Which are the worst three states for exercising your right to keep and bear arms?There are several contenders for that dubious distinction. The worst states can be found with the answers to a couple of questions.
First: Do you have to ask government permission to purchase a firearm?
Some states require that you obtain permission before purchasing handguns. A smaller subset require that you obtain permission before purchasing any gun. That infringement is a must-have for the worst states.
There are twelve states that have the requirement for all guns. They are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington State. Maryland does not make the list, because you don’t need a permit to purchase most rifles and shotguns.
Second: Does the state claim the power to arbitrarily deny people the right to bear arms outside of the home, even after jumping through the hoops to obtain a permit?
The power may be vested in police chiefs, a board or committee, or some other appendage of the state.
The clear infringement is any state can arbitrarily say “sure, you meet the legal qualifications; you have not committed a felony. You haven’t been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. You have not been involuntarily committed to a mental hospital. You have taken the proper course, passed the test, and are legally allowed by law to own weapons…but…the semi-feudal authority figure does not like the cut of your jib, so he says “denied”, and your rights are infringed.
This often takes the form of a subjective judgment that you do not have a “good reason” to have a permit. Strangely, those with money and political connections are usually able to come up with “good reasons.” Not having legal access to carry outside the home cuts the list down to six states.
California, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York are at the top of the list for states hostile to the exercise of Second Amendment rights.
Of those six states, picking the worst three is much more difficult. There are differences. Delaware Requires a background check, but not a separate license to purchase. While the state is “may issue” in law, it is reported as being “shall issue” in practice. It comes off the list.
Massachusetts requires a permit to buy a gun. They require a permit to carry a gun. One permit will allow you to do both, so people are opting for that permit instead of alternatives that are only slightly less onerous.
Because of this, the number of people with Massachusetts carry permits is a respectable 7.6% of adults. Getting a permit may be difficult in Massachusetts. A permit is not guaranteed. Most Massachusetts residents who want one can get one and may bear arms. Massachusetts gets dropped off the list.
California bans private sales. You must go through a government controlled dealer to legally buy a gun. You have to register guns that you make yourself. But California does not require a special state permit to buy a gun.
Many areas of California issue concealed carry permits on essentially a “shall issue” basis. California is a contender because of the insane and recent spate of anti-rights laws, but they are off the list of the top three. That leaves the three worst states: Hawaii, New York and New Jersey.
New Jersey is the worst of the three.
While they issue more permits to carry than Hawaii (i.e. more than none), the permits nearly all go to retired judges, police officers, and people with considerable “pull” (political connections).
It’s extremely difficult to obtain a New Jersey carry permit. New Jersey had about 1200 permits active in 2016. All other states (other than Hawaii) issue more carry permits than that.
All firearms ownership and use in New Jersey is controlled by statute. That is, everything about firearms that is not permitted, is forbidden. There are regular stories about people with innocent intentions being caught up in firearms laws that defy common sense.
New Jersey is the only state that defines a tubular magazine fed .22 hunting rifle as an “assault weapon.” For a while, a Daisy BB gun was considered an “assault weapon” in New Jersey.
A large, subjective part of what makes New Jersey the worst: the state structure seems quite willing to ignore their own rules, such as time limits on issuing permits. The impression is the rule of law is more the rule by local power brokers in New Jersey.
New Jersey is also one of the six states that has no right to keep and bear arms provision in their state constitution.
New York might not have made the list except for the “SAFE” Act passed in 2013. New York eliminated the New York State lifetime handgun permit. Permits now have to be renewed every five years.
The SAFE act requires that all firearm purchases go through a government dealer, with extremely limited exceptions. The act requires that all ammunition purchases be done through a licensed dealer, a provision that is not yet fully law in California.
There is widespread resistance to the SAFE Act, especially in upstate New York. But 43 percent of New York State residents live in New York City, where it is very difficult to obtain a permit to even purchase a pistol, let alone carry one.
In California, while it is very difficult to obtain a permit to carry in the urban centers, it is much easier to purchase handguns legally. In California, carry permits are valid throughout the state.
State carry permits in New York are not valid in New York City. Stories where New York authorities ignore their own firearms law to impose more stringent restrictions are rampant. New York is another of the six states that have no right to keep and bear arms in the state constitution.
Back to the Aloha state for a minute . . .
Hawaii is as bad as New Jersey for most of their firearm laws. They are worse when it comes to issuing carry permits. Again, in 2016, there were no permits issued to private citizens for self-defense for the entire state. You have to apply to a permit authority to buy any firearm legally.
The authority to buy long guns only lasts for one year. The authority to buy a handgun only lasts for 10 days. There are a fairly large number of long guns that were grandfathered in the law before July 1, 1994.
They are not required to be registered. No one knows just how many exist. Hawaii has a better reputation for following their own rules than New Jersey or New York. The Hawaii Constitution’s right to bear arms provision is a copy of the Second Amendment.
Reasonable people can differ on the three worst states for the exercise of Second Amendment rights. Nearly every list will contain New Jersey. Contentions exist about the other two. My vote is for New Jersey, New York and Hawaii.
©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included. Gun Watch
Where does Maryland rank?
^ This!
The entire time I was reading the post, I kept asking myself, “When is Dean going to talk about Maryland?”
As far as I can tell, Maryland does not issue any significant number of concealed carry licenses either. At least upstate New York appears to be issue a fair number of concealed carry licenses … even if it does take 12 months to get it. And doesn’t Maryland have the whole gambit of magazine capacity and “assault rifle” restrictions? As horrible as New York is, I would put it in fourth place behind New Jersey, Hawaii, and Maryland.
Maryland does have a list of “banned assault weapons” but only by name and dating from what was available in 1994. New semi-auto clones like SCAR’s and the Galil ACE are legal because they did not exist in 1994. Many ignorant gun owners say “AR’s are banned!”
Well that isn’t true.
Only 5.56 AR’s with pencil/government profile barreled ones are. Heavy barrel 5.56 is legal. Every other caliber is legal and available in the same configuration like those in the other states. Unlike New York and other states, Maryland doesn’t ban flash suppressors, bayonet lugs, pistol grips, and folding stocks.
Like mentioned in a previous story, Maryland doesn’t ban possession or use of magazine capacities greater than 10, only acquiring and selling them in-state.
Now when it comes to carry, yes Maryland is bad and is on par with New Jersey for no issue.
Yup. NY does not belong on an anti-gun list that Maryland isn’t already on (because there is nowhere in MD where there is effective ‘shall-issue’).
Except Maryland doesn’t ban flash suppressors, bayonet lugs, pistol grips, and folding stocks on semi-auto rifles like they do in New York. Maryland doesn’t need California-like workarounds like New York does. Maryland doesn’t need permits to buy long guns. Maryland doesn’t require a permit to possess a handgun, only to buy handguns that are not C&R eligible.
New York should also get dinged for both refusing to recognize anyone else’s permits and for refusing to issue a permit to a non-resident. While my CT is no gun paradise (understatement of the epoch), at least a NYer who lives right by the CT border can obtain a CT non-resident handgun/carry permit, and thus not be worried about straying over the state line with his EDC while running Saturday errands. A CT resident (like me) who lives close to the NY line has to be sure to leave his shootin’ iron at home if there’s a chance he’ll find himself on the wrong side of the state line.
This is one of the worst infringements, as it royally fucks people living in state boarders. States should be required at the very least to recognize permits from states sharing boarders with them. What happens when you live and work in two different states, or you live on one side and the grocery store or gas station is in the other?
Just awful
Add California. California does not issue non-res permits and dos not recognize any out of state permit. Illinois doesn’t recognize non-Illinois permits either, but does issue non-res permits if you have lots of time and money to go through the process.
+1 since I only live in one state, and that state limits the rkba, california is the only state that matters to me, and is automatically the worst.
At least it is not New Jersey!
Illinois does at least recognize out of state permits for those traveling through the state. If you have a valid out of state permit you are allowed to car carry (this includes stopping and getting out of the car for gas). I know it’s not full recognition and reciprocity but it is far better than some states.
If you’re gonna add any state that doesn’t enter into reciprocity you’re going to need a longer list than 3.
NY state does not issue permits, they are issued by the counties and by Police Commissioners or Sheriffs.
With a Sheriff one has a better chance of getting a Full Carry permit not with a Commissioner.
My “Pistol License” reads “State of New York County of Suffolk”
Class/Type “Sportsman”.
This “allows” me to conceal carry to and from a range and while hunting.(Pistols owned are listed on the back of the license)
I don’t need any kind of license or registration to own long guns or shotguns.
While one of my shotguns was purchased at a show many years ago without any kind of paperwork, today I must purchase from a FFL dealer.
Even with the Safe act I can purchase ammo at my nearby Walmart no problem.
Thank god for my Florida and Utah “Concealed Weapon Permits” I can be safe at least part of the year.
California also doesn’t recognize other states’ permits. The only bright spot on CA is that there are a lot of red counties where the sheriffs believe in gun rights, and those sheriffs will grant CCW permits to responsible citizens. However, the counties where you might need your gun won’t issue them, unless you’re Dianne Feinstein and can pull strings.
Oregon doesn’t require “government permission to purchase a firearm”… not sure where that’s coming from. We actually have very few infringements here, at least for now.
If Oregon has “universal background checks”, then you need government permission before you can purchase a firearm — at least if you want to do it without running afoul of Oregon law.
Ah, I wondered where he was getting some of those. Poorly worded/organized then; it’s hardly appropriate to lump a UBC in with FOID cards and state registries.
Even people who are very conscious of gun rights are unaware of how their rights have been eroded over the last several decades. A background check of any kind is an infringement simply because the government can impose a “reasonable” restriction on who may purchase a firearm. A reasonable restriction might include a history of alcohol use, misdemeanor trespass, stressful occurrences in one’s life such as divorce or job termination. All it takes is a quiet little bit of legislation that suddenly requires reporting of such things.
The frog is being boiled as we speak.
Same here, I was wondering where they were coming up with needing permission in Washington State. Yeah yeah we have UBC. Big deal. So they run a check, I’m not asking for permission. A person can view UBC anyway they want and there’s nothing I can do about that, nor do I care.
Some (most?) states allow private sales without going through an FFL for a background check.
Based on this article 12 states have either UBC and or a permit system in place before you can purchase a firearm. That means 38 states don’t have UBC or permits just to purchase a gun. So most states don’t require “parents permission” before a purchase.
Before the Safe Act NY wasn’t that bad. No UBC and most counties in Upstate would issue a carry permit. You did need a permit just to buy a handgun. You could also buy any firearm or magazine made before 1994.
After the Safe Act mags over ten rounds had to be destroyed, moved out of state or turned into the police. People had to register any “assault rifle” they owned. Under the new law that is a semi auto with pistol grip. The Safe Act is disgusting, was passed in the middle of the night with no public input and no grace period for the most part. Some provisions did have a grace period.
At least on part ended up being unworkable. Only being able to load a ten round mag with eight rounds. Except at the gun range. What idiot wrote that? It literally made ten round stripper clips illegal to load all the way. Needles to say I left NY and moved to the beautiful Gunshine state.
MI does for long guns, but a pistol requires a Pistol Purchase Permit, or your CPL, which includes it.
Which still requires local LEO (County Sheriff, “shall issue”) approval.
At least as I understand it stands now.
No suppressors for hunting, and Lower P straight wall cartridge only is another issue…
Uncommon sense, the UBC is hardly the same as “getting permission to buy a gun.” First, the UBC is nothing more than the NCIS background check that everybody has to undergo when he or she buys a firearm through an FFL. And, from talking to my local gun store folks, nobody must be bothering to do this, as they’ve rarely, if ever, done one for private parties.
So, the Oregon UBC has done nothing more than to create a new class of criminals — law abiding citizens who transfer firearms among themselves without forcing the transferee to go through the nonsense.
I understand the term “getting permission to buy a gun” to mean you have to go through some permitting process before you can even plunk down your hard earned dollars to go through the indignity of the NCIS check.
Also, in Oregon, you can buy as many guns as you like one one NCIS check. That hardly sounds like “getting permission” to me.
Oregon is a “shall issue” CHL state, and the Sheriffs that issue them are protective of the licensees’ privacy. What’s bad about Oregon is that there’s no CHL reciprocity, though some states do honor Oregon CHLs.
I would describe ‘Universal background checks’ as a restriction on who can legally sell a firearm, not on who can buy one.
I would rate Oregon just slightly worse on guns than WA. Both have UBC, but no firearms ID/registry/whatever crap. Both have unlicensed open carry, but OR does not have state preemption on that. Both have shall issue concealed carry with state preemption, but Oregon does not have reciprocity with anyone, is shall issue only for residents, has a (admittedly quite minimal) training requirement, and the only non-residents allowed to get one (and may issue at that) are residents of neighboring states. The only real dings WA has against it with is CPL is that it only covers pistols (not other weapons like knives, etc) and that its reciprocity requirements are somewhat stringent, limiting the number of states that it can get agreements with. Oregon’s doesn’t cover knives either, but only a very limited selection of knives are illegal to conceal there.
Other than those, when compared to other blue states (and even when compared to some red states) both OR and WA are pretty good on guns. Overall, they are probably both lower-middle of the pack.
I’ve been reading about Oregon laws and views on the Constitution, and it sounds a great deal better than CA in terms of personal freedoms.
Yup! Massachusetts on the US Constitutional-Bill of Rights SUCKAGE list, check! 2nd Amendment listed as a “Local/State Police issued permission, and as a Privilege –Not a Right! ” Check! As a New Englander, I could have told you that! LOL!
As a resident of NJ I would agree, but also add that NJ has no qualms about turning people into felons retroactively by prohibiting types of guns that NJ residents already own, leaving selling the guns as the only option over some grace period. Same is true for magazines that were limited over night. I am sure before long, the currently legal 15 round ones will become illegal, once Christie leaves office.
Also the AWB that in NJ predates the now expired federal one, can be adjusted to include more guns or maybe prohibit all semi automatics. The only hope is that somehow the circuit or supreme federal courts strike it down, but not holding my breath.
Sigh.. California is #1 again.
I should state for the record, that even in rural areas, if you have a left leaning Sheriff you are out of luck with it comes to a concealed carry permit. Even though some may act more like Shall issue, it is still at the total discretion of a single person. Also we can only carry up to 3 handguns listed on your permit by serial number. Did we mention we are down to only 37 models of hand guns? If you get a new handgun, even if it is the same model, but maybe in a different color you need to qualify on it, And have it added to your permit, more money and time wasted.
Daniel,
The handgun roster definitely puts California in the running for three worst states. The fact that several million people in rural counties can get concealed carry licenses puts them ahead of New Jersey and Hawaii for sure. The real question in my mind is whether California, Maryland, or New York gets the third worst position. I would call it a three-way tie.
My reason for a three-way tie:
California, New York, and Maryland have too many restrictions. California and New York rural residents can get concealed carry licenses, Maryland cannot. Maryland does not have a handgun roster. New York has the Safe Act. I really cannot narrow it down between those three.
Yes, Maryland has a handgun roster:
http://mdsp.maryland.gov/Organization/Pages/CriminalInvestigationBureau/LicensingDivision/HandgunRoster.aspx
Oooohhhhhhh. That (Maryland’s handgun roster) just catapulted them ahead of California for the number three spot.
So, the three worst states are New Jersey, Hawaii, and Maryland with California and New York tied for fourth worst states.
Update:
While Maryland does have a handgun roster, there appear to be several hundred if not 1000s of available models. While a handgun roster is disconcerting to say the least, the shear number of available handguns means the roster isn’t much of an impediment compared to California’s roster.
I am not sure what restrictions you are talking about. The restriction for only three handguns (because that’s how many fits on the front of the rice paper) is a county by county thing, not state law. State law has no actual limit, and some counties will continue on the back. The only statutory limit is that you cannot carry a gun that is not listed on your permit. As to qualifying with each gun, again that is a county by county thing. Up here in my county we are not required to qualify on any gun, only demonstrate to the satisfaction of the course instructor that you can safely handle your firearm. I do not know what you mean about the 37 particular models; that must be a county limitation, because it is not a state one. Some counties restrict calibers to .32 or better, others specify that it be .380, 9, .40 or .45. Still other(s), I have heard, only allow those guns that are approved for the local LEO. And there is no state law that says that your carry piece must be on the roster, though again I have heard but cannot verify that some counties impose such a restriction. That would be ridiculous, since models come and go (as to semis, it is go only), and even Colt is no longer on the Roster.
Washington State does NOT require permission to purchase a gun of any kind. Anyone over 18 can walk in and buy a gun if they pass the background check.
Are the lights coming on yet?
In case you are still in the dark:
having to pass a background check == government permission
Ok, then how does this not apply to all 50 states?
Many (most?) states allow private sales without a background check. Some states require a background check (UBC) for all sales and transfers.
Yeah, I was referring to gun shop sales not private sales.
Because most states have no universal background checks. i.e. private sales without background checks are not illegal
What is this permission slip you speak of in Colorado? Unless you’re referring to the UBC I’ve never seen or heard of this.
“Do you have to ask government permission to purchase a firearm?”
Umm… doesn’t that pretty much apply to the entire U.S.? Form 4473 and NICS check.
Yes, some states have additional layers of infringement, and some grant “permission” more capriciously than others.
Curtis,
In some states you have to acquire government permission before purchasing from a private seller, e.g. states with “universal background checks”.
No. One private person selling to another does not need any governmental permission under federal law. States differ.
Yeah, what are talking about with Colorado? There is no “permission” needed to buy a weapon here. Are you referring to the law in 2013 mandating a state background check?
Yes, I believe Dean was referring to Colorado’s universal background check law.
If that’s the case he should have said it explicitly. The way it’s worded it makes it sound like an Illinois FOID card or the similar permission you need in New Jersey.
Throw in California & I’ll make it a package deal. Special this weekend only, just for you.
No permits issued in Hawaii since the year 200 ?
Does that count permits for shark tooth tipped spears
or maybe crossbows ?
That is a factually wrong comment on Dean’s part. We do know two permits were issued prior, so there have been permits issued since the year 200.
Dean IS correct if he writes no permits have been issued since 2000.
Thanks. Fixed it. There have been a couple of permits issued in the entire state since 2000, but no permits issued in 2016, and none in the County of Hawaii from 2000 thru 2014.
Thanks for the attention to detail and corrective action Dean.
I know a hawaii activist from the forums and he claims at least partial credit for the Hudson carry bill allowing carry in state on out of state permits after he called Hudson’s office and told about Hawaii’s literal no-issue policies.
Yeah, Sorry Moana. You are gonna need a permit for that spear!!
“Yeah, Sorry Moana. You are gonna need a permit for that spear!!”
But, King Kamehameha said I could!
I’m in colorado, have a pistol on layaway, bought two shotguns, a rifle and two pistols since mid february, and never asked permission from anyone but my wife……
Hey Me (sounds like I am talking to myself) Colorado has what most here on TTAG call UBC or Universal Background Check which means you can’t even buy a used gun from your neighbor (legally) without going to a dealer and having them run a NICS check on you. For all of us buying a gun from a dealer, US law requires a 4473 and a NICS, but here in Georgia, if I wanted to sell a gun I no longer need or want I could sell it to the guy across the street without him having to to get government permission to buy it from me.
Does the NICS pass Constitutional muster? Not in my book, but I am not a lawyer and therefore do not have years of education getting in the way of my own basic common sense. The Second amendment is clear to anyone who can read and understand the simple phrase; Shall not be infringed!
Universal Background Check is Orwellian Leftist expression.
It’s a prohibition on selling private property.
I’ve never needed permission to buy a gun in Delaware. Where is the statue on that?
Background check=governmental permission
In stores sure. FFL of course. But read about the exception
General Assembly: Chapter 20 Private party transfers of firearms to persons other than family members must be conducted though a licensed dealer, who is required by federal law to conduct a background check and keep a record of the sale. A transfer to a person who possesses a valid License to Carry a Concealed Deadly Weapon is exempt from this requirement.
Hawaii does everything they can to oppress gun ownership. Buying a hand gun is the biggest pain, of course it’s done so on purpose to dissuade purchases. You have to walk into a gun store to select/buy your handgun. But you don’t get to take it home, you only get the serial number , make model info. You fight traffic to take that downtown to the police station to get a permit , this is 2 week wait requirement . Not to mention you can only do this at one police station online island , god help you if you don’t get there early, I have waited as long as 2 hours. After 2 weeks have passed, you go back to police station, traffic , parking and get your permit. You then go back to gun shop to pick up your gun , then turn around and go back to aforementioned police station , traffic , parking , to register your gun. Sucks because there are some real gun guys out there . Reminds you to be care who you vote for
Wow, the state of NY has the same process.
In addition, all persons registering a firearm are mandatory enrolled in the FBI’s Rapback database. https://ag.hawaii.gov/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Rap-Back-Facts-Sheet-Final-12-7-16-002.pdf
La county alone is huge with millions of people. That alone should get California to be in the top 3 worst.
I’m glad someone finally recognized the plight of us denizens of the People’s Republic of New Jersey.
New Jersey makes accidental felons out of law-abiding gun owners. If on the way home from the gun club, you stop for a hamburger, you’ve just committed a felony, even if you just go through the drive-through window.
If a hollow-point bullet falls out of your range bag into your trunk, you are now a felon, because you can only transport hollow-point bullets to and from the gun club. If someone breaks into your house and you exercise your legal right of self-defense with your legally registered handgun, but you use a hollow-point bullet to save your life, you’re now a felon, because hollow-point bullets can only be used for punching paper at the gun club (New Jersey gun stores sell hollow-point bullets, but I consider them jailbait because you can’t carry them or use them except punching paper at the gun club). If you’re traveling to the gun club with your legally registered gun locked in your trunk, but you accidentally forgot to unload it (because it’s your home-defense gun), then you become an accidental felon — and if you realize that on the way, and stop to unload the gun, you’ve just committed another felony, so instead you sweat it out and hope you don’t get pulled over on the way to the gun club.
In New Jersey, a retired history teacher was arrested for having a Queen Anne’s flintlock from the 1700’s, because only in New Jersey is a 1700’s flintlock considered a firearm. Also, in New Jersey all air guns, including BB guns, are considered firearms, and you need two government permits to buy one (first a Firearms Purchaser ID card, then a Permit to Purchase a Handgun). Furthermore, if you have a single-shot air rifle with a “silencer” on it (say you bought it out of state), NJ treats that single-shot airgun as if it’s a silenced Glock .45 ACP pistol, and you’re now a felon. Because air guns are considered “firearms” in NJ, the state treats air gun silencers and short-barreled BB guns the same as silenced firearms, sawed-off shotguns, and short-barreled rifles — as FELONIES!
I could go on and on, but to sum it up, a NJ lawyer wrote a book on NJ Firearms Law that is as thick as a Manhattan phone book! In my second novel, I’ll be poking fun at some of the absurdities of the NJ gun laws.
If on the way home from the gun club, you stop for a hamburger, you’ve just committed a felony, even if you just go through the drive-through window.
Bingo.
It is a felony to stop for gas.
I believe this is an exaggeration. I believe you can stop for necessities, like food and gas, but it must be on your route, no big deviations along your route. But I agree NJ sucks and so do NJ Democrats who passed all of these anti-gun/anti-self defense laws in NJ. I HATE DEMOCRATS.
I am pretty sure you can use your HPs in your home for defense against intruders–but nowhere else except the range. If you are one of the lucky few to get a carry permit, no HPs when you leave the house. Also, the police cannot search your trunk without a warrant or your permission, nor can they legally open any locked containers in your trunk without a warrant or your permission. Therefore, if you are going to or from the range or a hunting trip, refuse any search of your vehicle. And do not admit that you have firearms in the car. It is none of their business if it is a traffic stop. (Or you can plead the Fifth.) That refusal is not grounds for a warrant, and the cops know it, so expect that they will continue to badger and delay you to try to get your permission. They will even bring in the dogs for a drug search.
That’s when you kick back, light a cigarette or a big ass smelly cigar, blow the smoke in the cops face and say “I’ve got all day Officer, you take your time and get the job done right. I certainly wouldn’t want to interfere with the discharge of your duties in any way”. Then, if you like, you pull out a book and start reading.
Nothing pisses off the folks trying to jam you up as much as acting like you don’t care.
When they’re done pulling their bullshit start asking them a ton of questions about the legality of mundane stuff like bagging or burning leaves or some super complicated situation with your neighbor that you just make up and ask for legal advice on the matter. Waste their time at the end and they’ll get the point.
Have shared this before, but will share again.
Before I moved out of that hell hole called NJ, I went into the Cranford PD to obtain the paperwork for a purchase permit. when I asked the desk officer for it, his immediate response was “what do YOU need a gun for?”
Says it all right there
Dont forget that us Massholes also had an arbitrary “assault weapons ban” imposed on us entirely at the will of one Maura Healey. Our elected officials said “you can only buy semi-auto rifles that look like this”, and miss Healey took it upon herself to say “no, they’re all illegal. No more sales. And if you own one you’re a felon, we’re just not gonna come after you…yet”.
Along with 10-round mag limits, an approved handgun roster, I’d say we could beat out New York for a spot on that list.
But On the bright side, we did move to a “shall issue” permitting system in 2014 and the number of Bay Staters with LTC’s is a healthy-ish and growing number. So maybe we’ll see brighter days ahead.
I’ll add NC as a runner up to this list… The local Sheriff sign off is required on all pistol purchases.
CO sucks for the mag limits and the cities carved out against open or concealed carry.
Thankfully here in Pennsylvania we are doing ok! Our State Constitution reads:
“Section 21.
The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned.”
Unfortunately we are damn near surrounded by the anti-gun libtards! I try my best not to spend any money in those states.
Yep , good ole Pa, I live there also and can go to my favorite local gun shop and buy as many guns as I want,and leave with them right then and there same day. I too try and not visit or spend any money in the surrounding COMMIE States, NY,NJ,DEL, just to name a few. Our Pa State Constitution (I love it, gives me a warm fuzzy feeling every time I read it) leaves NO room for debate, its pretty cut and dry just like our Second Amendment It means exactly what it states, the Commie Democrats need to stop trying to make people believe it means something else. Only a complete idiot would interpret it to mean anything other than what it means. We MUST stop the Socialist indoctrination going on in our Country’s education system, we’re creating a society full of mindless, mouth breathing idiots. I feel so good after this post I think I’m gonna go and buy me another Dan Wesson 1911.
Eric in Oregon
I was looking in gun shop in Oregon yesterday you have to do a background check including both thumb prints for every purchase even if later on the same day.
That looks like permission to me.
Yes, that’s a federal background check. I support eliminating it.
Since when does the NICS check involve fingerprints? It’s a 2 minute phone call.
Oregon is up to something fishy.
Well… if it’s a gun shop as opposed to a private seller that’s federal law.
Don’t leave Illinois off the list. I live in Kentucky just across the river from
Illinois. Every time I buy ammo, they ask if I am an Illinois resident ( to show a FOID card for ammo purchase). I tell them I prefer to live in a free state.
Please Steve…I live in Illinois a mile from Indiana. I bought ammo TODAY with no FOID card in Indiana. Most border shops try not to harass Illinois customers. ILLinois is better than every state mentioned in this post.It still sucks but we have shall issue CC and I can legally buy almost everything Indiana residents can. The FOID is actually pretty minor-10years for 10bucks. And Indiana recognizes my CCL. And I can easily get a Utah liscense for other states who don’t recognize ILLinois…
That California doesn’t make the top three is surprising, but I get your logic. I think because Hawaii at least adheres to their laws makes them less threatening to the right to bear than California, who are so unbalanced in their government that they seem to pass not only very stringent but entirely uneducated regulations on “assault” features. What gets me the most is they are the center of entertainment media, which is the whole source of the aggrandization of violence and the unrealistic presentation of firearms as cool, awesome things that everyone should covet. Plenty of socially powerful celebrities of good standing are very skilled and enjoy shooting sports, you’d think they would have some influence on the subject at all.
When private sales are illegal then you must ask “mommy and daddy” for permission. UBC force you to go through an FFL which calls a government organization (mommy and daddy) to ask permission before the sale can take place.
Based on this article it’s 12 states with either a permit or UBC. Leaving most 38 with a right not requiring permission.
No permit or permission is required in R.I. for long gun/shotgun purchases.
The only saving grace of NJ is that it’s AWB is less restrictive than MA, NY, and CA.
Still, I hate our gun laws with a burning passion.
Guns don’t have rights. People do, or they don’t.
If we can put enough pressure on the gun industry to end all sales and service to government agencies in anti gun states like NJ Mass and California that would make politicians like Cuomo and Healey sweat knowing that police could not get guns repaired or ammo. It would be the opportunity for the industry to show if they are really supportive of the Second. Government contracts are but a small fraction of a manufacturer’s business so cutting off sales would not be much of a impact.
Not sure why Delaware made the list. There is no permission needed to purchase a firearm, any firearm. Also, although it is a may issue state regarding concealed carry permits, it does lean more to shall issue, not to mention open carry is legal without a permit. Since I have a CCDW permit I can purchase a firearm privately without a background check, and am not subject to the 21 day waiting period if I should get delayed by NICS. Where Delaware sucks-duty to retreat, and no castle doctrine. Considering DE is surrounded by NJ, NY and MD it could be a lot worse.
Well that’s one way of looking at it.
Another is….
1. The state you live in.
2. The state you’ll be in next.
3. The state you’ll be in after that.
Because even in constitutional carry states, you have to be aware of that state’s limitations on your right to bear arms.
I live in NY. For some insight, I have a carry permit and live in upstate NY. I purchased a new pistol almost exactly one month ago today. I still don’t have it in my possession because we have to add it to our permits, which entails photocopying the sales receipt, my current permit, include a $5 processing fee and a self addressed stamped envelope and mail it in to the county clerk. The county clerk then takes their time processing my paperwork, then gives it to a judge who has to sign a different piece of paper. My permit and the judge’s signature then get sent back to me, again going on a month now, and I bring this back to the FFL to get my pistol. The funny thing is, if you don’t have the paper with the judge’s signature, you are SOL.
For comparison, my cousin who lives in NC goes to the FFL, purchases his pistol and fills out some paperwork, then 20 minutes later he walks out with it.
NY does not require a permit to purchase long guns.
The simple answer to all this is National Reciprocity and other states non-resident permits for those living in slave states.
Absolutely.. Trump wants it, I want it and the 45 Congress Republican will pass it.
With some credit to TREASURE of the SIERRA MARE, Illinois, we don’t need your stinking CCW, I’ve got mine.
The common denominator of these anti-gun states: DEMOCRATS. It is the Democrats behind ALL anti-gun and anti-self defense laws. I don’t understand why people vote for Democrats who vehemently deny your gun rights and self defense outside of your house. The criminals are carrying guns, so why shouldn’t law abiding citizens for legal self defense be able to carry a gun after training and background checks? I will NEVER vote for any Democrat just because of their anti-gun and anti-self defense laws they promote and vote for.
NJ residents, please stop electing/voting for Democrats. It is the Democrats who passed all of the anti-gun and anti-self defense laws. Democrats are very anti-gun, anti-American and anti-freedom. Democrats have ruined NJ and made it a slave state, where you have to get permission from your slave master to exercise your Constitutional rights, most of which NJ denies with their Democrat Party passed laws. JUST SAY NO TO DEMOCRATS/COMMUNISTS!
It’s too late
I grew up in Illinois at a time when open carry was legal. Even concealed carry was only a misdemeanor and a small fine. Illinois wasn’t evil back in the 50’s and early 60’s.
I worked in a gun store when the FOID became law and we all supported the idea. The law, federal and state always said it ws illegal to sell a gun to a criminal, but how were we to know? If he/she was a crook they lie if we asked.
The FOID was $5.00 and the state had to issue it unless you were in a list of criminals or drug addicts. They had 30 days for a background check and issue. The FOID was valid for 5 years and was required to own, possess, purchase guns or ammunition.
That is the “permission” but with the FOID you could walk into any gun store and walk out with a gun immediately [before Brady and 4473s].
Then the state and Chicago went nutz and banned open carry and added waiting periods, etc. Of course that is why the 7th Circuit told the State that they had 180 days to pass some lawful open or concealed carry law or all the carry laws would be moot. The State did pass a “shall issue concealed carry law” but they don’t allow citizens from 45 states to even apply for the non-resident $300/4 year license.
I have hope for Illinois, if Chicago keeps losing population, downstate will regain some political power.
Gee Jim you SUPPORTED the FOID?!? You didn’t notice Indiana had none and functioned better than Illinois EVER did? I think fudds like you are the main problem in ILLinois…another reason this Illinois resident buys all his guns and ammo in Indiana.
I’m from NYC/NJ and lived in both as a child and adult. New Jersey is a police run NAZI state, if you blindly love all police…move to NJ it’ll be a short time before you have to deal with one of their scumbags. The only way to get your 2A rights is to become really, really good friends with a cop or marry one. The police Chief ultimately has the right to deny you of your rights and what this article doesn’t mention is once you are denied for a firearms purchasers ID card, gun permit, you have the right, and you better, appeal that decision with a gun rights attorney, Evan Nappen and Jeff Henniger are the most popular, at the state police level at an approximate cost of upwards of $25,000! If you don’t appeal….you lose your 2A rights across the country, Nazi-Jersey is kind enough to inform the FBI of your revocation of your 2A rights if you don’t appeal or when they take them from you at the appeal! The advice I received was “forget your gun permit and move over the border to Pennsylvania and buy all the guns you want and NEVER come back with them. Nazi Jersey also makes you get the same gun permit for BB/pellet guns and if you’re caught with an unlicenced BB gun, slingshots and knives too no matter how small, you will be charged with a felony gun possesion! Oh and another Nazi Jersey police tactic when arresting anyone who dares questioning them about their rights or charges is to send that person for a psychiatric evaluation to further punish the person arrested….that is if they don’t handcuff you and beat you to a pulp first….real heros! So I moved to Texas and will never go back to that rat, scumbag state.
So much ignorance on Maryland.
Saying that I know full well Maryland’s laws suck BUT people here misinterpret how they are written and what is allowed.
Now if you are coming at it from a carry angle then yes, Maryland is awful I can cede that. Only open-long gun carry is unrestricted but good luck doing that in a non-rural setting.
When it comes to purchasing and possession of guns then Maryland trumps the others except Illinois which would be a draw in my opinion:
-Maryland allows NFA ownership of everything except destructive devices. That’s right you can own machineguns in Maryland and the last time I looked at the numbers they were #4 in ownership behind Texas, Florida, and Virginia.
-Maryland doesn’t have a true “assault weapon” ban because lots of rifles are still legal in their original formats minus full-auto capability. The “AR ban” only applies to pencil/government profile barrels, heavy barreled 5.56 is legal. AR’s in any other caliber are legal. Rifles like SCAR’s, Vz-58’s, AR-10’s, SIG MCX, FS2000, Galil ACE’s, Tavor’s, etc. are all legal. Heck even guns on the “list” are still legal with certain exceptions like parts not being interchangeable. Chinese knock-off M14’s and the Serbian NPAP M90NP are perfect examples of this that are Maryland-legal despite the law saying they should be banned.
-Maryland does not have universal background checks on long guns, only pistols. That means you can sell your long guns (as long as they aren’t grandfathered “assault weapons”) like in any other state face-to-face.
-Maryland’s 10-round limit only applies to acquiring and selling in state lines. It says nothing about possession of them which is what I formerly did and many Maryland gun owners do now by going out of state to buy them which wasn’t a huge deal because Maryland is a small state anyway or having them shipped to a P.O. Box/other address out of state.
-Maryland’s handgun roster is a joke. They allow everything except derringers including AK and AR pistols. Ironic because of Maryland’s “assault pistol” ban which really only applies to old crappy Tec’s and MAC’s. The roster routinely allows new pistols all the time and unlike California anyone can submit one plus AFAIK is free.
-Maryland has no ammo restrictions. That’s right unlike some of the “free-er” states you can still purchase true AP ammo and even incendiary ammo that other free states ban. No .50 BMG ban like California.
-Maryland only requires a pistol purchasing permit to buy handguns. Possession of them is legal without it. Curio & Relic handguns are exempt from the process.
-Maryland has Castle Doctrine.
-Maryland doesn’t have ammo background checks and can have ammo shipped to their door.
-Maryland’s one-gun-a-month law only applies to handguns. If you have a designated collector’s or C&R license you are exempt from that law.
-Maryland has preemption on gun and ammo laws.
Hope this clears some stuff up on Maryland but I bet it falls on deaf ears.
Also wanted to add for those who hunt, Maryland allows semi-auto rifles with 8-rounds in the mag to hunt with so you could use a Garand to hunt.
Even gun-friendly Pennsylvania and others don’t allow that.
This did not fall on deaf ears. Thanks for all the info. I live in Maryland and really enjoyed reading your list.
I’ve familiarized myself with all the Maryland gun laws over the years and have done my fair share of “hoop jumping” to abide by them all. That includes; HQL, designated collector, buying out of state mags, HBAR barrels on my AR’s. etc.
After reading your list it actually made Maryland sound not all that bad, haha!
I know the laws here still suck, but when you put it like that, you come to realize just how worse it could be.
For me the biggest headaches are going out of state for standard capacity mags and I believe the HQL is just flatout unconstitutional.
And I didn’t know we had Castle Doctrine, which is awesome. Makes me fell a lot safer about my well being inside my home if anything where to ever go down.
Thanks again Duke, great list!
If you ‘ feel ‘ your God given , US Constitution enforced , right to defend your life and the life of anyone else you may deem is defendable , is curtailed in ANY way , you should move to a place where it is not . You still have that right in ALL US states .
FYI, Hawaii dose have a mandatory registration. You have 5 days from date of purchase to take the firearm into registry, this DOSE include weekends and holidays when their CLOSED so consider your schedule during purchase. Note: it is illegal to be in possesion of an unregistred fiream even if purchased legally, you will be arrested and charged with a potential felony. You will NEVER get a carry license of any kind in this state so don’t bother trying, all firearms brought with you into state must also be registred and you will have to apply for permits. Hawaii is also the first state to enforce mandatory “rap back”. It’s real look it up! Not just state but federal backround checks required, and it’ll cost you $40 or no permit. I’ve lived here my entire life and belive me are laws SUCK!
We also don’t have a castle doctrine or stand your ground law, ours is a duty to retreat. The bluest of the blue states here, blending in perfectly to the pacific ocean. Total corrupted government going unchecked cause the only time we’re ever thought of is when washington decides to go on vacation, or stop for fuel on their way to asia.
Comments are closed.