2A News in the news

• We’ve done it again! The 2A News is ranked in Feedspot’s Top 50 Tactical Blogs for 2025. Congrats to us. I do urge you to visit all those other sites as well. I especially want to thank our 2A Newsletter list members and site visitors. We do it all for you.

Administration

• More on ATF reform.

• US Attorney General Pam Bondi has told Pennsylvania sheriffs to issue concealed carry permits to qualified non-residents, saying some sheriffs’ refusal to issue the permits violates non-residents’ gun rights, which could trigger intervention by the US Department of Justice. “This practice is unlawful under Pennsylvania law,” Bondi wrote last month. “It also raises serious concerns under the Second Amendment, which guarantees the right to bear arms in public, as well as the Privileges and Immunities Clause, which prohibits discriminating against out-of-state citizens by denying them the exercise of fundamental rights.”

Litigation

• BREAKING: The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) yesterday unanimously ruled that Mexico’s government failed to show the actions of Smith & Wesson or the other named gun companies in the case Mexico v. Smith & Wesson aided and abetted Mexican criminals in their efforts to illegally obtain guns. It concluded that this meant Mexico’s $10 billion liability suit was barred from moving forward by the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which prevents suits designed to hold gun companies responsible for the criminal acts of third parties they weren’t directly involved in, saying, “An action cannot be brought against a manufacturer if, like Mexico’s, it is founded on a third-party’s criminal use of the company’s product.” This is the first time SCOTUS has ruled on the PLCAA and the exceptions to it.

• A split Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear a challenge to a Maryland state ban on evil black semiautomatic rifles but had some interesting comments. SCOTUS denied certiorari in Snope v. Brown and Ocean State Tactical v. Rhode Island. Those were appeals of lower court rulings upholding Maryland’s AR-15 sales ban and Rhode Island’s magazine capacity limits, respectively.

• Meanwhile, the legal team from Gun Owners of America (GOA) and Gun Owners Foundation (GOF) is now litigating FFLs in Illinois v. Pritzker, where they secured a permanent injunction against Illinois’ sweeping rifle and magazine bans. That case is currently on appeal in the U.S. Seventh Circuit and stands as one of the best-positioned challenges to be taken up by the Supreme Court when the Court is ready.

• Fort Devins update.

Legislation

• Once the governor signs the bill and after September 1, Texas will recognize any valid handgun license issued by another state and will negotiate agreements with states that require reciprocal recognition.
• Grassroots report.

Enemies & Liars

• Inside the Anti-Gun Playbook: How Propaganda Manipulates the Public. Or, how to lie about everything. Oh, and don’t forget racism.
• Meanwhile, the Everytown for Gun Safety and Students Demand Action gun ban groups held a rally at the Kentucky State Capitol in February to push for new restrictions on the right to keep and bear arms, where one of their speakers captivated the small crowd of anti-gunners with his moving story about surviving a mass shooting at his Pennsylvania high school. But it didn’t happen. As it turns out, what Calvin Polachek told the crowd was an outright lie. He invented the school shooting and his self-proclaimed trauma. But most headlines on this story were all about how the gun ban groups were “distancing” themselves from the liar who was “not a member” of their group, and not about how they scheduled a fake narrative to sway public emotion.
• The CDC says guns are the No. 1 killer of children. Here’s what’s really true.
• After years of controversy and mounting political pressure, Citigroup has officially reversed its 2018 policy that restricted banking services to firearm-related businesses. The decision comes in response to regulatory developments, executive orders, and a renewed push from the Trump administration to ensure fair access to banking for all Americans — including those in the firearms industry. Citigroup also found itself in violation of various state anti-discrimination laws. In a statement released Tuesday, the company announced it would “no longer have a specific policy as it relates to firearms” and would update its Code of Conduct and Global Financial Access Policy to affirm that the bank does not discriminate on the basis of political affiliation.
• I dumped my Citi card years ago, and I DO NOT believe they have really changed, but instead simply realized that the federal government is more of a threat to their bottom line than all the gun ban groups are. Another commenter also noted that “We also will no longer have a SPECIFIC policy as it relates to firearms” sounds like weasel words, and companies that reverse policies on firearms, ESG, DEI, etc., in response to political pressure can just as easily revert to the earlier ones when their team regains power.
• Gun control. Just don’t.

NRA

• Under Wild Skies Appeal Turned Down
• Who Is Expected To Pay The Legal Bills For Thom King v. Ollie North?
• I have notice that the NRA-ILA seems to be a little more active now, perhaps because the former EVP isn’t stealing all their money.

DGUs

• The Armed Citizen:
  • America’s 1st Freedom – May 30, 2025
  • American Rifleman – May 30, 2025
  • American Rifleman – June 2, 2025

Not a DGU

• Mohtasem Mahir Thabata, the owner of Moe’s Smoke Shop in Albuquerque, is facing a murder charge after he shot a shoplifter who was fleeing in a car. Don’t do that.

Tactics & Stuff

• Shooting from retention. Ayoob.
• Shotguns. Dabbs.
• Pepper spray tips.
• Gun Talk Media’s First Person Defender Season 14 is underway on its new dedicated YouTube channel. These are interesting.
• All about the SKS.
• Army’s New XM7 Rifle Ignites Debate on Ammunition Capacity.
• Boulder, CO, terrorism.
• Life is general. Embrace the coyote. Good advice.
• Did you know? Ferdinand Mannlicher perfected the first successful straight-pull rifle when the Austro-Hungarian Empire adopted his design in 1886.
• Attack of the drones. I had a thought. What if John Browning was still alive to design them?

Obits

• Dr. Joe Ford Jacobs, 75, was a member of the Mississippi State Firearm Owners Association, a 2A News list member, and all-around good guy. I am sorry to say I lost touch with him in recent years, probably because we both had email issues. He will be missed.
• Suppressor Innovator Phil “Doc” Dater, 1937-2025.
• More on Phil Robertson.

Products

• I recently returned an out-of-warranty Streamlight Pocket Mate USB keychain light to the company because it didn’t appear to be recharging correctly. This light sells for maybe $30. A very impressive 325 lumens from a light that’s 2″ long and 1″ wide. Streamlight sent me a new one with no charge for the light or return shipping, even though it was out of warranty. Y’all try some Streamlights, ya hear? (I received no compensation or consideration whatsoever for this endorsement, other than the replacement light. Streamlight had no idea I was going to advertise for them.)
• The Browning Recoil Hawg muzzle brake. Interesting, but it only works on rifles up to 30 caliber, which seems to me to be missing most of the point.
• Primary Arms has some of its tactical backpacks on sale, cheap. I have one of their Modular Assault Packs and it seems like a very nice little pack. It is not big, maybe 16″ tall x 12″ wide. Makes a great little day pack tote bag. Well worth the money at only $13 plus shipping (maybe $20) and tax. They also have military and first responder discounts.