Posted on 11/15/2019 3:25:34 AM PST by Mr. Mojo
Guns & Ammo's annual ranking of gun-friendly states. From worst (New York) to best (Arizona), here are the best states for gun owners in 2019.
Top 5 - Most Gun-Friendly States: Arizona, Idaho, Alaska, Kansas, Oklahoma
Bottom 5 - Least Gun-Friendly States: New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Hawaii, California
Things were looking uncertain for gun owners in many states in 2018 thanks to a successful push in otherwise pro-gun states to enact gun control legislation. Things seem to have stabilized in 2019. We are, at least for now, back to normal with states on the extreme ends of the spectrum growing increasingly divergent in terms of gun laws. The very pro-gun states have moved the ball forward for gun owners while the anti-gun states have enacted further restrictions.
As we have done for several years now, we have evaluated each state numerically for 2019 in each of these five categories: Right-To-Carry/Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW), access to Black Rifles, the states’ Use-of-Force laws (also known as Castle Doctrine), the prohibition of items regulated by the National Firearms Act (NFA), and a catch-all Miscellaneous column. States are awarded 0-10 points in each category and ranked according to their total number of points. In the case of a tie, which is common, we dig deeper into the Miscellaneous category and rank states accordingly. Please note that while we have done our best to rank states as objectively as possible, you my disagree with our findings. No article of this length and researched by a single author could capture every nuance of a state’s statutory and regulatory framework.
Right-to-Carry
This category is evaluated using the criteria applied in our “Best States for CCW” rankings: Standard for issuance, training requirements, cost, reciprocity, and the extent of locations where licensees are prohibited from carrying. May-issue states that rarely issue permits are graded accordingly, and can receive 1-6 points depending on the standard review factors. Shall-issue states (i.e. states that require that a permit be issued so long as the applicant is qualified) are given 6-8 points. States with Legal Permitless or “constitutional” carry laws are given 9 points, whereas states that both issue permits and allow citizens to carry without one are given a full 10-point score. States that issue permits and allow for permitless carry for residents only are given 9.5 points. Open Carry laws are considered under the miscellaneous column and can also be used as a tiebreaker.
Black Rifles
This category examines whether a state regulates or bans firearms based on their appearance. These laws often require registration of certain firearms and, in some states, ban ownership altogether. Our rankings reflect whether a state regulates any category of firearm by its features or limits the capacity of magazines. Last year, we deducted a point for states with bump stock bans but, with the enactment of a national ban, the point is moot.
NFA
The National Firearms Act (NFA) regulates the sale, transfer and possession of machine guns, suppressors (actually called “silencers” in the law), short-barreled rifles (SBR), short-barreled shotguns (SBS), Any Other Weapons (AOW), and Destructive Devices (DD). This federal statute allows states to further restrict these items (we use the term “items” since suppressors are not firearms but are covered under the NFA), and some states ban their ownership altogether or piecemeal. We rank each state based on a sliding scale of regulations. This has been an active category in recent years, as states have moved to legalize the ownership and use of suppressors.
Castle Doctrine
The term “Castle Doctrine” has become shorthand for a state’s Use of Force laws. Some states require citizens to retreat before the use of deadly force is authorized. We rank states based on the right to use force both inside and outside of homes and businesses. We award maximum points to states that allow the use of force wherever a person has a legal right to be, and protect citizens from both criminal and civil liability if appropriate force is used.
Miscellaneous
This is the most subjective category in our survey, but allows us some leeway in our ability to quantify the culture and environment in a given state. We use this category to track preemption statutes, laws and rules that fall outside of our other buckets, as well as the availability of places to shoot. States with thriving competitive shooting communities are also recognized here, and states with laws that allow for gun confiscation without due process (i.e. Red Flag laws) are penalized.
Great post, thanks!
Any other laws should be based on an imminent danger to society....
Good post.
The only reason for a concealed carry laws is to trump up more charges on people they can’t charge for anything else. PERIOD>
Arizona. Yes!
Without further comment. Last night cleveland browns game shows why you should have a gun. That happened with TV cameras rolling. Full out curb stomping and weapon available...helmet... madness
It would be interesting to see the detailed point ratings for each state, but I don’t see them at the link. Do you know where to find them?
Virginia is two months away from replacing NY at 51..
Arizona is great...unless you actually fire a gun (Shannon’s Law). Even Illinois is better in this respect.
Trust me, we fire our weapons responsibly all the time.
True - damn Republicans didn't even put up a fight.
The panic at the gunshops is visceral and there's a run on ARs. My local shop is nearly out of black rifles and parts.
Overnight, we became South Maryland.
Are they really going to cease guns from a million plus southern boys?
The fact that Ian McCollum calls Arizona his home base should tell you something.
CC
Here in Kentucky we have “constitutional carry”. Just think about that descriptive term. If you want the constitution to apply to you, you have to move to one of a handful of states where parts of the US constitution are legal. Thanks Governor Bevin, its a shame that the unconstitutional fraud we now call elections applies to all fifty states.
Won’t people just drive to North Carolina? I mean I would. If you want to have guns, a trip to North Carolina every few months would be very worth it. Not that I agree with Virginia taking away ability to buy guns, but at least your near a free state.
Baby killer feel the same way about states that restrict.
Seriously?
PA is very gun friendly, although Act 79 requires gun surrender to the authorities. (A final PFA, protection from abuse, and you lose your gun rights.)
In the minds of the citizens — those living clear of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia — a gun is a common and useful tool.
I’m often tempted to move to one of the nearby states, and then...they’ve limited the gun rights, but not the crime rates. :(
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