(WORST TO FIRST)
51. Washington, D.C.
While D.C. is hardly a home for America’s gun owners, things have improved slightly in the last few years. After the U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that the District’s ban on carrying a firearm outside the home for self-defense was unconstitutional, D.C. abandoned its attempt to enforce an outright ban on the carrying of handguns. Instead, the District is in the process of imposing a “may issue” permit system that is unlikely to issue many, if any, permits to law-abiding citizens within the city. D.C. residents must still register all firearms with the Metro Police Department, and legal shooting opportunities within the District are nonexistent. If you’re a gun owner looking to move to the D.C. area, take a hard look at Northern Virginia instead.
50. New York
All we can say that’s positive about gun laws within the Empire State is that they haven’t gotten any worse this last year. After extensive gun control efforts in previous years, the New York legislature actually killed two anti-gun bills this session, one to ban .50-caliber rifles and the other requiring gun owners to lock up firearms in their homes. New York remains a very difficult state for gun owners, with mandatory handgun licensing, magazine capacity limits and a total ban on NFA items. Carry permits are granted on a “may issue” basis, and obtaining one is no easy task. You’ll still find some shooting sports activity in upstate areas, but the overall climate for gun owners is so bad that even industry giant Remington Arms Company is packing its bags for greener pastures.
49. New Jersey
New Jersey gun owners had a victory in 2014 when Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a bill that would lower the state’s 15-round magazine capacity to 10 rounds. Another moral win occurred when the governor pardoned Shaneen Allen, a woman caught up in New Jersey’s gun laws when she made the mistake of crossing the bridge from Pennsylvania. A final victory came when the state’s attorney general ruled that the 2002 “Smart Gun” law (requiring handguns to be made with certain technology when it is commercially available) has not been triggered by “smart” prototypes in the marketplace. Ownership of tactical rifles is tightly regulated in New Jersey, and state law bans suppressors. Carry permits are “may issue” and are not readily available.
48. Massachusetts
In case you thought the Bay State’s gun laws couldn’t get any worse, the legislature proved that it had room to ban more in 2014. Last year, those living in Massachusetts saw the enactment of legislation that allows mandatory firearm licenses to be denied for any arbitrary basis of “risk,” permitting local-
government abuse. Licenses are required for the ownership of all firearms, and tactical-looking rifles are all but banned unless grandfathered and registered. The state’s magazine capacity limit is 10 rounds. Carry permits are “may issue,” but they are actually obtainable. The state police can issue temporary nonresident permits.
47. Hawaii
Thomas Magnum may have rolled around the islands with a
1911 stashed in his micro shorts in the 1980s TV hit “Magnum P.I.,” but you’re unlikely to find a Hawaiian do this under the state’s tough “may issue” system. Hawaii’s gun laws are very restrictive. Permits to acquire are required for all firearms and were denied to legal resident aliens until a federal court intervened this year. A 10-round magazine restriction is on the books along with a complete ban on NFA items. Self-defense laws are mediocre. If you’re a hunter, there are some surprisingly good outdoor opportunities, which may be the only silver lining in paradise.
46. California
While many states have backed away from efforts to restrict the rights of their gun owners, California is moving full steam ahead. Although much of California’s geography is true rural America, the big cities dominate the political landscape and enact strict gun laws accordingly. Gov. Jerry Brown signed five anti-gun bills into law since G&A last prepared this report. On the bright side, the 9th Circuit ruled in favor of gun owners in the
Peruta v. San Diego case, which relates to the constitutionality of the restrictive carry permit policies in many of the state’s counties. That case will be heard by a nine-member panel in June 2015 and could end up in the U.S. Supreme Court. California uses a restrictive “approved” handgun list that makes some models (many already discontinued by the manufacturer) available in the state, and the mere act of shipping a firearm to a dealer in California can be complicated. A 10-day waiting period is imposed on all firearms acquisitions, and registration is required. Tactical-looking rifles are restricted as are standard-capacity magazines not grandfathered in. Mere possession of certain magazines is banned in some municipalities, and most NFA items, including suppressors, are not allowed.
45. Connecticut
Connecticut residents have witnessed serious erosions in their state’s gun laws over the past few years, and the trend continues this legislative session. Licensing requirements are in place for all firearms, and handgun owners are required to have a permit to possess a handgun anywhere outside the home. Mere possession of an unregistered magazine holding more than 10 rounds is a felony, and tactical rifles must be registered and grandfathered in. The state has decent use-of-force statutes including the Castle Doctrine. Carry permits are “may issue” but are generally given if an applicant meets certain criteria. Permits from other states are not recognized. Both suppressors and machine guns are legal if registered with both ATF and in-state authorities.
44. Maryland
You can bet that some Baltimore residents are rethinking their state’s highly restrictive gun laws in the wake of recent mob violence. Maryland actually ranked behind New York in G&A’s “Best States for CCW” list, and we have since learned that Beretta is leaving the state for more gun-friendly Tennessee, which speaks volumes. Carry permits in Maryland are “may issue” and rare. Handguns must be registered and require a permit to own, though rifles and shotguns do not. Tactical rifles are prohibited, with some exceptions (including LWRC rifles, which are made in the state). This year, Maryland deleted the state’s “ballistic fingerprinting” law, which cost its residents millions and solved virtually zero crimes.
43. Illinois
Illinois has gone from one of the worst states for gun owners to “not so bad as long as you don’t live in Chicago” these last few years. The state’s “shall issue” concealed carry permit system is up and running for both residents and nonresidents, and the sky did not fall. Illinois’ Firearm Owner’s Identification, or “FOID,” requirement remains in effect for all residents wishing to touch a firearm or ammunition except for those possessed by nonresidents in accordance with state law. Suppressors are not permitted in Illinois, though a bill to change that is currently before the legislature. Short-barreled rifles are not allowed. At the point of sale, there is a three-day waiting period before picking up a handgun, and a 24-hour waiting period is applied to all long guns. The state has strong use-of-force laws, and all tactical rifles are legal outside of municipalities such as Chicago and Highland Park.
42. Rhode Island
Despite numerous efforts to pass more-restrictive gun control laws in the Ocean State, none have passed since G&A’s last review. Rhode Island requires a seven-day waiting period for all firearm purchases, and a safety course is required in order to purchase a handgun. The state has a decent right-to-carry law in place and does not restrict tactical rifles. The state has relatively weak self-defense statutes with no Castle Doctrine-type law on the books, and all NFA items are prohibited.
41. Delaware
A rather cumbersome “may issue” CCW law prevents Delaware from clawing its way into a better ranking in G&A’s list. The state has strong use-of-force laws including the Castle Doctrine, and it does not restrict tactical rifles or magazine capacity. NFA laws are a mixed bag, with SBRs and AOWs allowed in compliance with federal law. However, other items, including machine guns and suppressors, are banned. Delaware has strong preemption laws to keep municipalities from enacting their own gun control rules, and it has a range protection statute on the books.