Outdoor commentary and legislative issues.
West Bend, WI — The United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA), in its ongoing effort to educate responsibly armed Americans, has launched an interactive map detailing concealed carry reciprocity between all 50 states. The concealed carry reciprocity map is available at www.usconcealedcarry.com/ccw-reciprocity-map/ as well as on the convenient and free USCCA app for both Android and iOS. Read more
Lake Forest, Ill. —Each year, nearly 300,000 children are sold into sex slavery. Together, Phantom Rescue and PepperBall® are taking a stand in an effort to stop child trafficking.
Phantom Rescue is an elite group of former law enforcement officers, military professionals, government officials and business leaders that have come together for a single cause – the recovery of abducted children. Since 2007, Phantom Rescue has utilized Special Operations expertise, created a coalition of anti-trafficking organizations and established connections with state, federal and international authorities to perform successful extractions.
“When we go into other countries, we can’t take lethal weapons, so when we came across the PepperBall® LifeLite™, we felt like we have a fighting chance to defend ourselves and be successful in bringing these children home to safety,” said Tony Sparks, CEO of Phantom Rescue. “We are thrilled to work with the PepperBall team in these efforts to protect these children.” Read more
BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation has joined in a federal lawsuit challenging Riverside County, California and Sheriff Stanley Sniff over the county’s handgun carry license policies, which plaintiffs assert are unconstitutional.
Joining SAF in this legal action are the Calguns Foundation, Firearms Policy Coalition, Firearms Policy Foundation and Madison Society Foundation, and a private citizen, Arie Van Nieuwenhuyzen, a legal resident alien who lives in Riverside County. They are represented by Attorney George M. Lee of Seiler Epstein Ziegler & Applegate, a San Francisco law firm.
“This is not the first time we’ve been involved in a legal action on behalf of a legal resident alien,” noted SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb. “Mr. Van Nieuwenhuyzen came to this country decades ago and has lived in Riverside for more than 30 years. While he retains his citizenship in The Netherlands, he has raised a family here and operated a business. He is a productive member of the community. Read more
Counter Assault once again has proven to be the leader in bear spray, making the first true advance in twenty years.
Counter Assault has developed and received EPA registration for the very first 40-foot bear spray on the market. In addition, this product is the only bear deterrent pepper spray to meet the requirements of the EPA Significant New Alternative Policy (SNAP) of the Clean Air Act relating to ozone depleting substances. Counter Assault has taken the lead in the industry and moved forward with meeting these important environmental goals.
Counter Assault has a long history of leading product innovation, regulatory standards and sustainability. In July 1991, Counter Assault developed the first bear deterrent pepper spray to achieve Canada Health registration and in May 1998, was the first company to receive EPA registration for bear deterrent pepper spray. In December of 1998, the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (“IGBC”), a group consisting of various federal and state wildlife agencies awarded Counter Assault the 1998 Grizzly Bear Stewardship Award for significant participation in the research and development of bear deterrent pepper spray.
With this new product launch in first quarter 2019, Counter Assault’s 10.2 oz. canister will have a spray distance up to 40 feet with 8 seconds of spray time and Counter Assault’s 8.1 oz canister will have a spray distance up to 32 feet with 7 seconds of spray time. Read more
Safariland Delivers “Emergency Response to an Armed Intruder” Instructor Course for Law Enforcement Professionals Across U.S.
Students taught by premier training academy instructors can now receive continuing education credits
ONTARIO, California – The Safariland Group, through its Safariland Training Academy, a specialized division providing a full spectrum of law enforcement training classes, continues to receive excellent reviews for its “Emergency Response to an Armed Intruder” course, in part due to its new adult learning format that allows students to easily digest the lessons. Reaching law enforcement agencies, schools and businesses throughout the U.S., students may also receive continuing education credits upon course completion through a partnership with Columbia Southern University. Read more
BELLEVUE, WA – The Second Amendment Foundation and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms have joined in an amicus (friend of the court) brief in a case challenging Maryland’s process to obtain a licenses to possess a handgun in one’s home, contending that this violates the Second Amendment.
SAF and CCRKBA are joined by the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association, International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors, Professors of second Amendment Law, Jews for the Preservation of Firearms ownership, Millennial Policy Center and Independence Institute. Their joint amicus brief opposes a motion for summary judgment by the defendants, and supports the plaintiffs’ cross motion for summary judgment.
The case was brought by Maryland Shall Issue, Inc.
“We’ve joined in this brief because Maryland’s licensing process is expensive and lengthy, and a right delayed is a right denied,” said SAF founder and CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “No citizen should have to jump through so many hoops simply to have a gun in their own home. There were no such requirements or regulations in Maryland at the time the Constitution was ratified, and the current regulatory scheme seems more intended to discourage responsible firearms ownership than guarantee that gun owners safely handle their firearms.
“The training requirement in Maryland imposes a burden on a citizen’s ability to exercise his or her Second Amendment rights,” he continued. “But evidently in Maryland, as in some other states, the government has arbitrarily decided to treat the Second Amendment right as a regulated privilege, and that simply cannot be allowed to stand.”
The 46-page amicus brief looks at the history of gun rights since colonial days. The brief was prepared by Maryland attorney Gregory M. Kline, with support from Joseph G.S. Greenlee at the Millennial Policy Center and David B. Kopel with the Independence Institute, both located in Denver.
The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 650,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. –– Viridian Weapon Technologies has released new “Art of Defense” video episodes, showcasing potentially life-saving firearms and defensive techniques for personal protection. Episodes 2-4 are now available for viewing on YouTube, and viewers are encouraged to subscribe to the Viridian YouTube channel to be notified when additional episodes are released.
“Art of Defense” Series
Presented by Defensive Mindset Training and Range Systems, the “Art of Defense” video series is hosted by Beau Doboszenski, owner and lead instructor for Defensive Mindset Training. The series is designed to address common defensive mistakes, answer everyday questions, provide concealed carry tips and deliver instruction on using tools like Viridian laser sights. Both novice and skilled shooters can take advantage of the materials and use the videos as a resource for effective firearms operation. Episodes cover a variety of topics, ranging from target acquisition and trigger control to improved draw and more. Read more
BELLEVUE, WA – Teen Second Amendment activist Kyle Kashuv, a student survivor of the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, will be a featured speaker at the 33rd annual Gun Rights Policy Conference, which will be held Sept. 21-23 in Chicago.
The conference will be held at The Hyatt Regency O’Hare, 9300 Bryn Mawr Avenue, Rosemont, IL 60018. It is co-sponsored by the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA). Hundreds of Second Amendment activists and experts are expected to attend. Read more
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. –– Viridian Weapon Technologies has expanded its popular X Series Gen 3 product line to deliver even more robust features with the addition of a full-HD digital camera and microphone. The new X Series Gen 3 with Camera product line creates an entirely new category for personal protection, training and recreational/competitive shooting. The first two products from the lineup—X5L Gen 3 Green Laser with Camera and XTL Gen 3 Taclight with Camera—have begun shipping and are now available for purchase online and at select retailers.
“In 2017, we introduced the world’s first Weapon-Mounted Camera with a light and optional laser designed to clearly capture full-HD video and crisp audio from handguns and long guns,” said Viridian President and CEO Brian Hedeen. “This technology was developed specifically for law enforcement, addressing limitations officers can face with body cameras. Today, we’re excited to give consumers the same HD video and microphone capability on our popular X Series Gen 3 product offerings. The X5L® Cam and XTL Cam are designed to give customers a convenient, high-tech solution for capturing footage while training, competing, defending, or just having fun.” Read more
America’s Malls & Schools Remain Soft Targets Where Law-Abiding Americans Should Be Allowed to Protect Themselves & Others
West Bend, WI – The United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA), which is the country’s largest and fastest growing association whose sole focus is the responsibly armed American, said today that in the wake of this latest attack in a so-called “gun-free zone” in Jacksonville, all Americans should have the right to defend themselves whether at home, at school or at mall:
“This was sadly another attack by a clearly deranged individual and we pray for the victims and their families. As we learn more about the individual who perpetrated this attack and the details surrounding it, our nation is once again having a conversation about gun violence and how we can stop future attacks, particularly as our schools re-open around the country for a new year. It’s my hope the critical role of concealed carry rights can play in incidents like this and the abject failure of so-called ‘gun-free zones’ will be part of that conversation.
“Like many other scenes of gun violence in the past, Jackson Landing was a ‘gun-free zone,’ which did nothing to stop an evildoer bent on violence, but which prevented law-abiding citizens from protecting themselves and others. We don’t know if an ordinary citizen with a concealed carry permit could have stopped this attack, but we do know that once again this feel-good policy did nothing to protect innocent lives. Read more