2017 Best States for Gun Owners

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Nov 2017 G&A By Keith Wood
Summary for Tennessee: 11th

"Governor Bill Haslam signed two pro-gun laws into effect this year including one that would allow citizens to sue cities if the city violates the states firearm law preemption statue with arbitrary "gun-free zones".

Tennessee would be in a tie for first place if it passed a permitless carry bill. It gets maximum points in every other category. The state has a great statutory framework for gun owners as well as a pro-gun culture. It has a growing firearms and training industry."

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I agree with the general assessment particularly pointing out that Tennesseans still have to ask permission to exercise the Constitutional right to bear arms. Mandatory training, pass a test, pay fees and become licensed to carry a gun. That REALLY needs to change.

We're headed in that direction. A couple years ago it became lawful to have loaded guns in the vehicle without a carry permit. Earlier this year two bills were introduced to allow permitless carry. Unfortunately, both were killed in committee. We'll get there... it's been a long couple decades of pro-gun victories from where we were in the dark days of May Issue.

Arizona, well done! Tennessee looks forward to occupying first place with y'all.

 

[GaryS]

These rankings are always somewhat arbitrary and subject to the biases of the author. Which is reflected in your post as well.

For me, having ranges is nice, but the ease (or lack of) licensing and the ability to carry for self defense are at the top of my priorities. Along with not having silly state imposed restrictions on what I can buy.

Of the states I've visited and carried in, my ranking is something like NH, ME, AL, PA, LA, TN, TX, VA.

There are a couple of other states that I have carried in so infrequently that I can't really give an opinion. MS is one of those. I could also easily swap PA and AL with each other or TN and TX. Those states have similar licensing and restrictions.

My home state of MA has worked hard to earn it's place, but I have to say that it's much better than NJ, HI, CA, or MD in regards to licensing.

CT is sad, because it used to be a very pro gun state with shall issue licensing and open carry. That's all gone, in fact, if not by law. At least people I know in CT tell me that. And of course DC is going to become better, but we don't know to what extent yet.

Having lived in IL, MD, OH, IN, and WI, I disagree with the rankings. From top to bottom: OH WI IL IN MD. I could be persuaded to swap OH and WI. I'm assuming the ranking is based purely on gun laws, which misses a lot. There is also availability of places to shoot and places to buy firearms, ammo, and related equipment. The lack of all of those drives IN to near bottom. I had far better ranges in MD than IN. OH has the best ranges. It was easy to find ranges in IL south of I-80.

 

[yaktamer]

I only briefly looked at the article at the grocery store, so I don't recall the details of the criteria, but if they considered local restrictions it could have a significant effect. Arizona has a state law preempting municipalities from enacting gun laws more restrictive than those passed by the legislature.

It's nice to be #1 in something. Usually we rank #49, which explains the state motto: "At least we ain't Mississippi."

 

[Beemerguy53]

...Colorado used to be known for hunting...skiing...and western freedom...now we're known for gambling and dope...sad...

I have a close friend who was born and raised in Colorado Springs. He is a "cowboy" in the very best sense of that word: A Western gentlemen, courteous, friendly, chivalrous, with old-fashioned values. He rails against what is happening in Colorado, how the culture is changing because of people moving there from California and other states. It is sad...

 

[ChattanoogaPhil]

Having lived in IL, MD, OH, IN, and WI, I disagree with the rankings. From top to bottom: OH WI IL IN MD. I could be persuaded to swap OH and WI. I'm assuming the ranking is based purely on gun laws, which misses a lot. There is also availability of places to shoot and places to buy firearms, ammo, and related equipment. The lack of all of those drives IN to near bottom. I had far better ranges in MD than IN. OH has the best ranges. It was easy to find ranges in IL south of I-80.

There are several regulation categories. As an example, right to carry is one of them. The author says he considers standard of issuance, training requirements, cost, reciprocity, locations where licensed carry is prohibited, open carry... on and on... and some of those categories are tie breakers rather than a points score. So just because a state is "Shall Issue" doesn't mean it's viewed the same with all other Shall Issue states. For example, the reciprocity map I'm looking at for Indiana shows 33 reciprocity agreements with other states. Tennessee shows 40 (if I'm counting correctly on my fingers and toes)

There's a Misc score that he admits is the most subjective, including items that you mentioned, such as availability of places to shoot to the frequency of matches, and that playing with the Misc category alone could significantly impacts the rankings, particularly among the top 20. As the author says "splitting hairs".

That Tennessee moved from 5th position last year to 11th position this year isn't something I'm going to launch a formal complaint over.

 

[Beemerguy53]

For several decades, under a number of Governors, the Maryland state government has embarked on a campaign to inhibit the legal ownership of firearms. Every year when the General Assembly is in session --- for 90 days beginning in early January --- anti-gun legislators introduce and champion a variety of gun control measures. Not one of these measures has anything to do with reducing violence or crime; it's all about "making a statement".

They've thought of everything. You have to be fingerprinted, go through a background check, and get a Handgun Qualification License before you can buy a handgun. Then there is a mandatory seven-day waiting period, and separate Maryland State Police background check, for each and every handgun purchase you make.

We have a one-gun-per-month limit, unless you have applied for and gotten a "Collector" designation. Any handgun sold here must be approved by the Handgun Roster Board. There is a ban on so-called "assault weapons", and a ten-round magazine limit.

Despite all this, the bloodletting in Baltimore continues. There are 23 counties in Maryland plus the City of Baltimore...in seven of those counties, in 2015 (the last year for which figures are available) there was not a single homicide. Statewide, there were 553 homicides, and Baltimore accounted for 344 of those. With only 10.5% of Maryland's population, Baltimore accounts for 62% of the homicides here. Of course, we cannot talk about the elephant in the room, so the solution is, of course, more "gun control"...

I don't know whether to cry or scream...

 

[StakeOut]

Your state may be just as good as it's always been but other states have gotten better.

Texas is pro gun but the liberal run big cities are challenging the rest of the state.The previous administration in DC did everything in it's power to turn Texas blue.

I wouldn't be surprised if Texas slips a few notches in the coming years as demographics and voter preferences keep changing.

Move to Texas and bring your firearms.

 

[GaryS]

Texas is on my list of potential relocation states. Actually, it's #1, not just for the ever increasingly good gun laws, but for other quality of life things as well.

I don't think that Texas will turn blue, despite the big cities. From what I've seen, a lot of the people moving to Texas are moving to Texas to escape the culture where they are now.

Your state may be just as good as it's always been but other states have gotten better.

Texas is pro gun but the liberal run big cities are challenging the rest of the state.The previous administration in DC did everything in it's power to turn Texas blue.

I wouldn't be surprised if Texas slips a few notches in the coming years as demographics and voter preferences keep changing.

Move to Texas and bring your firearms.

 

[StakeOut]

Texas is on my list of potential relocation states. Actually, it's #1, not just for the ever increasingly good gun laws, but for other quality of life things as well.

I don't think that Texas will turn blue, despite the big cities. From what I've seen, a lot of the people moving to Texas are moving to Texas to escape the culture where they are now.

I hope you're right!

 

[Frank237]

Montana...fifth from the top...That's good enough.

Part of the reason I moved from New Jersey back in 1979. I starved for a few years, but do not regret the move.

 

[bill skebeck]

STATE GUN LAWS

Hooray, for Kansas no. 3

 

[snuffy51]

I'll just stay down here in my little corner of the world, doin' fine and livin' well. Low and slow.

 

[Andy Lowry]

Arizona is pretty good, although there are still some weirdnesses. I can't shoot a pellet gun in my garage, because a pellet gun is considered a firearm, and I'm in the city limits. Nunchucks are still illegal, too, unless that was changed recently. Switchblades are A-OK, though, so I guess that makes up for it.

 

[AZretired]

Okay, so I read the article and I still disagree some. I've lived in Arizona and agree it's #1 I spent my LE career in New Mexico and think it should be rated much higher. While it is a blue state, It has always been an open carry state. While it doesn't have an actual Castle Doctrine court decisions have preempted city gun control laws and are very pro-self defense. Last in most counties you can still drive out in the boonies and set up a target and shoot.

Almost forgot Michigan, my new part time home. Since I have been living here the only places I have found to shoot are indoor ranges with way too many rules. I hate shooting at in door ranges!!

 

[Beemerguy53]

Your state may be just as good as it's always been but other states have gotten better.

Texas is pro gun but the liberal run big cities are challenging the rest of the state.The previous administration in DC did everything in it's power to turn Texas blue.

I wouldn't be surprised if Texas slips a few notches in the coming years as demographics and voter preferences keep changing.

Move to Texas and bring your firearms.

I visit friends in Lago Vista from time to time...beautiful countryside around Austin. I swear, if y'all got a little snow in the winter, I would move there in a heartbeat!

 

[bushmaster1313]

I am very grateful for New Jersey's gun laws.
Consider these benefits:

1) Laws making it difficult to purchase a handgun prevent me from spending all my money on Smith & Wesson's, leaving me more money to pay taxes.

2) The de facto prohibition on concealed carry prevents holster wear on the handguns the State graciously permitted me to purchase.

3) Since the institution of New Jersey's Assault Weapons Ban under Governor Florio there has not been a single-drive by bayonet lugging, pistol gripping or folding stock attack in the Garden State.

4) We do not have to wait for Congress to change the law on silencers because all guns and gun owners in New Jersey are already suppressed.

 

[Herknav]

I'll be the odd man out and say my state is ranked too highly. We don't have constitutional carry, yet we're in the top 5? The same author, back in 2015, rated us near mid-field.