As non-RSS readers may have noticed, I now have a link on the sidebar to join the NRA*. While I have had some criticism for their marketing plan in the past, I still think it’s a valuable organization–especially at the federal level.
As a long-time member of the Tennessee Firearms Association, I have seen first hand the immense value that state level organizations have. Robb has, too.
So I am aware of the TFA, Florida Carry, CalGuns, the Illinois State Rifle Association, and The Texas State Rifle Associaion. Other states, not so much.
I could Google “$state gun rights” but I might end up with false-flag or fringe operations, so I’m asking readers to point me to the right place. I want to have a page here that lists all the state organizations to make it easy for newbies to find.
If you know a state organization, please leave a comment with the name and URL. I appreciate it!
*If you join via that link or the link in the sidebar, you’ll get $10 off a 1 year subscription.
NYSRPA: http://www.nysrpa.org/
New Jersey: http://www.anjrpc.org/
Pingback: SayUncle » State level gun rights groups
New Jersey: http://nj2as.com
MA: Gun Owner’s Action League (www.goal.org)
You can check the ‘Out-of-State’ listings we have here to help get you started.
http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/Web-Links
Virginia Citizens Defense League
http://www.vcdl.org/
Georgia: http://georgiacarry.org
In Minnesota we have the Gun Owners Civil Rights Alliance:
http://www.mnccrn.org/
Arizona State Rifle and Pistol Association
http://www.asrpa.com/
Arizona Citizens Defense League
http://www.azcdl.org/
There are two major organizations in Ohio:
Buckeye Firearms Association
http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/
Ohioans For Concealed Carry
http://ohioccw.org/
NY also has SCOPE
http://scopeny.org/
PA: Firearm Owners Against Crime ( http://www.foac-pac.org/ ) is pretty much the only MAJOR organization I am aware of that does anything positive in PA; The NRA-ILA either does nothing, or actively works against our rights.
Allegheny County Sportsmen’s League ( http://www.acslpa.org/ ) also helps with lobbying, and it appears as though a similar organization from Beaver County is also helping lobby the Commonwealth Legislature.
Connecticut: Connecticut Carry (http://ctcarry.com)
Indiana State Rifle and Pistol Association.
Disclaimer: I serve on the Board of Directors.
http://isrpa.org/
Kentucky: Kentucky State Rifle & Pistol Association (http://kysrpa.org/2010/what-is-the-kysrpa)
Only one I know of in Mississippi – http://www.msfoa.com/
It’s a state-level NRA affiliate.
North Carolina
http://www.grnc.org
Oregon Firearms Federation
http://www.oregonfirearms.org/
We have dueling groups here in Michigan
migunowners.org Michigan Gun Owners.
mcrgo.org Michigan Coalition of Responsible Gun Owners.
They apparently do not like each other very much. I don’t know why.
http://www.lonestarcdl.org/#
Another Texas group
In addition to ctcarry.com listed above, there are:
The Coalition of Connecticut Sportsmen who has been around a long time but is not a single issue group. http://www.ctsportsmen.com/
Connecticut Citizens Defense League http://www.ccdl.us/
Connecticut Shooters and Sportsmen (CTSAS) http://ctsas.wordpress.com/
Why so many orgs in CT? Is it a regional thing? Do they work together?
Connecticut Carry was formed as a no-compromise group that concentrates on pro-active actions and litigation. We are held together by the simple statement found in Article 1, Section 15 of the Connecticut Constitution: “Every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of himself and the state.”. Therefore, we are not limited to hunting, handguns, long guns or even firearms at all.
Anything that is considered ‘bearing arms’ is something we can work on.
We are a 501(c)(4) non profit organization which, as far as we know, is a unique position for a gun friendly rights organization in Connecticut.
CCS is mainly a Fud group when it comes to guns. They are a hunting, fishing oriented org, so they arent overly concerned about things like assault weapon bans or open carry. They are the only group in CT with a paid lobbyist in the state capitol.
CCDL is modeled after the VCDL and related groups. Probably the largest grassroots group in the state. They are also a nonprofit and have been from day one. Like VCDL they focus more on trying to work with the legislature and the public, rather then via the courts system like CTCarry focuses on. No paid lobbyists, but their unpaid volunteers are probably almost as active as CCS’s paid guy.
CTSAS is more an informational site then an actual org. I don’t think they have any meetings, officers or membership other then an email list. Hasnt been verly active the last few years.
You also have the Connecticut State Rifle & Revolver Association, which is the big NRA/CMP affiliated org. They appear to be almost exclusively aimed at promoting and protecting the NRA sanctioned rifle and handgun shooting sports.
So yes, all the different groups do have different focuses with some overlap, and many of us belong to more then one.
The primary political group in Delaware is the Delaware State Sportsmen’s Association (http://delsports.net) but there are number of other groups like Delaware Open Carry (http://www.deloc.org) that are interested in other forms of political advocacy.
New Hampshire has GONH ( Gun owners of NH). http://www.gonh.org and a couple of new ones that I haven’t looked in to, but don’t seem to be antis in disguise
Firearms Owners Against Crime (Pennsylvania)
http://www.foac-pac.org
here’s one for south carolina
http://www.gosc.org/
Iowa has two – IGO and IFC. IGO has used tactics that have seriously undermined the cause of expanding 2A rights in Iowa, including spitting on people at a NRA Grassroots workshop (!!!) and harassing legislators.
IFC, on the other hand, is the official state NRA affiliate and has good rapport with legislators, and is the organization responsible for many of the recent successes in Iowa including Shall Issue. I am a life member. http://www.iowafc.org
State of Maryland:
Dedicated to the preservation and advancement of gunowners’ rights, with a primary goal of allowing law-abiding citizens the right to carry a concealed weapon