Gun Rights

New Mexico's pistol-packin' Gov. Susana Martinez received perfect scores on recertification for her concealed-carry permit over the weekend in Las Cruces. She scored 100 percent with both .38- and .45-caliber handguns, her staff said. Martinez's permit to carry a concealed handgun, originally obtained in 2009, was extended for another two years.

A New Jersey anti-violence group tried to buy up children's toy guns to reduce Newark's record setting summer shootings.

Officials from the National Rifle Association and Boy Scouts of America will be at the National Scouting Museum in Irving, Texas on August 19 to open a new exhibit titled “A Century of Marksmanship.”

The following statement is from Scot Thomasson, chief, Public Affairs Division, Office of Public and Governmental Affairs, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF): 'Recent media reports have inaccurately characterized personnel changes involving ATF agents associated with the Fast and Furious operation as promotions. Special Agents Voth, Newell and McMahon were laterally transferred from operational positions and moved into administrative roles, they were not promoted. They did not receive salary or grade increases nor did they assume positions with greater responsibility.

The number of gun crimes at Virginia bars and restaurants declined slightly during the first year of a new state law that allows people with permits to carry concealed firearms into establishments that serve alcohol, a Richmond newspaper reported.

(GunReports.com) -- As most decent people are watching the stock market gyrations and following our federal government’s mismanagement of both monetary and fiscal policy, our nation is entering an unpredictable phase. I’m sorry to say that, based on history, things are going to get worse. Just look at London, England, where four nights of rioting hooligans have resulted in the deployment of an extra 16,000 police officers in an attempt to stop the looting, vandalism, destruction, assaults, and robbery. My response to “flash mobs”? GET A GUN.

Patrick B. Pexton, the Washington Post's so-called ombudsman, defends his meal ticket's work on barely reporting Operation Fast & Furious. His unsurprising bottom line: 'No news outlet covers every story perfectly. Nor do they reach the conclusions that ideologues on the left or right want. But The Post has acquitted itself well on Fast and Furious.'

The New York Times recently reported that states are using a 'better lifestyle' pitch, with promises of greater personal freedom, low or no state taxes, minimal regulation, the absence of unions and the right to bear arms, to lure gunmakers to change locations.

From Aaron Dorr, Executive Director of the Iowa Gun Owners 2nd Amendment group: According to the national polls, Governor Romney is the frontrunner for the GOP nomination. Given his hostile record and his unashamed quotes supporting even more gun control - you and I need to all we can to get the word out here in Iowa.

(GunReports.com) -- Merced County (Calif.) Sheriff Mark Pazin is one of several California sheriffs being scrutinized over his jurisdiction's concealed carry weapons permit process, and the issue has morphed into a lawsuit. The permits allow residents to legally carry concealed firearms in public if they demonstrate proficiency with a handgun, pass a background check, show they are mentally stable and have a legitimate reason for a permit.

The July 2011 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 680,258 is an increase of 8.3 percent over the NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 628,125 in July 2010.

From the Gun Owners of America: The debt ceiling deal is now law, and both sides of the political aisle are arguing over who won and who lost. But, according to GOA, one thing you won’t hear about -- in fact, we may not fully know the answer for several months -- is how much gun owners lost in this recent deal.