Looking downrange at the Ojai Valley Gun Club in Ventura County, California, where our Editors shoot.
In California, Democratic Governor Newsom has allowed local city/county officials to shut down FFLs and gun retailers by local order. Some California counties allowed gun stores to operate, but most did not, creating legal confusion and inconsistency. And because of strict California laws on ammunition sales, this has meant that the majority of Californians could not purchase ammunition, a clear violation of their Second Amendment Constitutional rights.
The Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and California Gun Rights Foundation (CGF) challenged these gun store closures. And today we’re happy to report a big victory. After being sued in Federal District Court, the County of Ventura (population 846,000) has allowed firearm and ammunition dealers to open again. Effectively County officials conceded that their orders were unjustified and unconstitutional. See filings in the case of McDougall v. County of Ventura.
Just days before a hearing on a motion for preliminary injunction against orders banning gun stores from operating, lawyers for the County of Ventura filed documents saying the defendants* have issued a new order to re-open firearm and ammunition dealers throughout the county.
Gun Store Closures Violated Citizens’ Second Amendment Rights
“County of Ventura officials were either outrageously ignorant or arrogant to think they had the authority to redline fundamental, individual rights”, said FPC President Brandon Combs. “They should remember that they are just local officials on a power trip, not dictators, and we will continue to seek justice for their abusive constitutional violations”. Adam Kraut of the FPC added: “Ultimately, they have already admitted in court that they violated constitutionally enumerated rights”. Other Federal Courts have recently held that the Second Amendment DOES protect citizens’ right to buy guns and ammunition. (See McCarthy v. Baker, in Massachusetts District Court.)
“The facts are that the Ventura County defendants made it a crime for individuals to patronize … firearm and ammunition retailers, and worse, these government officials banned travel for firearms and ammunition as ‘non-essential’. Those are precisely the kinds of actions our Constitution was designed to protect against, so we look forward to the next phase of litigation in this lawsuit,” said the plaintiffs’ co-counsel, attorney Raymond DiGuiseppe.
“The county choosing to re-open firearm and ammunition transactions rather than face our motion in court is a victory for gun owners and the Second Amendment”. — SAF Exec. V.P. Alan Gottlieb.
Ronda N. Baldwin-Kennedy, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said that the County’s latest filing was a move to avoid losing the case early. “The defendants were obviously wrong on the law… We are delighted that this lawsuit moved the County to issue another order so that our clients and the people of Ventura County can exercise their constitutional rights”.
“Onerous California laws make access to operating gun stores a requirement to exercise your Second Amendment rights”, explained CGF Chairman Gene Hoffman. “The right to self-defense is only more important during times of crisis[.]” Individual firearm or ammunition purchasers, retailers, and ranges affected by ‘stay-home’ or shutdown orders are encouraged to report their concerns and potential civil rights violations to Firearm Policy Coalition COVID-19 Issue Hotline at FPChotline.org.
* Defendants in the case include Ventura County Sheriff William “Bill” Ayub, William T. Foley, the Director of the Ventura County Public Health Care Agency, Robert Levin, the Public Health Medical Director and Health Officer for Defendant County of Ventura, and the County of Ventura, California.
CMP-Affiliated Clubs May Continue Sanctioned Matches with Restrictions
While the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) has cancelled its National Events at Camp Perry this summer, the CMP has stated that club-level CMP matches may proceed, provided important health practices are followed.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program recently announced that affiliated clubs may resume CMP-sanctioned rifle and pistol matches those events, provided state and local guidelines and safe range practices are being followed.
The CMP states: “The CMP has canceled all of its match events based on the large volume of participants at its marksmanship events. However, clubs who have relatively manageable numbers of attendees may use discretion in conducting activities for safety reasons. We will continue to monitor the current environment and follow practices in the best interest of our staff, customers and participants regarding future events.”
“In the best interest of everyone involved, the CMP is not opposed to affiliated clubs holding sanctioned matches, as long as they provide a safe environment for participants, range safety personnel and spectators,” said Christie Sewell, CMP Programs Chief.
The CMP Recommends Affiliated Clubs Follow Guidelines to Keep Facilities Safe:
1. Following state and local laws and adherence to health advisories
2. Limiting/spacing the number of participants who congregate for safety briefings, etc.
3. Spacing out firing points, leaving empty firing points between shooters
4. Ensuring participants wear masks, covering their nose and mouth.
5. Washing hands frequently and/or providing disinfectant wipes.
6. Cleaning common surfaces such as shooting benches and equipment.
(Editor: This cleaning should include public restrooms).
“In our sport during this time, we need to practice safety on two fronts – safe firearms handling at all times and providing a healthy place for competitors to hone their skills. That means practicing appropriate social distancing, disinfecting common surfaces and screening participants for health concerns,” added Christie Sewell. Visit the CMP website at www.TheCMP.org for more information.
Ben Avery Re-Opens with Online Reservations
The Ben Avery Shooting Facility (BASF) in Arizona will soon be open for business again. However some key operational changes will affect customers. To ensure public health and safety, only online reservations will be accepted and shooters must observe social distancing rules and special range guidelines. BASF will at 7:00 am Wednesday, May 13, 2020. Reservations canbe made online now at Bookben.azgfd.com. Ammunition and safety gear can be reserved online, as well. NOTE: Reservations cannot be canceled or rescheduled.
At this time, the shooting facility is unable to accommodate walk-in customers on its rifle and pistol ranges, as well as the Clay Target Center (CTC). Any changes will be based on gradual reopening guidelines for businesses and customers, as outlined by the Governor’s Office.
“BASF’s implementation of a new online reservation system is two-fold: We want to maximize the shooting opportunities that this world-class facility has to offer, while maintaining common sense health practices,” said Mike Raum, shooting sports branch chief for the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
Located on 1,650 acres in north Phoenix, BASF is one of the nation’s largest publicly operated shooting facilities. A City of Phoenix “Point of Pride,” the facility has received a five-star rating from the National Association of Shooting Ranges.
Firing Line at Berger SW Nationals. Click to Zoom Image:
Despite the edicts of Democratic Party Governors shutting down gunshops and shooting ranges, the Second Amendment is still part of the U.S. Constitution. A successful lawsuit in Massachusetts demonstrated that. Hopefully the Governors of other states where gunshops were closed by executive order will take notice. In California, Marijuana dispensaries were declared “essential businesses” but not gun stores.
Injunction Granted against Massachusetts Governor’s Closure of Gun Stores
In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, by executive order, shut down all the gun stores in his state. Well it turns out Baker’s action violated the U.S. Constitution. A U.S. District Court in Massachusetts has granted a preliminary injunction against Gov. Baker’s order shutting down gunshops in the state. The injunction was issued in McCarthy v. Baker*, a case brought by the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), Firearms Policy Coalition, and Commonwealth Second Amendment.
In ruling for the plaintiffs, U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock declared: “We don’t surrender our Constitutional rights. These plaintiffs have constitutional rights that deserve respect and vindication, and it becomes necessary for a court to do that rather than the executive when the executive declines.” He added that the Governor’s lawyers did not show justification for the gun store closures: “I don’t have anything like a substantial fit between the goals of the emergency declared by the Commonwealth and the burdening of the Constitutional rights.”
Speaking from the bench during a virtual hearing, Judge Woodlock said, “There’s no justification here” for mandating the closure of gun shops. He specified that gun shops will be free to open at noon, Saturday, May 9. In allowing gun stores to open, the Judge did impose certain restrictions — gunshops should operate from 9 am to 9 pm, by appointment only, with maximum four appointments per hour. Social distancing must also be observed both inside and outside gun stores.
Plaintiffs argued that Gov. Baker’s emergency order eliminated “all lawful channels of access to constitutionally-protected arms and ammunition by mandating the closure of all businesses that sell firearms and ammunition to the consumer public. These actions amount to a ban on obtaining modern arms for personal defense in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”
SAF founder and Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb praised Judge Woodlock’s decision: “Constitutional rights are never put on hold because of an emergency, including the outbreak of a virus. Too many elected officials think otherwise, and we’re having to deal with them one lawsuit a time….”
Gottlieb explained: “When Governor Baker lumped gun shops in with thousands of other businesses deemed ‘non-essential’, he obviously didn’t consider the exercise of a fundamental right to be essential. We can think of nothing that is more essential than exercising a right protected by the Constitution, especially during a declared state of emergency.”
A Federal judge on Thursday ordered that gun shops across Massachusetts can reopen this weekend, ruling that Governor Charlie Baker’s decision to shutter them along with thousands of other “nonessential” businesses infringed on people’s Second Amendment rights.
The decision from US District Judge Douglas P. Woodlock marked a rare rebuke of Baker and the broad emergency powers he’s wielded to fight the COVID-19 pandemic[.] — Boston Globe, 5/7/20
*In two lawsuits joined into the single case, Massachusetts citizens, gun shops and advocacy groups asked the court to force the state to let the shops resume sales. The cases are McCarthy et al. v. Baker et al., case number 1:20-cv-10701, and Cedrone LLC et al. v. Baker et al., case number 1:20-cv-40041, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
Finally… some good news in the shooting world. One of the most important ranges in the nation re-opens next week. Talladega Marksmanship Park in Alabama will open its gates on Wednesday, May 13, 2020.
The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) has announced that its outdoor rifle, pistol and shotgun facility in Alabama, the Talladega Marksmanship Park, plans to resume activity in May with updated protocols for staff and guests. These requirements are designed to ensure the public well-being and safety during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Starting Wednesday, May 13, the facility will be open to the public Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 am – 5 pm and Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 9 am – 5 pm.
Special Health Procedures
All park visitors will be required to have his/her body temperature checked and will also need to answer questions about current health and recent activities that could relate to COVID-19 before being permitted to use the ranges. The number of guests within the Clubhouse will also be monitored, and those on the ranges will adhere to social distancing guidelines put in place by CMP personnel.
Though staff members of Talladega Marksmanship Park will be equipped with face masks, they will not be required for visitors to the facility. However, for the protection of everyone present, masks are highly recommended. The CMP also asks that guests stay mindful of social distancing and hygiene practices in all areas of the grounds.
No Classes, Clinics, or Matches in May
While the park will be open effective 5/13/20, the regularly-held monthly classes, clinics, and have been cancelled for the entirety of May and June. All activities scheduled after June 30th will be reassessed at a later date. For updates on Talladega status, visit the Talladega Marksmanship Park webpage.
About Talladega Marksmanship Park:
The 500-acre Talladega Marksmanship Park features a 600-yard rifle range, 100-yard multi-purpose range, and 50-yard pistol range, each equipped with Kongsberg electronic targets and scoring monitors that allow shooters on the firing line to review shots in a matter of seconds. The Park also includes 15 action pistol bays and a trap field, 5-stand field, and a 15-station sporting clays field — all with automated trap machines. All firing lines are covered, so competitors and guests stay dry and shaded.
We learned last week that the CMP had closed the Camp Perry CMP Championship Matches. Now the NRA has followed suit, cancelling the Pistol, Smallbore, and High Power National Championships slated for summer 2020 at Camp Perry (Pistol) and Camp Atterbury (Rifle). We know readers will be disappointed. The NRA High Power Championships were slated for mid-August — over three months away. Many shooters were hoping some normalcy would be restored by then. However the potential health risks of having hundreds of shooters in close proximity lead to the cancellation decision. On 4/29/2020, the NRA stated:
Due to the current state of affairs surrounding COVID-19, the uncertainties associated with this pandemic at present, and shutdowns across our country that have impeded vital preparatory work, the National Rifle Association has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 NRA Precision Pistol Championships scheduled for July 1-5, 2020), 2020 NRA High Power Championships scheduled for August 9-25, 2020, and the 2020 NRA Smallbore Championships scheduled for July 23-August 4, 2020.
We are trying to make the best of the current situation by moving forward with range construction and other improvements as we look towards the 2021 NRA National Championships season. The NRA is also exploring the feasibility of hosting a variety of new NRA events at Camp Atterbury (if conditions are favorable) [in] the state of Indiana later this year.
We share your disappointment that we had to cancel these competitions. The NRA wishes everyone good health and the best of luck. Stay safe and healthy. For more information, visit Competitions.NRA.org.
The NRA had previously cancelled all sanctioned matches through April 30, 2020. Read story HERE.
Here’s some good news about rifle shooters enjoying an early March competition before Executive Orders forced people to stay at home. We can report that the first-ever springtime CMP Western Games were well-attended. Nearly 300 shooters enjoyed the event, though the High Power matches and clinic phase was cancelled due to official social distancing mandates.
By Ashley Brugnone, CMP Writer
With the first run in its new March time slot, the Civilian Marksmanship Program’s (CMP) annual Western CMP Games and HP Rifle Matches event was met with greatly-increased registration and attendance compared to recent years, despite social distance restrictions that led to a premature end to the event.
Competitors completed the entire schedule of CMP Games rifle events and schools at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility under brilliant Arizona skies and comfortable temperatures. Unfortunately, the 5-day CMP High Power Rifle Matches and clinic, scheduled in the second half of the schedule, were cancelled due to health concerns — “social distancing” mandates for participants and staff.
The Western CMP Games portion of the event held in Phoenix is one of many travel events conducted by the CMP across the country each year. It includes specially designed vintage and modern rifle matches and clinics affording opportunities for marksmanship enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels.
A spike in early registration of 283 participants led to an impressive number of 664 scheduled event entries for the early Spring event in Phoenix. Since its first Arizona appearance in 2008, the Western CMP Games events have been conducted in the month of October. Due to recurring inclement weather at the CMP’s annual Oklahoma Games, the decision was made to trade seasons with those in Arizona beginning in 2020.
Here are some photo highlights from the 2020 CMP Western Games. View hundreds more Western Games images on the CMP Zenfolio Photo Archive.
In response to the growing number of first-time gun buyers during the Coronavirus outbreak, the NRA’s Education & Training Division is offering four new Online Gun Safety Courses that can be done online at home. The Four New NRA Online Gun Safety Courses ARE:
1. Gun Safety Seminar
2. NRA Basic Pistol Shooting Course — Distance Learning
3. NRA Basic Rifle Shooting Course — Distance Learning
4. NRA Basic Personal Protection In The Home Course — Distance Learning
Each course, lasting from one to eight hours, is available online at NRAInstructors.org. To Access the 0nline training options, first CLICK HERE. Then under the Heading “DISTANCE LEARNING”, you will see options. CLICK the small gray box at the left of the title to select the course. IMPORTANT — Next you MUST SCROLL to the bottom of the NRA webpage to SEARCH. Select your state or Zip code, then you will get a list of the moderated online courses in your area.
Here is the Procedure to Follow:
1. CLICK HERE to Access ALL Course Listings
2. Select a “Distance Learning” Course.
3. Scroll Down and SEARCH for your State or Zip Code.
4. Review Course Dates and Times.
For example, here are the listed NRA online safety courses for California only. Elsewhere (in other states), YOUR list will be different!
“These courses will provide an option for first-time gun owners who don’t have the ability to take an NRA certified instructor-led class at their local shooting range at this time,” said Joe DeBergalis, Exec. Dir. of NRA General Operations. “While there is no replacement for in-person, instructor-led training, our new online classes do provide the basics of firearm safety training for those self-isolating at home.”
Though range time is an important part of the classes, there is still a wealth of knowledge available in the online programs. “The NRA recommends that all new gun owners seek professional training at the range, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get a head start on learning the basics of firearm safety at home. Taking one of these classes moderated by a certified NRA instructor, can only make you safer…” DeBergalis added.
Fort Scott Munitions produces 9mm Luger ammo with lead-free solid copper bullets. Shown here is specialized subsonic ammo designed to be used with a suppressor. See FortScottMunitions.com.
The 9mm Luger, aka 9x19mm, is the most popular ammunition type for semi-automatic handguns. As such, with panic buying caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, 9mm ammo is becoming harder to find — or the ammo vendors have jacked up their prices. We found most of the bulk 9mm FMJ out of stock. However, you can still find defensive hollowpoint ammo.
Thankfully, many large vendors such as Brownells, Natchez, and MidwayUSA still have 9mm pistol ammo in stock at reasonable prices. If you can’t find what you need from these vendors, you can source many other ammo retailers via AmmoSeek.com. In addition, Sportsman’s Warehouse has limited 9mm ammo for in-store pick-up in some stores (search online for particular store availablity).
Here are three leading sources for 9mm Luger (9x19mm pistol) ammo. Natchez still has bulk, lower cost lead-core FMJ ammo. Elsewhere cheap 9mm FMJ is mostly sold out, but you can still get 20- or 25-round boxes of defensive ammunition. This stuff is expensive for target practice, to be sure, but at least it can be found.
1. MidwayUSA 9mm Ammo in Stock
Midway USA has quite a bit of hollow-point 9mm luger defensive ammo Available. CLICK HERE to see items in stock, or go to the Midway USA home page and search for “9mm Luger Ammunition”.
2. Natchez Shooters Supplies 9mm Ammo in Stock
As of the time of publication, Natchez Shooters Supplies still has large 1000-round boxes of 9mm FMJ ammunition from CCI and Fiocchi. If you want big quanities of target practice ammo — grab these while you can. In addition, Natchez has NovX defensive ammo.
3. Brownells 9mm Ammo in Stock
Brownells still has a limited selection of 9mm Luger ammunition in stock. Most of the cheaper bulk 9mm is sold out, but here are a few of the brands available on April 10, 2020 at time of publication.
Need a 9mm Pistol? Consider the Walther Creed — Great Value
Need a 9mm carry pistol? The Walther Creed offers excellent ergonomics, good accuracy, and well-designed controls at a killer price — $269.99 at CDNN Sports. This gun, designed to be a value-leader, emulates Walther’s more expensive PPQ model (MSRP $649.00) at a much lower price. The Creed’s frame size and shape is the same as the PPQ, but the Creed lacks interchangeable backstraps. Slide and trigger are very similar. The Creed features a snag-free bobbed hammer. Testers have praised the new Creed, saying that, despite the bargain price, it “sacrifices little to nothing in… ergonomics, accuracy, and reliability.”
Sadly, this year the “Zombie Pandemic” 3-Gun match in Nebraska has been replaced with a true health pandemic, one of the greatest challenges facing the United States since WWII. Due to the public health measures in response to the spread of the Coronavirus. The event organizers issued this statement:
“The Hornady 2020 Zombies in the Heartland 3-Gun Match has been canceled due to the ongoing challenges presented by COVID-19. Although the match wouldn’t have taken place until May 28-31 at the Heartland Public Shooting Park in Grand Island, current health and safety protocols would have precluded preparing the range for the event. Hornady and the Heartland Public Shooting Park plan to resume the battle against the zombie scourge in 2021.
Refunds will be issued by the City of Grand Island to all registered shooters, but please be patient as this will take some time. Hornady is also working with companies to return prizes and cash sponsorships. Should there be any questions, please contact the shooting park directly.”
About the Zombies in the Heartland Match
For many years, Hornady has hosted the popular Zombies in the Heartland event. This “Pandemic” 3-Gun fun match, one of the biggest three-gun shoots in the nation, was to be held at the Heartland Public Shooting Park in Grand Island, Nebraska. The Pandemic traditionally has a rich prize table worth over $150,000. Prizes included pistols, rifles, shotguns, scopes, AR uppers, gun parts, and gear of all kinds.
The Pandemic was a veritable theme park for shootists, with many fun stages and innovative targets. Many unique, reactive zombie targets were developed specifically for this match. The use of paper targets was minimized — so it was mostly “bang and clang”.
Shotguns, rifles, and handguns were used on most stages, which feature handgun targets from 1-15 yards, shotgun targets from 10-20 yards, and rifle targets from 1-200 yards. There were also side matches with full-auto demo firearms, exploding targets, specialty targets.
This video from 2017 offers a Shooter’s POV views of many stages including full auto:
Operated by the Grand Island Parks and Recreation Department, the Heartland Public Shooting Park is the largest and most complete public shooting facility in the Midwest. For more information, call 308-385-5048.
The Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and California Gun Rights Foundation (CGF) challenged these gun store closures. And today we’re happy to report a big victory. After being sued in Federal District Court, the County of Ventura (population 846,000) has allowed firearm and ammunition dealers to open again. Effectively County officials conceded that their orders were unjustified and unconstitutional. See filings in the case of McDougall v. County of Ventura.
Ben Avery Re-Opens with Online Reservations
About the Zombies in the Heartland Match
