Reid, D-Nev., running the Senate, the chances of getting much done under the new Republican-controlled Congress are next to nil. Add to that the fact that the majority of…Genevieve Wood -
- Opinion
This Terrible Anti-Gun Treaty Goes Into Effect Christmas Eve
Today, on Christmas Eve, the UN’s Arms Trade Treaty takes effect, giving Americans a lump of coal in their stockings this holiday season. The ATT is a bad idea that keeps getting worse. In theory, it’s about stopping the sale of guns to terrorists and mass murderers. But in practice, it’s about preventing Israel from…Ted Bromund -
- News
Vermonters Using Social Media to ‘Expose’ Gun Control Agenda
How do ordinary Vermonters defend their constitutional rights against some of the most well-funded special-interest groups in the state? Facebook, of course. Vermonters seeking to preserve the state’s gun rights have taken to the Internet to combat a new threat to personal liberty. Gun Sense Vermont Exposed, a Facebook group launched in August, tracks nearly…Bruce Parker -
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Guns, Bears and Pot: A Sampling of Election Day’s 147 State Ballot Measures
Still not motivated to go to the polls to vote for or against various lawmakers, governors and other officeholders? Perhaps one of 147 state ballot questions may entice you. During Tuesday’s midterm elections, besides picking candidates, voters will weigh in on issues ranging from raising the minimum wage and legalizing marijuana to labeling genetically modified food and…Josh Siegel -
- Opinion
Police Officer Sued for Pointing Gun at Teen’s Head for a Seatbelt Violation
The family of a Georgia teenager is suing the Waycross, Ga., Police Department for $12.5 million after a police officer allegedly pointed a gun to their son’s head and handcuffed him on the ground—all for a seatbelt violation. The incident occurred on Jan. 18 when high school senior Montre’ Merritt was returning home and pulling into…Jordan Richardson -
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School District to Allow Students to Pose With Guns
Students in a Nebraska school district have another item they may now incorporate into their senior portraits: their guns. At the request of parents, Broken Bow Public Schools will now allow students to pose with their firearms in their senior yearbook photos. Until now, the district had no official policy on firearms in the pictures,…Kate Scanlon -
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Gun Show: Issue Fades, but Groups Aim to Influence Midterm Races
Some prominent nonprofits focusing on firearms are locked and loaded this election cycle, shelling out millions in hopes of influencing voters before they head to the polls Nov. 4. This year, although gun control isn’t a major issue, groups on both sides support and oppose targeted candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S….Melissa Quinn -
- Opinion
For Gun Shop Owners, It’s No Longer Hip to Be ‘Square’
It's white. It's square. And at 1-by-1 inch in diameter, it is the perfect accoutrement to any entrepreneur's smartphone. With its quick swipe capability and ultimate portability, the high-tech Square Reader credit-card processor has become an invaluable tool in today's economy. How high-tech credit card vendors and customers get their Second Amendment rights infringed. Taxi…Jennifer Kerns