The 2026 Southwest Nationals match takes place February 11-15, 2026 at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix. So many of our readers will be on the road headed to Arizona this week, with one or more match rifles in their cars or trucks. When crossing into different states with guns in a vehicle, you need to be mindful of all state and local laws and restrictions.

Five Worst States for Traveling with Firearms

This article appears in the Cheaper Than Dirt Shooter’s Log.
The U.S. is a patchwork of confusing and cumbersome laws that change the rules of what you can carry, where you can carry, and whether you can possess the firearm, ammunition of magazine at without running afoul of the local laws. Now, if every state was like Vermont, law abiding gun owners could freely travel with their firearms with no worries. Unfortunately, many states have a history of being hostile to traveling gun owners.

The federal “Firearms Owner Protection Act” allows travel through any state as long as the firearm is unloaded, in a locked case, and not easily accessible to the passengers. However, that is not to say that certain states that are less friendly to firearms have not created their own laws that would snare unsuspecting otherwise law-abiding firearm owners. This led us to name the Top 5 States to Avoid while traveling with a firearm this holiday season.

CONNECTICUT
Connecticut does not have any gun reciprocity agreements with other states. This means nonresidents are not allowed to carry handguns in Connecticut under a permit issued by another state.

HAWAII
Every person arriving into the state who brings a firearm of any description, usable or not, shall register the firearm within three days of the arrival of the person or the firearm, whichever arrives later, with the chief of police of the county where the person will reside, where their business is, or the person’s place of sojourn. GET Hawaii Firearms INFO HERE.

MASSACHUSETTS
Massachusetts imposes harsh penalties on the mere possession and transport of firearms without a license to carry. Prospective travelers are urged to contact the Massachusetts Firearms Records Bureau at (617) 660-4780 or contact the State Police. GET Massachusetts Firearms INFO HERE.

NEW JERSEY
New Jersey has some of the most restrictive firearms laws in the country. Your firearm must be unloaded, in a locked container, and not accessible in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that anyone traveling within the state is deemed to be aware of these regulations and will be held strictly accountable for violations. If you’re traveling through New Jersey, you need to comply with state laws on firearm transport, which are very strict. GET New Jersey Firearms INFO HERE provided by a New Jersey legal team.

NEW YORK
Use extreme caution when traveling through New York state with firearms. New York’s general approach is to make the possession of handguns and so-called “assault weapons” illegal. A number of localities, including Albany, Buffalo, New York City, Rochester, Suffolk County, and Yonkers, impose their own requirements on the possession, registration, and transport of firearms. Possession of a handgun within New York City requires a New York City handgun license or a special permit from the city Police Commissioner. This license validates a state license within the city. Even New York state licenses are generally not valid within New York City unless a specific exemption applies. Possession of a shotgun or rifle within New York City requires a permit, which is available to non-residents, and a certificate of registration.

More Scary States for Gun Owners Here are six other jurisdictions (five states and DC) where you need to be wary when traveling. California, for example, treats all handguns in vehicles as “loaded” if there is ammunition loaded into an attached magazine. It’s wise, when in California, to have handguns unloaded in a LOCKED case, with all ammunition or magazines in a separate section of the vehicle. These states (and DC) all have laws that can trap unsuspecting gun-owners. Be wary.

California Delaware Dist. of Columbia Illinois Maryland Rhode Island

Happy Thanksgiving folks. Major gun and optics makers, tool crafters, and large outdoor gear vendors are offering great bargains for Black Friday week. Expect discounts from 5% to 30% on a wide range of quality products.

While some sales are set for Friday, November 28th only, most of the featured Black Friday Sales have already started. And some of these promotions run through 11:59 pm on Cyber Monday (12/1/2024). Find other sales at Gun.Deals.

Most of the showcased vendors offer discounts on a large inventory selection — in some cases, everything in stock is discounted 10%, 15%, 20% or more. For other sellers, only specific items are on sale, so we’ve identified those particular deals. In addition to the 9 sellers showcased below, Brownells is offering big Discount Code savings on nearly all products. Get 15% OFF your Brownells orders with Code SHOPBF15.

Come back tomorrow for Part Two of our Black Friday Sales Showcase!

Optics Planet Black Friday Sale

Powder Valley Outdoors Black Friday Sale

NOTE: In addition to this special powder sale, Powder Valley Outdoors is offering 5% off your whole cart if you purchase more than $299.00 of non-sale items.

Sportsman’s Warehouse Black Friday Sale

Primary Arms Black Friday Sale

Vance Outdoors Black Friday Sale

Creedmoor Sports Black Friday Sale

Ammunition Depot Black Friday Sale

Guns.com Black Friday Sale with Early Access

Amazon Black Friday Featured Sales

Tomorrow, November 27th, is Thanksgiving. Today and tomorrow a large percentage of Americans will be on the road to visit relatives. We know many of our readers have concealed carry permits or will otherwise be traveling with firearms. When crossing into different states with guns in a vehicle, you need to be mindful of all state and local laws and restrictions.

Five Worst States for Traveling with Firearms

This article appears in the Cheaper Than Dirt Shooter’s Log.
The U.S. is a patchwork of confusing and cumbersome laws that change the rules of what you can carry, where you can carry, and whether you can possess the firearm, ammunition of magazine at without running afoul of the local laws. Now, if every state was like Vermont, law abiding gun owners could freely travel with their firearms with no worries. Unfortunately, many states have a history of being hostile to traveling gun owners.

The federal “Firearms Owner Protection Act” allows travel through any state as long as the firearm is unloaded, in a locked case, and not easily accessible to the passengers. However, that is not to say that certain states that are less friendly to firearms have not created their own laws that would snare unsuspecting otherwise law-abiding firearm owners. This led us to name the Top 5 States to Avoid while traveling with a firearm this holiday season.

CONNECTICUT
Connecticut does not have any gun reciprocity agreements with other states. This means nonresidents are not allowed to carry handguns in Connecticut under a permit issued by another state.

HAWAII
Every person arriving into the state who brings a firearm of any description, usable or not, shall register the firearm within three days of the arrival of the person or the firearm, whichever arrives later, with the chief of police of the county where the person will reside, where their business is, or the person’s place of sojourn. GET Hawaii Firearms INFO HERE.

MASSACHUSETTS
Massachusetts imposes harsh penalties on the mere possession and transport of firearms without a license to carry. Prospective travelers are urged to contact the Massachusetts Firearms Records Bureau at (617) 660-4780 or contact the State Police. GET Massachusetts Firearms INFO HERE.

NEW JERSEY
New Jersey has some of the most restrictive firearms laws in the country. Your firearm must be unloaded, in a locked container, and not accessible in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that anyone traveling within the state is deemed to be aware of these regulations and will be held strictly accountable for violations. If you’re traveling through New Jersey, you need to comply with state laws on firearm transport, which are very strict. GET New Jersey Firearms INFO HERE provided by a New Jersey legal team.

NEW YORK
Use extreme caution when traveling through New York state with firearms. New York’s general approach is to make the possession of handguns and so-called “assault weapons” illegal. A number of localities, including Albany, Buffalo, New York City, Rochester, Suffolk County, and Yonkers, impose their own requirements on the possession, registration, and transport of firearms. Possession of a handgun within New York City requires a New York City handgun license or a special permit from the city Police Commissioner. This license validates a state license within the city. Even New York state licenses are generally not valid within New York City unless a specific exemption applies. Possession of a shotgun or rifle within New York City requires a permit, which is available to non-residents, and a certificate of registration.

More Scary States for Gun Owners Here are six other jurisdictions (five states and DC) where you need to be wary when traveling. California, for example, treats all handguns in vehicles as “loaded” if there is ammunition loaded into an attached magazine. It’s wise, when in California, to have handguns unloaded in a LOCKED case, with all ammunition or magazines in a separate section of the vehicle. These states (and DC) all have laws that can trap unsuspecting gun-owners. Be wary.

California Delaware Dist. of Columbia Illinois Maryland Rhode Island

Thanksgiving is just 4 days away. What better way to celebrate the occasion than to blast away at some bearded gobblers (of the paper variety). Here’s our Turkey Day target, ready for some family fun. This special Turkey Bullseye Target was created by our friend and Forum member Pascal (aka “DesertFrog”). CLICK HERE for FREE Turkey Target.

Get a Full Set of Animal Targets
For your convenience, we’ve packaged the Turkey Target along with five (5) other varmint/animal-themed targets. These are all offered in .pdf (Adobe Acrobat) format for easy printing.

Happy Thanksgiving folks. Major gun and optics makers, tool crafters, and large outdoor gear vendors are offering great bargains for Black Friday week. Expect discounts from 10% to 30% on a wide range of quality products.

While some sales are set for Friday, November 24th only, most of the featured Black Friday Sales have already started. And some of these promotions run through Cyber Monday (12/2/2024). Find other sales at Gun.Deals.

Most of the showcased vendors offer discounts on a large inventory selection — in some cases, everything in stock is discounted 10%, 15%, 20% or more. For other sellers, only specific items are on sale, so we’ve identified those particular deals. In addition to the ten sellers showcased below, Brownells is offering big Discount Code savings on nearly all products. Get 15% OFF your Brownells orders with Code BF15.

Come back tomorrow for Part Two of our Black Friday Sales Showcase!

Optics Planet Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales

Area419 Black Friday Sale and Specials

Guns.com Black Friday Sale with Early Access

Amazon Black Friday Featured Sales

Sportsman’s Outdoor Superstore Black Friday Sales

Powder Valley Outdoors Cyber Week Deals (Available Now)

Ammunition Depot Black Friday Specials — Major Discounts

Silencer Central Black Friday Buy One Get One Free Special

Eotech Black Friday Sale — 30% Off Select Optics

Well folks, Thanksgiving is just a week away. Looking for culinary inspiration for your holiday gatherings? The NRA Blog offers three special (and delicious) Wild Game Recipes for your family feasts: Honey Mustard Planked Wild Turkey Breast, Mushroom-Stuffed Wild Boar Roast with Black Truffle Sauce, and BBQ Brined Pigeon. These recipes come from some of the country’s best chefs, and they all seem mouth-watering. You’ll find a full list of ingredients plus step-by-step cooking tips.

CLICK HERE for Three Great Wild Game Recipes »

One of the many advantages to hunting is the assortment of game you can gather that lasts for an extended period of time. Just because it’s Thanksgiving doesn’t mean you have to stick with a whole turkey from the store and a ham hock.

We have three unique spins on wild game recipes that will suit your dining table perfectly. Even if you’re one of those hunters who enjoys a quick hunt the morning of Thanksgiving, these recipes will make your holiday more delicious than ever. — NRABlog.com

Gettin’ Gobblers — Turkey Hunting Tips on GetZone Video
And for those folks who hope to harvest their own gobbler for the Thanksgiving holiday, GetZone.com offers a turkey hunting video with expert guidance on Turkey hunting, specifically stalking and shot placement: “When it comes to shotgun hunting, you don’t want to get BBs in the meat, so the most common (and lethal) shot with a shotgun is a headshot.”

This photo is from GetZone.com, a website that provides information on shooting and hunting. CLICK HERE to watch a GetZone video on turkey hunting. Work Warning: When you click photo, a loud audio track may start immediately, so turn down the audio volume.

Thanksgiving, November 28, is just 10 days away. In a few days, a large percentage of Americans will be on the road to visit relatives. We know many of our readers have concealed carry permits or will otherwise be traveling with firearms. When crossing into different states with guns in a vehicle, you need to be mindful of all state and local laws and restrictions.

Five Worst States for Traveling with Firearms

This article appears in the Cheaper Than Dirt Shooter’s Log.
The U.S. is a patchwork of confusing and cumbersome laws that change the rules of what you can carry, where you can carry, and whether you can possess the firearm, ammunition of magazine at without running afoul of the local laws. Now, if every state was like Vermont, law abiding gun owners could freely travel with their firearms with no worries. Unfortunately, many states have a history of being hostile to traveling gun owners.

The federal “Firearms Owner Protection Act” allows travel through any state as long as the firearm is unloaded, in a locked case, and not easily accessible to the passengers. However, that is not to say that certain states that are less friendly to firearms have not created their own laws that would snare unsuspecting otherwise law-abiding firearm owners. This led us to name the Top 5 States to Avoid while traveling with a firearm this holiday season.

CONNECTICUT
Connecticut does not have any gun reciprocity agreements with other states. This means nonresidents are not allowed to carry handguns in Connecticut under a permit issued by another state.

HAWAII
Every person arriving into the state who brings a firearm of any description, usable or not, shall register the firearm within three days of the arrival of the person or the firearm, whichever arrives later, with the chief of police of the county where the person will reside, where their business is, or the person’s place of sojourn. GET Hawaii Firearms INFO HERE.

MASSACHUSETTS
Massachusetts imposes harsh penalties on the mere possession and transport of firearms without a license to carry. Prospective travelers are urged to contact the Massachusetts Firearms Records Bureau at (617) 660-4780 or contact the State Police. GET Massachusetts Firearms INFO HERE.

NEW JERSEY
New Jersey has some of the most restrictive firearms laws in the country. Your firearm must be unloaded, in a locked container, and not accessible in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that anyone traveling within the state is deemed to be aware of these regulations and will be held strictly accountable for violations. If you’re traveling through New Jersey, the N.J. State Police website provides information regarding transporting firearms within state lines. GET New Jersey Firearms INFO HERE.

NEW YORK
Use extreme caution when traveling through New York state with firearms. New York’s general approach is to make the possession of handguns and so-called “assault weapons” illegal. A number of localities, including Albany, Buffalo, New York City, Rochester, Suffolk County, and Yonkers, impose their own requirements on the possession, registration, and transport of firearms. Possession of a handgun within New York City requires a New York City handgun license or a special permit from the city Police Commissioner. This license validates a state license within the city. Even New York state licenses are generally not valid within New York City unless a specific exemption applies. Possession of a shotgun or rifle within New York City requires a permit, which is available to non-residents, and a certificate of registration.

More Scary States for Gun Owners Here are six other jurisdictions (five states and DC) where you need to be wary when traveling. California, for example, treats all handguns in vehicles as “loaded” if there is ammunition loaded into an attached magazine. It’s wise, when in California, to have handguns unloaded in a LOCKED case, with all ammunition or magazines in a separate section of the vehicle. These states (and DC) all have laws that can trap unsuspecting gun-owners. Be wary.

California Delaware Dist. of Columbia Illinois Maryland Rhode Island

Happy Thanksgiving folks. Major gun and optics makers, tool crafters, and large outdoor gear vendors are offering great bargains for Black Friday week. Expect discounts from 10% to 30% on a wide range of quality products.

While some sales are set for Friday, November 24th only, most of the featured Black Friday Sales have already started. And some of these promotions run through Cyber Monday (11/27/2023). Find other sales at Gun.Deals.

Most of the showcased vendors offer discounts on a large inventory selection — in some cases, everything in stock is discounted 10%, 15%, 20% or more. For other sellers, only specific items are on sale, so we’ve identified those particular deals. In addition to the ten sellers showcased below, Brownells is offering big Discount Code savings on nearly all products. Get 15% OFF your Brownells orders with Code BF15.

Come back tomorrow for Part Two of our Black Friday Sales Showcase!

21st Century Innovation 20% Off One-Day Sale

21st Century Innovation makes some of the very best tools and hardware for precision handloaders. 21st Century’s Arbor Presses, Neck-turning lathes, Concentricity Gauges, and other tools rank at the very top. And now you can get these superb products at a huge 20% discount. Virtually all 21st Century hardware (except the Hybrid-X Shooting Rest) will be 20% OFF for ONE DAY ONLY, Friday November 23, 2023. Use Coupon Code 20BFRI2023 at checkout to save 20%.

Annealing Made Perfect (AMP) — $200 Off MK II Black Friday Sale

AMP Annealers are the most advanced annealing system on the planet. With such high demand for these products, you’ll rarely see a discount on AMP Annealing machines. But this year, for Black Friday, AMP will offer a U.S. $200.00 discount on the advanced MK II (MK2) Annealer “while stocks last”. AMP will will run a countdown clock which will hit zero at 12:00 noon USA Pacific time / 3.00 pm USA Eastern on Thursday, November 23rd (Thanksgiving day 2023). At that point, AMP MK II Annealers will be added to stock at $1,395.00, a $200 discount off regular $1,595.00 price. NOTE: This sale is limited “while stocks last”.

F-Class Products Black Friday Sale

The biggest F-Class Products (FCP) sale ever conducted is happening this week. Sale items include the new Paragon actions, 7 FCP Bundle Kit, two in-stock F-TR complete rifles ready to go, and much more! Save 10% off sitewide with discount code BLACKFRIDAY.

Graf’s Black Friday Promotions and Savings

If you need ammo, bullets, powder, or primers, head over to Grafs.com this week. Graf’s is running a series of promotions. For example you can get 7 lbs. of tumbling media for FREE with a $200 purchase of the excellent Peterson brass. In addition, you can get FREE Hazmat if you buy $150 or more of powder and/or primers. Note: The Free Hazmat offer ends Saturday 11/25/2023 at 11:59 pm CT.

Palmetto State Armory Black Friday Sale

Need an AR Upper/Lower or a carry pistol? Then definitely check out the Black Friday Sale at Palmetto State Armory. Save 20% or more on AR components, handguns, optics, accessories and more. There are also excellent deals on ammunition, such as CCI Blazer 9mm for just $13.99/box.

Area 419 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales

Area419 is running a great extended Black Friday Promo for the next few days. You’ll find significant discounts on most Area 419 products, including tools, scope mounts, muzzle brakes, and Arcalock products. In addition, the superb Area419 Zero Press goes on sale 11/27/2023, and a variety of reloading products will be discounted for Cyber Monday.

Precision Reloading Early Black Friday Sale

Precision Reloading has been running an early Black Friday Sale, with items discounted starting Monday, 11/20/23. New items are added daily through 11/27/2023. Some of the hot deals are: Berger Bullets and Ammo, Hornady Products (including tools, dies, ammo), and Starline Brass. With the full Black Friday Sale, for orders over $79.00, you can get 10% Off Sitewide with code BLACK23. That code should work through 11/26/23 at 11:59 pm.

EuroOptic — 10% Off Black Friday Nightforce Sale

This week you can save big bucks on Nightforce scopes which are rarely discounted this much. With the EuroOptic Black Friday Sale you save 10% on Nightforce NX8 and ATACR scopes. This 10% discount can be worth $175 to $395 in savings! In addition, EuroOptic is offering some sales tax rebates.

Weatherby 15% Off Rifles, 20% Off Ammo, 15-25% Off Gear

Right now, through an extended Black Friday Sale, Weatherby is running its “biggest rifle discount of the year”, with 15% Off Weatherby Mark V and Vanguard rifles. Plus ammunition and and brass is discounted 20%. In addition, Weatherby is offering up to 25% off accessories, hunting gear, clothing, gun cases, and other products sold through the Weatherby online store.

Springfield Armory 20% Off Black Friday Week Sale

You can save 20% sitewide now at the Springfield Armory online store. NOTE: Springfield Armory rifles and handguns are NOT sold direct through the website, so this sale applies to AR Uppers, airguns, pistol slide assemblies, optics, magazines, holsters, apparel, and other accessories.

Looking for culinary inspiration for your holiday gatherings? The NRA Blog offers three special (and delicious) Wild Game Recipes for your family feasts: Honey Mustard Planked Wild Turkey Breast, Mushroom-Stuffed Wild Boar Roast with Black Truffle Sauce, and BBQ Brined Pigeon. These recipes come from some of the country’s best chefs, and they all seem mouth-watering. You’ll find a full list of ingredients plus step-by-step cooking tips.

CLICK HERE for Three Great Wild Game Recipes »

One of the many advantages to hunting is the assortment of game you can gather that lasts for an extended period of time. Just because it’s Thanksgiving doesn’t mean you have to stick with a whole turkey from the store and a ham hock.

We have three unique spins on wild game recipes that will suit your dining table perfectly. Even if you’re one of those hunters who enjoys a quick hunt the morning of Thanksgiving, these recipes will make your holiday more delicious than ever. — NRABlog.com

Gettin’ Gobblers — Turkey Hunting Tips on GetZone Video
And for those folks who hope to harvest their own gobbler for the Thanksgiving holiday, GetZone.com offers a turkey hunting video with expert guidance on Turkey hunting, specifically stalking and shot placement: “When it comes to shotgun hunting, you don’t want to get BBs in the meat, so the most common (and lethal) shot with a shotgun is a headshot.”

This photo is from GetZone.com, a website that provides information on shooting and hunting. CLICK HERE to watch a GetZone video on turkey hunting. Work Warning: When you click photo, a loud audio track may start immediately, so turn down the audio volume.

Thanksgiving is just two days away. What better way to celebrate the Thanksgiving season than to practice your marksmanship shooting some bearded gobblers (of the paper variety). Here’s our custom Turkey Target, ready for family fun. This special Turkey Bullseye Target was created by our friend and Forum member Pascal (aka “DesertFrog”). CLICK HERE for FREE Turkey Target.

If you prefer color targets, here’s another turkey target, courtesy of the NRA. Hone your skills on a trio of turkeys. The target features three red bullseyes, centered on the gobblers. You can print the target in black and white, but they look best in color. Click the image below to download a FREE printable PDF file.

Get a Full Set of Animal Targets
For your convenience, we’ve packaged the Turkey Target along with five (5) other varmint/animal-themed targets. These are all offered in .pdf (Adobe Acrobat) format for easy printing.