Compiled from NRA and CCRKBA press releases

Following up on [Thursday's] Supreme Court ruling that the Second Amendment protects a private right to possess firearms that is not limited to militia service, the NRA [Friday] filed five lawsuits challenging local gun bans in San Francisco, and in Chicago and several of its suburbs.

“The Supreme Court held yesterday that the Second Amendment right is exercised individually and belongs to all Americans,” said NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris W. Cox. “These lawsuits will ensure that state and local governments hear those words.”

The San Francisco lawsuit challenges a local ordinance and lease provisions that prohibit possession of guns by residents of public housing in San Francisco. NRA is joined in that suit by the California Rifle and Pistol Association and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

Attorney Alan Gura, on behalf of a coalition of the Second Amendment Foundation and several Chicago Residents, filed suit this morning against the City of Chicago, challenging that city’s draconian gun ban laws. You can view a copy of the complaint here.

This suit is the necessary and logical second step towards restoring the Second Amendment as a viable force in American law. As you read from our prior coverage, the Heller decision applies only to the Federal government. A necessary second step is “incorporation” of the Second Amendment against the 50 states. As originally written, none of the Bill of Rights applied to the states. That was accomplished by the adoption of the 14th Amendment. The gun ban extremists argue that the Second Amendment has never been incorporated, the pro-gun activists argue that it has. Now we will have the answer.

This is a critical next step in the small, building block approach on the way towards fully restoring the Second Amendment.

Predictably, Chicago Mayor Dick Daly is squealing like a stuck pig.

By Tim Inwood

In the past four years, gun owners in Ohio have made amazing strides forward. After years of battling for concealed carry, we finally won in 2004. In 2006, we won major reforms with HB347. This year, we not only won the uphill battle for Castle Doctrine but many other important amendments were added that improved what was already a pretty good piece of legislation. We even saw passage of laws to help handicapped hunters with access to public grounds, so they too could enjoy the time-honored tradition of taking to the field for the hunt. As a group, the gun owning fraternity in Ohio has truly enjoyed advancement in our goals.

That said, there are additional things that need to be done. Granted, some of the needed changes are in Columbus, but I want to talk about something each and every one of us can do.

Trust your fellow gun owner.

By Chad D. Baus

Each summer, the world's finest civilian and military marksmen and women square off for five weeks of rifle and handgun competition in a variety of formats and events right here in the Buckeye State.

This year marks the 101st running of the National Matches, for which so many shooters have embarked on an annual pilgrimage to Camp Perry, Ohio, on the shores of Lake Erie near Port Clinton.

What thousands of others drive across country or fly around the world for, we are blessed as Ohioans to have literally right in our backyard.

If you enjoy the shooting sports to even the smallest degree, then there is simply no excuse for not making the short drive to the National Matches, whether you plan to go as a spectator, a volunteer, or a competitor.

NEWTOWN, Conn. -- The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) has announced a new program designed to help local public and private ranges increase participation in the shooting sports.

The Range Partnership Grant Program is making available a total of $250,000 per year for projects that specifically address one or more of the following objectives: recruitment of new shooters, reactivation of lapsed shooters and increased opportunities for active shooters to try another discipline. The NSSF is especially interested in new, creative approaches to these challenges.

By Jim Irvine

This weekend, May 16 - May 20, the NRA Annual Meetings will be held in Louisville, Kentucky. In addition to being a huge gun show, you can also attend seminars about gun laws, concealed carry, and self defense, as well as meet Eddie the Eagle and learn about the NRA’s gun safety programs.

The Second Amendment is about more than CCW, or hunting, or target shooting – it’s about all of them and more.

Every major gun manufacturer will be there showing their wares. Whether you are looking for a new concealed carry gun, a rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader, or one of those so-called assault weapons, you will find it on display this weekend. (No guns are sold at the meetings, but there is not a better place to compare guns so that you come home to your local dealer knowing exactly what you want to buy)

In honor of NRA's upcoming annual meeting and his keynote address to NRA's annual banquet on Saturday May 17, Glenn Beck is holding "Gun Rights Week" on both his radio and T.V. shows.

These shows will be broadcast on the Premiere Radio Network's 280 stations from 9 a.m. to noon, Eastern, and on CNN Headline News Network every night at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Each day, Glenn will feature a new gun rights segment on his shows. Wayne LaPierre will be his guest on Tuesday, and NRA-ILA's Chris Cox will be the featured guest on Wednesday. And each day for the rest of the week, there will be another firearm freedom expert talking to Glenn and millions of his listeners.

(Columbus, OH) - Midwest Retail Giant Meijer, Inc. has ended its promotion with the nation’s largest anti-hunting organization.

The leadership at Meijer, a Michigan-based regional chain of retail superstores, has responded to the concerns of the sportsman community and ended its partnership with the anti-hunting group, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), in an online pet photo contest.

By Linda Walker

Recently, Buckeye Firearms Association had the privilege to co-sponsor a Candidates Reception with the US Sportsman Alliance (USSA). This is the third year that Buckeye Firearms has played a major role in this worthy event. This was the first year that the Ohio Republican and Democrat parties also joined as co-sponsors of the event, amongst other organizations.

Candidates, senators and state representatives from across the state were invited to this reception to mix and mingle with sportsman, hunters and Second Amendment supporters. This is always a great opportunity for individuals to talk face to face with the candidates and for the candidates to hear from the people of what their concerns may be.

Founded in 2004, the United States Concealed Carry Association fills a much needed void in the gun community by bringing together concealed carry enthusiasts from all over the country. Until its creation the landscape was dominated by organizations like the National Rifle Association or state level hunting groups. While both have a place in the gun owner community, neither type of group is a solid resource for the millions of concealed carry license holders across the United States.

Even the mainstream pro-gun magazines that are geared towards tactics aren’t specific to civilian concealed carry.

The United States Concealed Carry Association, founded by Tim Schmidt, fills that role by bringing together handgun trainers and pro-gun advocates to create a resource that covers all aspects of the concealed carry lifestyle.