Potential gun law changes have been flooding the news and social media headlines for quite some time now. The issue fades into the background every so often and re-emerges when the media explodes with news about the latest attack taking place in the country.
In some states, it is more difficult to acquire firearms than in others and there are some pretty heated debates going on right now around gun rights and the availability of firearms.
Guns provide a way to defend ourselves, family and property. It’s important to know which states stand with liberty and freedom for its citizens.
Without getting too deep into the politics involved, let us take a look at some the best and worst states for gun owners right now. Does yours make the list?
The 5 Best States
Arizona
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Arizona is arguably the best state in the country right now for gun owners. Arizona does not require a license to acquire a firearm and there is no permit required for open OR concealed carry. Arizona still holds to the ‘Stand your ground’ and ‘Castle Doctrine’ laws, protecting owners legally and allowing for use of force in self-defense of yourself or your home.
There are also plenty of shooting ranges and gun stores and shows making this a great place to be welcomed as a gun owner in the United States.
Alaska
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Alaska is another place that does not require permits to obtain or carry firearms. There is plenty of dangerous wildlife in Alaska, which is one of the main reasons for their leniency. You basically have free reign outside of any federal laws. The only restriction is that it is illegal to carry a firearm while intoxicated or have any firearms inside businesses that serve alcohol.
Utah
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Utah allows for open carry without a permit and concealed carry permits are given out on a “shall issue” basis. “Shall issue” means that if you provide basic information to the sheriff, they will (shall) issue you a license. There are other states that have a procedure called “may issue”. May issue means even if you give basic information to the sheriff, they may or may not issue you the permit.
The gun laws in Utah are designed to protect the rights of the 2nd amendment and the state has an overall welcoming view of firearms in general, making this another great place for gun owners.
Kentucky
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With slightly more strict but still pretty lenient gun laws, Kentucky is still a good place for gun owners. They have the Castle Doctrine law which allows them to protect their home and property in the way they see fit.
As of last year, their concealed carry laws have gotten even less restrictive, which means they’re on their way to an even freer and liberated society.
Texas
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Texas has always been known for their gun loving residents, and this year the laws are allowing open carry of certain guns without a license. Handguns are not allowed to be carried openly without a license at this time. Also, concealed carry still requires a permit, but is available to residents and nonresidents. Texans are also allowed to tote long guns around as long as it’s not threatening.
3 Worst States
Illinois
Even though it seems like a nice midwestern state, Illinois has some of the most restrictive gun laws. You must have a license to purchase any firearm or ammo. That’s right, even ammo.
There’s no way to walk into a store and walk out with a gun the same day. Illinois requires a 3 day waiting period on handguns and 1 day for long guns.
Maryland
This one is particularly terrible due to its ‘may issue’ system. A person must submit their fingerprints to the police department when trying to purchase a handgun. In order to get a license, they require that someone provides actual evidence that they need a firearm to protect themselves. Along with these huge barriers to the rights we have from the second amendment, certain firearms aren’t allowed and magazines are severely limited.
Hawaii
Just recently Hawaii’s already restrictive gun laws just became worse. Now, any gun owner in Hawaii is put into a national database that is owned by the FBI. This is extremely controversial because it does nothing to actually address public safety, and only targets those trying to protect themselves.
Along with the recent development, Hawaiians have been facing restrictions like proving a good reason to have a permit and limited magazine capacity.
Clearly, the laws in each state are quite different and some are more embracing of 2nd amendment rights than others. If you are a gun owner looking for a place that is more welcoming than your current state, you may want to consider moving to one of these more liberty-minded states that allow for their people to have more freedom over their firearms.
Do you agree with the list? Have you run into any issues when trying to purchase a firearm? Or even ammo or accessories like a gun safe? Being from Pennsylvania, the worst I’ve had to deal with is my local Wal-mart running out of .22lr.
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