National Gun Owner Rights Groups

National Gun Owner Rights Groups: Who Defends the Second Amendment Nationally

Gun owners are represented nationally by dozens of organizations, and they do not all do the same job. Some lobby Congress, some file lawsuits, some represent the firearms industry, and some focus on training, competition or reaching new communities of owners. Knowing which group does what helps owners decide where to put their membership dues, their donations and their time. The directory below lists national organizations roughly in order of founding; this introduction explains how they fit together.

The National Rifle Association, founded in 1871 to improve marksmanship, is the oldest and best known; its lobbying arm, the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, dates to 1975. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (1961) is the industry's trade association. The 1970s brought groups formed specifically around political and legal defense of the right: the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (1971), the Second Amendment Foundation (1974), which backed the McDonald v. Chicago case decided in 2010, and Gun Owners of America (1975), founded by California state senator H.L. "Bill" Richardson and known for a no-compromise approach to legislation.

Newer organizations have broadened the field. Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership (1989) focuses on history and civil rights; the National Association for Gun Rights (2000) emphasizes grassroots political pressure; the American Suppressor Association (2011) concentrates on suppressor law; and Firearms Policy Coalition (2014) has become one of the most active litigants in Second Amendment cases. Groups such as the National African American Gun Association (2015), the Liberal Gun Club (2008) and Pink Pistols (2000) reflect how diverse the gun-owning public has become.

Types of National Groups

Lobbying and political action: NRA-ILA, Gun Owners of America, National Association for Gun Rights.
Litigation: Second Amendment Foundation, Firearms Policy Coalition, and the legal arms of other groups.
Industry and trade: NSSF, SAAMI, American Suppressor Association.
Training and community: NRA training programs, Project Appleseed, A Girl & A Gun, NAAGA.

What Gun Owners Should Know

Groups often disagree on strategy; compare their positions, litigation records and finances before joining.
Many file joint lawsuits and amicus briefs; one membership can support several cases.
State groups often have more influence on state laws than national ones; consider joining both.