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.

Buckeye Firearms Association volunteer Bob Harsanje recently attended the signing ceremony for Senate Bill 209, legislation which will, among other things, create mobility-impaired access lanes on various public hunting lands of the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

The bill also will allow mobility impaired, licensed individuals to hunt from such lanes with a special permit via electric-powered all-purpose vehicles or in a stationary road vehicle.

"This legislation represents a continuation of our efforts to enhance opportunities for persons with disabilities to hunt and fish," said Jim Marshall, assistant chief of the Division of Wildlife.

By Jim Irvine

Buckeye Firearms Association filed our post-primary report with the Ohio Secretary of State recently. Thanks to you, we are bigger and stronger than we have ever been, and we are continuing to grow. Your support truly matters.

This report covered the period from February 14 to April 4, 2008. During this time we received $10,490 in donations. Most of this was attributable to our Dave Grossman fundraising event scheduled for September 27th. We also received donations from more than 20 other defenders and supporters. Every one counts.

A year ago, we came up with the idea of printing wallet cards with basic CCW rules and giving them to instructors around Ohio.

We expected this to be a simple way to help instructors add value to their classes, educate CCW students, and introduce citizens to Buckeye Firearms Association. What we didn't expect was the overwhelming response to this idea.

The program launched with little fanfare on March 13, 2007. On Day 1, we received 22 requests totaling 2,750 cards. Our first batch of cards disappeared within a few days. We had to reduce the number of cards we offered to each instructor just to allow us to maintain an inventory.

Since then, the requests have been pouring in. Over the last 12 months, we have received 358 requests for a total of 47,000 cards. If you count the additional cards we've handed out at gun shows and events, the total climbs to 55,000.

The program has been so successful, The Second Amendment Foundation wants to take the program national so that every state allowing concealed carry would have their own version of this card.

Why is all this so important? Because each card acts as a little advertisement for Buckeye Firearms Association and the powerful pro-gun movement here in Ohio. They are printed on heavy, glossy paper so they'll last for years in a wallet or purse. That means there are 55,000 ads floating around Ohio with more going out every day.

By Ken Hanson

Today's progressive lifestyles often run into an unavoidable conflict with the tactical warrior mindset. Specifically, how does one balance one-shot stopping power with the desire to leave a carbon-neutral footprint?

In an effort to aid the eco-warrior in making environmentally friendly choices in carry gun and ammunition choices, this article will examine defending yourself and your family in the context of ecologically friendly manufacturing processes, components and recycling within the ccw paradigm.

Is a metal gun's manufacturing process more harmful than the fossil-fuel intensive polymer materials in non-metal guns? Is a 9mm steel round greener than a 45 ACP jacketed lead hollow-point, and is there really any difference in the tactical deployment of either round? It's not just about purchasing carbon-offsets anymore!

Let's face it - whether jumping in the Prius to take your recycling to the reclamation center or on the bike to head to Yoga, there are not many green choices when it comes to handguns and accessories. So, like many other areas of environmental defense, it is up to the ecowarrior to be proactive and adopt earth-friendly practices. There is a veritable cottage industry (in the good, New England family business sense and not the monolithic corporate rapist sense) that has blossomed to provide green alternatives to the tactical operator.

Are you getting tired of seeing only "no gun" signs around Ohio? They do nothing but create victim zones and tell criminals, "Hey, come on in! Everyone here is totally helpless!"

Really bright, huh?

Well, now there's an alternative sign created by one of our volunteers. This pro-CCW sign tells criminals that maybe they should move on. And it informs anyone entering the building that it's a much safer place to do business.

This is a PDF that you can download and print. (If you can't open a PDF, download Adobe Reader free.) Ask CCW-friendly businesses to post this sign near the entrances in plain sight.

For best results, print this sign in COLOR. The high resolution version will print better, but it's a large file (over 1MB). If you have a slow Internet connection, download the smaller file.

Download high-resolution pro-CCW sign
Download low-resolution pro-CCW sign

Feel free to post a link to this story or bookmark it at your favorite social site such as Digg or StumbleUpon. We'd love to see thousands of these signs all over Ohio. So get the word out.

The Supreme Court has heard the case. Buckeye Firearms Association LIVE blog published during oral arguments located at end of the following commentary...along with links to the written transcript and to archived audio of the entire hearing...

By Ken Hanson, Esq.

The historic day is finally here. The United States Supreme Court will hear testimony today on what is being called "the Roe v. Wade of gun rights".

This morning, Alan Gura will be arguing in front of the Supreme Court of the United States in defense of your Second Amendment rights in the case District of Columbia v. Heller. Regular readers of this website know the issues, and the importance of this case. This website will be updated, starting about noon Eastern time, with blog updates on the oral argument as it happens. (Streaming version, my personal trip to D.C. was nixed by a jury trial getting scheduled.) In the meantime, our readers might enjoy some "behind the scenes" insight into the process.

Buckeye Firearms Association Legislative Chair Ken Hanson delivered testimony Thursday before the House Criminal Justice Committee in support of 'Castle Doctrine' legislation currently receiving consideration in both the House and Senate.

Following is the complete testimony delivered on behalf of Buckeye Firearms Association on HB264/SB184.

Buckeye Firearms Association is pleased to announce passage of Senate Bill 209, which will, among other things, create mobility-impaired access lanes on various public hunting lands of the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

In late February, after accepting testimony from Buckeye Firearms Association's Bob Harsanje and Larry S. Moore, the House Finance & Appropriations Committee voted to amend HB473 into Senate Bill 209, an omnibus fiscal bill that already includes some other natural resources provisions. The amendment, proposed by State Rep. Peter Ujvagi (D), was supported by SB209's primary sponsor, Sen. John Carey (R) and by Dave Graham, Chief of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

The bill also will allow mobility impaired, licensed individuals to hunt from such lanes with a special permit via electric-powered all-purpose vehicles or in a stationary road vehicle.

"Mobility impaired hunters deserve the same rights to enjoy their pastime as any other Ohioans," Ujvagi notes. "This plan will help clear some of the obstacles in their way."

Passage of this bill, which received unanimous support in both chambers of the Ohio legislature, was a long-time in coming.

The results are in, and it was a very encouraging night for Ohio gun owners in the races for which Buckeye Firearms Association made endorsements and recommendations.

Overall, we are extremely pleased with the outcome of the primary contests we saw as important for Ohio gun owners.

As usual there were several examples which proved just how crucial pro-gun Ohioans' involvement in their party primaries can be in nominating pro-gun candidates.