Wildcatting During a Reloading Component Shortage: Using .30-30 Cases to form 6.5 JDJ Brass

Jay D. Hunt, III, PhD

Many years ago, LSA President Dan Zelenka introduced me to perhaps the best all-around wildcat cartridge for the Thompson/Center Contender pistol: the 6.5 JDJ. With a 120 gr. bullet, mid-sized game don’t stand a chance. Even African plains game fall to its punch. The cartridge was developed by famed gunsmith and founder of SSK Industries, J.D. Jones. The 6.5 JDJ is based on the rimmed .225 Winchester, which is necked up to 6.5 mm (.264”) and fire formed to produce the finished case that has about 7% more powder capacity than the parent .225 Winchester. This increased capacity results from the 25º shoulder, which is located 1.530” forward of the base in the .225 Winchester, being pushed forward to 1.630” in the 6.5 JDJ at an increased 40º angle.

When working with .225 Winchester cases, a single pass through the 6.5 JDJ die expands the case mouth to accept a bullet of .264” diameter.  After priming the case with a large rifle primer, a medium burn rate rifle powder like IMR-4320, IMR-4350, H-4831, or IMR-4831 can be used with a 10% reduction from the maximum charge. Typically, I use 140 gr bullets to fire form the cases, but any .264 bullet can be used. Fire forming cases is fun, and you’ll likely find that the reduced charged cases are very accurate, although perhaps not a great choice for hunting given the reduced powder charge.

But what does one do when there is a nationwide shortage of reloading components, there are no .225 Winchester cases to be found, and there is no production of obsolete cases on the horizon? Well, short of paying $5.25 per case to a boutique custom brass producer, one searches the amazingly useful The Handloader’s Manual of Cartridge Conversions by John J. Donnelly. According to Donnelly, .225 Winchester cases can be produced from .30-30 Winchester brass. I just happen to have a pile of once fired .30-30 brass laying around, so I headed out to the reloading shop.

The process of converting a .30-30 Winchester case to 6.5 JDJ involves (left to right) an annealed .30-30 case, a .30-30 case that has been trimmed and the rim reduced in diameter and thickness, necked down to .263″, loaded with a reduced powder charge over a large rifle primer topped with a 140 gr. bullet, and finally the fire-formed finished product.

The first step in the process is to anneal the .30-30 cases. As a case is loaded and reloaded, the process causes the brass to become work hardened. Work hardened brass with eventually result in split necks, split cases, or separated cases. During the process of converting .30-30 cases to accept the .264 bullet, the neck will need to be reduced from .308” to less than .264”. Work hardened brass will be brittle and bad things are likely to happen.

There are many good but expensive annealers on the market. If you anneal a lot of brass, you already own one. But if you don’t, you can anneal brass with nothing more than a propane torch. A simple and effective method is to hold the base of the case with your bare fingers (this is important) and then hold the neck/shoulder area of the case in the flame. Once the case becomes uncomfortable to hold, the neck/shoulder area is hot enough to anneal the brass. Simply drop it on a heat resistant surface and let it air cool. There are many other methods to anneal brass, and you may have your favorite one. If you like the way you do it, then by all means do it that way.

After annealing and cleaning the cases, the next step was to trim the .30-30 cases to a length that approximates the maximum overall length of the 6.5 JDJ case. The once fired .30-30 cases that I used for this project averaged 2.32” in overall length. The maximum length of the 6.5 JDJ is 1.900”, so .30-30 cases were trimmed to 1.93” using a manual RCBS case trimmer. The extra 0.03” of length ensured that cases would not be too short after the final fire forming step and would allow me to trim them to the final 1.900” after the final step.

A 1934 South Bend 9″ lathe was used to reduce the rim diameter and thickness.

The .30-30 Winchester has a rim diameter of 0.50”, whereas the .225 Winchester parent case has a rim diameter of 0.473”. Although 0.027” doesn’t sound like a lot, the rims of the .30-30 cases needed to be turned down prior to use. The .30-30 case rims would not load properly into the Contender barrel. To accomplish this, I used the collet chuck in my 1934 South Bend 9” lathe to hold the .30-30 cases with the rims exposed, and then used a carbide cutting tool to quickly reduce the diameter of the rims. If you don’t own a lathe, there are other ways of accomplishing this task including the use of a power drill and a file.

Donnelly noted that it is not necessary to reduce the rim thickness of the .30-30 case; however, since I had the cases chucked up and thinning the case rims was a quick and easy task on the lathe, I reduced the rim thickness from 0.06” to 0.045”.

Rims were reduced to a final diameter of 0.473″

To allow the highly modified .30-30 case to accept a .264” bullet, the neck internal diameter needed to be reduced from 0.308” to something below .264”. I set the Hornandy 6.5 JDJ die in the press so that the neck was reduced to an internal diameter of 0.263”. This would allow the case to firmly hold the bullet but would also require the least amount of stress on the newly sized brass. This step is the reason that the brass was annealed in the first place.  Incidentally, the outside diameter of the .30-30 brass started at 0.332” and was reduced to .288” (brass thickness of 0.012”). Be certain that you lube the neck and shoulder of the .30-30 case before inserting into the 6.5 JDJ die, or you will have a big mess on your hands.

Ugly ducklings! Highly modified .30-30 cases are loaded a charge of H-4831 prior to fire forming.

A Winchester large rifle primer was inserted and then a reduced charge of H-4831 was used. Layne Simpson recommended a charge of 34.0 – 37.0 gr. of H-4831 under a 140 gr. Speer bullet as a standard hunting load. I had a stockpile of old Sierra 140 gr. SPBT bullets that I was happy to use as fire forming fodder. I measured 30.6 gr. of H-4831 into the cases, which was a 10% reduction in the starting load recommended by Simpson (10% of 34.0 is 3.4 gr. 34.0 – 3.4 = 30.6). Simpson wrote that he uses a flat 5.0 gr. reduction from the maximum load for fire forming, which would be 32.0 gr. of H-4831. Whatever you decide to use as a fire forming load, keep in mind that there is about 7% less case capacity in a .225 case than in a 6.5 JDJ case, and there is likely even less capacity in the long necked .30-30 case before fire forming. It is prudent to be cautious when fire forming brass!

From left to right, a 6.5 JDJ case created from .30-30 Winchester brass, a 6.5 JDJ case produced from .225 Winchester brass, and a loaded 6.5 JDJ case ready for whitetail season.

Of course, the most fun step in the process is the actual firing of the ugly duckling loads to produce the beautiful swan, a useable 6.5 JDJ case. I gave that honor to my 17-year-old nephew who gladly leapt at the opportunity to fire 140 gr. 6.5 mm bullets into improvised targets at the shooting range at our hunting camp. He reported that after a couple of rounds to figure out where the bullets were impacting, he hit 100% of the targets.

If you are interested in the 6.5 JDJ, 14-inch barrels can be obtained from SSK Industries.  I’ve been working with the cartridge for about 12 years and have developed some good data for hunting loads. Here are a few of my favorite loads.

Bullet Charge and Powder

Velocity (FPS)

120 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip 37.0 gr. VV N550

2431 ± 9

120 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip 38.0 gr. VV N160

2300 ± 9

120 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip 33.5 gr. AA2520*

2463 ± 14

120 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip 38.5 gr. IMR-4350

2347 ± 17

120 gr. Barnes TTSX 33.5 gr. Reloader 15†

Unknown

120 gr. Barnes TTSX 33.8 gr. Varget

2376 ± 21

125 gr. Nosler Partition 36.5 gr. VV N550

2375 ± 12

129 gr. Nosler ABLR 32.0 gr. Reloader 15

2107 ± 5

129 gr. Nosler ABLR 32.1 gr. AA2520

2311 ± 8

129 gr. Nosler ABLR 32.5 gr. VV N550

2046 ± 35

129 gr. Nosler ABLR 35.5 gr. VV N550

2277 ± 15

129 gr. Nosler ABLR 30.0 gr. IMR-4320

2176 ± 81

129 gr. Nosler ABLR 32.0 gr. IMR-4320

2309 ± 36

130 gr. Berger VLD Hunting 36.0 gr. VV N550

2340 ± 22

*Outstanding 5-shot accuracy = 0.63” @ 100 yards. This is my go-to hunting load
†5-shot accuracy = 0.91” @ 100 yards
All loads developed in Winchester .225 Winchester cases fire formed to 6.5 JDJ using CCI-200 or Winchester large rifle primers. The 6.5 JDJ is not a SAAMI cartridge, but maximum peak chamber pressure should not exceed 50,000 PSI. The reader should reduce powder charges by 5% and work up to these loads in his/her pistol to ensure these loads are safe.

For my go-to hunting load: 120 gr. Nosler BT over 33.5 gr AA2520, CCI-200 primer, COAL = 2.905”

Distance (Yards)

Velocity (FPS)

Measured Group Size (Inches)

Muzzle

2463

0

100

2284

0.63

200

2113

2.26

300

1949

3.01

Abbreviations: FPS, feet per second; VV, Vihta Vuori; AA, Accurate Powder; TTSX, tipped triple shock expanding; ABLR, Accubond Long Range; VLD, very low drag; COAL, cartridge overall length

References:

Wildcat Cartridges: Volume II, Chapter 129: The 6.5 JDJ by Layne Simpson. Pages 831-8835; Wolfe Publishing Company, Prescott, AZ. 1992

The Handloader’s Manual of Cartridge Conversions by John J. Donnelly. Page 160; Stoeger Publishing Company, South Hackensack, NJ. 1987

2022 Annual Meeting of Members and Elections

The LSA will return to live annual meetings in 2022 by hosting its Annual Meeting of Members and Elections of the Board of Directors at the Cabela’s in Gonzales, LA on Sunday, February 13, 2022 between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM. The meeting will be held in the upstairs meeting room. The Board reserves the right to cancel or postpone the event if the current COVID-19 pandemic forces a change in plans. If plans change, you will be notified by email and on this website.

Unlike previous years, NO REFRESHMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED.Cabela’s catering service is temporarily closed.

Each year the Members present at the Annual Meeting of Members elects five Directors and two Alternate Directors. The current Board is composed of:

Directors (Office, term expires):

Paul Angrisano (2022)
Barret Kendrick (Vice-President, 2022)
John K. Laws, III (Director-at-Large, 2022)
LTC Joseph “Jay” Meynier, USMC Retired (2022)
Daniel E. Zelenka, II (President, 2022)

Clifford Grout (2023)
Gordon Hutchinson (2023)
Brannon LeBouef (2023)
Dr. Gerald “Jerry” Liuzza (2023)
CAPT George Petras, USCG Retired (2023)

Ron Duplessis (2024)
Dr. Jay D. Hunt, III (Treasurer, 2024)
Ronald “Buck” Kliebert (2024)
CAPT Paul Prokop, USCG Retired (Secretary, 2024)
Dwayne Vidrine (2024)

Alternate Directors

1st Alternate: Ted A. Torres, III (2022)
2nd Alternate: Dave Ramey (2022)

Those Directors whose term expires in 2022 and both Alternate Directors will be up for re-election. Also, any Member-in-Good-Standing who wishes to run for an open Board position are encouraged to do so. Please feel free to reach out to any current Director for more information.

Monumental Victory for Gun Rights in 4th Circuit Ruling

A ruling by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals declaring the ban on handgun sales to young adults in the 18-20-year age group to be unconstitutional is a monumental victory for Second Amendment rights. (Read the Opinion from Judge Julius N. Richardson here).

Judge Richardson, writing for the majority, observed, “Looking through this historical lens to the text and structure of the Constitution reveals that 18- to 20-year-olds have Second Amendment rights. Virtually every other constitutional right applies whatever the age. Our nation’s most cherished constitutional rights vest no later than 18. And the Second Amendment is no different.”

We first find that 18-year-olds possess Second Amendment rights. They enjoy almost every other constitutional right, and they were required at the time of the Founding to serve in the militia and furnish their own weapons. We then ask, as our precedent requires, whether the government has met its burden to justify its infringement of those rights under the appropriate level of scrutiny. To justify this restriction, Congress used disproportionate crime rates to craft over- inclusive laws that restrict the rights of overwhelmingly law-abiding citizens. And in doing so, Congress focused on purchases from licensed dealers without establishing those dealers as the source of the guns 18- to 20-year-olds use to commit crimes. So we hold that the challenged federal laws and regulations are unconstitutional under the Second Amendment. [Editor: emphasis added] Despite the weighty interest in reducing crime and violence, we refuse to relegate either the Second Amendment or 18- to 20-year-olds to a second-class status.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit is one of twelve regional appellate courts within the federal judicial system. The court hears appeals from the nine federal district courts in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina and from federal administrative agencies. What does this mean to us in Louisiana? The 4th Circuit opinion does not affect a similar law in Louisiana that denies young adults 18-to-20-years-old  their constitutional right to purchase a handgun. However, LSA has filed a suit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana. In fact, there are similar cases pending in Louisiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Washington, California, Minnesota and other states that this Fourth Circuit ruling could directly impact.

The importance of common-sense decisions such as Judge Richardson’s cannot be over-stated.

M1 Garand Raffle Support Through the Years

The Louisiana Shooting Association has a strong tradition of training young competitive shooters. In the last couple of decades, we have helped many fine young men and women compete at national and international shooting events, including David Higgins who trained in Louisiana, attended the US Air Force Academy and shot on their collegiate team, and then qualified for and shot in the 2016 Summer Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro.

All of this support comes directly from you through donations and the purchase of raffle tickets. Each year, the Civilian Marksmanship Program provides a low-cost M1 Garand rifle to each State’s Association to use for fundraising efforts to support Junior Shooting Programs in that state. The LSA conducts a raffle each year on the third Saturday in October. This year’s winner was Mr. Bruce Lemmert of Marrero. Congratulations Bruce!

The LSA purchases equipment and supplies for the Junior shooters and provides travel grants and match fee support for young shooters. Over the years we have spent thousands of dollars on this program. All of these funds came from you!

However, we have noticed a significant decline in support of our raffle efforts the past couple of years. Each year the LSA prints 5000 raffle tickets, In the past, we sold all or most of those tickets, But you can see from the chart below that support has waned.

To this end, please consider purchasing raffle tickets to support Junior Shooting in the State. All of the money raised is set aside to support this program. The fund currently has $14,714.16. Please help us build the fund back up!

The drawing will be held on Saturday, October 15, 2022.

Failed Constitutional Carry Bill: Next Steps

By now you have certainly heard that the attempt to override the veto of SB118 (Constitutional Carry) failed on a vote in the Senate during the special session 23 Yeas to 15 Nays. When SB118 initially passed in the Senate, there were more than enough Yeas to override a veto. However, some of our key allies flip-flopped, dooming the override to failure.

The following senators changed their votes on the bill:

Gary L. Smith, Jr. (Democrat, Norco),

Franklin J. Foil (Republican, Baton Rouge),

Louie Bernard (Republican, Natchitoches), and

Patrick Connick (Republican, Marrero).

Make sure you remember that these politicians cannot be counted upon to support the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.  They cannot be trusted.

Foil, Bernard and Connick are freshman Senators. Let’s make sure their first term is their last.

Smith allegedly wants to be Governor. Another Democrat who claims to support the 2nd Amendment but votes against it when his vote is truly needed? I think not. We have seen that show before. Keep that in mind when you head to the polls!

Next Steps

A RINO (Republican In Name Only) is a legislator who calls him or herself a Republican, but who then makes deals with liberal Democrats at the expense of those that put that RINO in office.

There is an obvious fix when a RINO shows his or her true colors:  Recall that RINO and remove that RINO from the State Legislature. When that is done all the other RINOs will see that there is a cost to failing their constituents who thought they would uphold Republican values: the values that got them into office in the first place.

There is a group of highly dedicated individuals who are putting together a team to work on that project, and they need your help. They have started a consortium to Recall RINOs.

If you are someone who supports the effort to Recall RINOs, please email help@rinorecall.la with your name and a photograph.

The list of names and pictures will be placed on the RINORecall.la website.

LSA President Dan Zelenka, Political Director of the Firearms Professionals of Louisiana Chris Patron, Louisiana Director of Gun Owners of America Joshua Barnhill, and Founder of the Home Defense Foundation Michael Weinberger are all helping on this project, and more will join the effort very soon.

This effort will only succeed if you get involved!

LSA Joins Other Pro-2A Groups in “Friend of the Court” Brief to US Supreme Court

The Louisiana Shooting Association, Inc., along with the Second Amendment Foundation, Buckeye Firearms Foundation, Connecticut Citizens Defense League, Florida Carry, Grass Roots North Carolina, Illinois State Rifle Association, Maryland Shall Issue, Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, New Jersey Second Amendment Society, Sportsmen’s Association for Firearms Education, Tennessee Firearms Association, and Virginia Citizens Defense League, have filed a “Friend of the Court” brief in a case that is now in front of the US Supreme Court.

New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc., et al., Petitioners

v.

Kevin P. Bruen, in His Official Capacity as Superintendent of New York State Police, et al., Respondents

 

New York prohibits its ordinary law-abiding citizens from carrying a handgun outside the home without a license, and it denies licenses to every citizen who fails to convince the state that he or she has “proper cause” to carry a firearm. In District of Columbia v. Heller, the US Supreme Court held that the Second Amendment protects “the individual right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation,” 554 U.S. 570, 592 (2008), and in McDonald v. City of Chicago, the Court held that this right “is fully applicable to the States,” 561 U.S. 742, 750 (2010). For more than a decade since then, numerous courts of appeals have squarely divided on this critical question: whether the Second Amendment allows the government to deprive ordinary law-abiding citizens of the right to possess and carry a handgun outside the home. This circuit split is open and acknowledged, and it is squarely presented by this petition, in which the Second Circuit affirmed the constitutionality of a New York regime that prohibits law-abiding individuals from carrying a handgun unless they first demonstrate some form of “proper cause” that distinguishes them from the body of “the people” protected by the Second Amendment. The suit holds that the time has come for the Supreme Court to resolve this critical constitutional impasse and reaffirm the citizens’ fundamental right to carry a handgun for self-defense.

The question presented is: Whether the Second Amendment allows the government to prohibit ordinary law- abiding citizens from carrying handguns outside the home for self- defense.

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case limited to the following question:

WHETHER THE STATE’S DENIAL OF PETITIONERS’ APPLICATIONS FOR CONCEALED-CARRY LICENSES FOR SELF-DEFENSE VIOLATED THE SECOND AMENDMENT.

Sen. Gary Smith (D, Norco) Stabbed Gun Owners in the Back

There is growing concern across the US that the liberal politicians in Washington, DC have an outsized impact on our Civil Rights. Nowhere is this more obvious than with the Biden Administration’s efforts to marginalize and deny the Second Amendment (2A). As we watch urban areas crumble and die, the politicians do what politicians always do: avoid the difficult solutions and find a scapegoat for their failed policies. My friends, violence wrought by drugs, poverty, and despair is transformed by the politician into “gun violence” and it becomes your fault. Somehow, law-abiding gun owners become responsible for the acts of criminals.

To battle this growing Federal attack against your Civil Rights, 61% of the counties in the US have passed some form of 2A Sanctuary legislation, and many States have declared that every county in their State is a 2A Sanctuary. On June 17, 2021, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed the “Second Amendment Sanctuary State Act,” making Texas the 15th 2A Sanctuary State. Typically 2A Sanctuary legislation forbids Local or State Authorities from cooperating with Federal Authorities while they deny you your 2A Civil Rights.

In fact, Louisiana would have joined the growing rank of States who have drawn a line in the sand and become the 16th 2A Sanctuary State but for the actions of a single man, Sen. Gary L. Smith, Jr. (D, Norco). Sen. Smith is the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary B Committee.

HB 118 “Second Amendment Sanctuary” (not to be confused with SB 118 “Constitutional Carry”) passed in the Louisiana House on a vote of 70 Yeas to 30 Nays and was referred to the Senate Judiciary B Committee. The Senate Committee split along party lines with 3 Yeas and 3 Nays to refer HB 118 to the full Senate for their vote. However, Sen. Smith killed the bill at his Committee so that it would not be heard by the full Senate.

The Firearms Professionals of Louisiana set the record straight by distributing this flyer. You can download this flyer by clicking on the image below.

Submit Your Comments on Stabilizing Braces

Although the LSA focuses nearly 100% of its efforts on issues right here in Louisiana, sometimes National Issues affect our members to the point that the LSA must become involved. If the the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) manages to implement its new rule on Stabilizing Braces, thousands of Louisianians could become felons overnight.

On June 7, 2021, ATF published a new notice of proposed rule making on its website entitled Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached “Stabilizing Braces. The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on June 10, 2021, giving interested parties until September 8, 2021 to file comments. It is  important that you submit comments, which you can do by clicking here.

Since 2012, ATF has recognized that stabilizing braces and silencing barrel attachments like the omega 9k suppressor serve a legitimate function and the inclusion of a stabilizing brace on pistol or other firearm does not automatically subject that firearm to the provisions of the National Firearms Act (NFA). The proposed rule seems aimed at making nearly all configurations of firearms equipped with stabilizing braces subject to the taxation and registration requirements of the NFA, which is in direct contradiction to the opinions ATF has issued previously.

Due to the discretionary scheme created by the rule, the ATF Director would be given an incredible amount of power over the firearm industry. This comes at a time when President Biden has nominated anti-gun lobbyist and gun ban proponent David Chipman to head the ATF. This draft rule is just one more reason why it’s extremely important for all gun owners to contact their Senators and ask that they vote against Chipman’s confirmation.

These are ATF’s instructions for submitting comments:

You may submit comments, identified by docket number ATF 2021R-08, by any of the following methods—

  • Federal eRulemaking Portal: www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
  • Mail: Denise Brown, Mail Stop 6N-518, Office of Regulatory Affairs, Enforcement Programs and Services, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, 99 New York Ave. NE, Washington, DC 20226; ATTN: ATF 2021R-08.Fax: (202) 648-9741.

Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and docket number (ATF 2021R-08) for this notice of proposed rulemaking (“NPRM” or “proposed rule”). All properly completed comments received will be posted without change to the Federal eRulemaking portal, www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided.

ATF also provided the following contact information for any questions regarding the proposed rule:

Denise Brown, Office of Regulatory Affairs, Enforcement Programs and Services, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, U.S. Department of Justice, 99 New York Ave. NE, Washington, DC 20226; telephone: (202) 648-7070 (this is not a toll-free number).

In addition to these technical requirements, it’s important to keep the following in mind when submitting comments.

  • Comments must be professional and respectful. While it is extremely frustrating that the Biden Administration is attempting to confiscate lawfully acquired firearms, making comments that include profanity will make it easy for ATF to summarily reject those comments.
  • Comments should focus on the arbitrary nature of the proposed rule. That it is essentially impossible to determine when a firearm is legally a pistol or a short-barrel rifle  makes the proposed rule incompatible with American principles of due process of law.
  • Comments should be individualized and focus on how the proposed rule would impact the commenter. ATF will treat all identical comments as a single comment, so it is important to avoid using a form comment.

Pending Veto Override Session

In the waning hours of the last night on the final day to sign Louisiana’s Constitutional Carry Legislation into law, Governor John Bel Edwards decided to listen to the anti-gun minority in our Great State of Louisiana and veto SB118.  Despite the thousands of emails, calls, and texts coming from LSA Members and Second Amendment supporters, Governor Edwards sided with gun control groups in vetoing our right to effectively defend ourselves and our loved ones. I guess the Bloomberg money coming from out of state was too much of a Siren Call for him.

You may think the LSA has been quiet, but rest assured that the level of work behind the scenes from your LSA leadership has been exhaustive and unprecedented. LSA President Dan Zelenka has been working non-stop to ensure a veto session. He has spoken with many of your State Senators and Representatives and has done  many local, regional, and national interviews with the media. Other Directors have been busy speaking with and coordinating activities with other pro-Rights groups around the state. It has been a full court press!

July 15, 2021 is the final date for legislators to decide if they will hold a veto session. If you have not already done so, please call or email your State Senator and State Representative and ask that they support the veto override session and vote to override Governor Edwards’ veto of Senate Bill 118.

As a reminder, Senate Bill 118 removes the requirement for law-abiding individuals to obtain a concealed handgun permit before being allowed to carry a concealed handgun for self-defense.  This important legislation ensures that citizens are able to exercise their right to self-defense without government red tape or delays.  This measure does not affect previously issued carry permits, and still allows citizens who wish to obtain a permit to do so.

To contact your State Legislators, click here.

California “Assault Weapon” Ban Ruled Unconstitutional

U.S. District Court Judge Roger T. Benitez declared California’s statutes regarding so called “Assault Weapons” to be unconstitutional. In a significant ruling in the case Miller v. Bonta, which was filed by a coalition of pro-Civil Rights groups including the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), the Firearms Policy Coalition, California Gun Rights Foundation, San Diego County Gun Owners PAC, Poway Weapons and Gear, Gunfighter Tactical, LLC, and several private citizens including James Miller, for whom the case is named, Judge Benitez  shredded California gun control laws regarding modern semi-automatic rifles in a 94-page ruling.

Executive Vice President of the SAF, Alan M. Gottlieb said, “It is clear the judge did his homework on this ruling, and we are delighted with the outcome.” In his opening paragraph, Judge Benitez observes, “Like the Swiss Army Knife, the popular AR-15 rifle is a perfect combination of home defense weapon and homeland defense equipment. Good for both home and battle, the AR-15 is the kind of versatile gun that lies at the intersection of the kinds of firearms protected under District of Columbia v. Heller, 554 U.S. 570 (2008) and United States v Miller, 307 U.S. 174 (1939). Yet, the State of California makes it a crime to have an AR- 15 type rifle. Therefore, this Court declares the California statutes to be unconstitutional.

Later in the ruling, Judge Benitez observes, “The Second Amendment protects modern weapons.” A few pages later, he adds, “Modern rifles are popular. Modern rifles are legal to build, buy, and own under federal law and the laws of 45 states.” Perhaps most importantly, the judge notes that California’s ban on such firearms “has had no effect” on shootings in the state. “California’s experiment is a failure,” Judge Benitez says.

“Under no level of heightened scrutiny can the law survive,” Judge Benitez said. He issued a permanent injunction against enforcement of the law but stayed it for 30 days to give state Attorney General Rob Bonta time to appeal. Not surprisingly, California Gov. Gavin Newsom condemned the decision, calling it “a direct threat to public safety and the lives of innocent Californians, period.” On the judge’s comparison of the AR-15 to the Swiss Army Knife, the Governor said it “completely undermines the credibility of this decision and is a slap in the face to the families who’ve lost loved ones to this weapon. We’re not backing down from this fight, and we’ll continue pushing for common sense gun laws that will save lives.”

Of course, the Governor completely ignores the statistics that demonstrate that very few people are killed by any long gun, much less AR-15s, because of this, people should be allowed to buy at the Best gun store Canada. Californians are 7-times more likely to die from a knife than from any rifle and are three times as likely to die from hands or feet. In 2019, California saw 252 people murdered with a knife, while 34 people were killed with some type of rifle – not necessarily an AR15.

Of course, “common sense” has never had anything to do with California’s gun laws.