Gun Rights

Firearm sales continued to surge across the country for the fifth straight month, extending a trend that began after the November elections. The increase also follows recent comments by several high-profile members of the Obama administration about re-imposing permanently and expanding the ban on modern sporting rifles.

The Illinois Supreme Court has dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit filed in 2001 against firearms manufacturer Beretta U.S.A. Corp. arising out of a criminal shooting.

The Department of Defense has announced it has scrapped a new policy that required destruction of fired military cartridge brass.

The attack on gun ownership has begun in earnest, but in an asymmetrical way. Log on to the Georgia Arms website, and you’ll see this notice: Due to new government regulations concerning the purchasing of surplus brass, we are removing sales of all 223 and all 308 until further notice.

John Lott, Jr., noted gun-rights advocate and author of Freedomnomics, had a reasoned response to recent shootings in Alabama and Germany, which spurred new calls for gun confiscation:

NEW YORK -- Putting an end to nine years of litigation, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear New York City's request to continue a lawsuit that sought to hold firearms manufacturers responsible for the criminal misuse of firearms.

A new ruling by a federal appeals court means managers in a growing number of states must accept that their employees have the legal right to keep guns in their cars at work, said attorney James P. Anelli, an attorney in law firm LeClairRyan's Labor and Employment Group.

On Feb. 26, John R. Lott, Jr. wrote this on the Fox News website: It is pretty hard to seriously argue that a new so-called 'assault weapons' ban would reduce crime in the United States. Even research done for the Clinton Administration couldn't find that the federal assault weapons ban reduced crime.

The NRA's Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) published a response to the ABC News item last week about Attorney General Eric Holder's comments that the Obama Administration will seek to ban some imported semi-autos, misrepresented as assault weapons.

ABC News reports what gun owners feared from Eric Holder: A statement that the Obama Administration will seek to ban currently legal semi-auto rifles and other self-defense firearms.

JUNEAU - Governor Sarah Palin encouraged U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar to support recently adopted regulations allowing concealed weapons in national parks and wildlife refuges. Secretary Salazar has directed a review of the regulations that were approved by the previous administration.

WASHINGTON, D.C.–The Brady Campaign has released its annual state scorecards, which the group claims 'rate each state on the strength of its gun laws.'