This week we’re taking a closer look at the latest lawsuit against California’s unique handgun restrictions.
So, who better to talk to than one of the plaintiffs in the case? That’s why I reached out to Reno May. He has joined the suit claiming California’s ban on “unsafe” handguns violates the Second Amendment.
May’s case comes after two previous challenges to the law have failed. Plaintiffs in the new case, which include the California Rifle and Pistol Association, argue the Supreme Court’s New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen decision calls for renewed scrutiny of the regulations. They contend the state’s modern first-of-their-kind restrictions can’t clear the text and tradition test set in Bruen because there is no historical analogue for the roster.
The “microstamping” provision, which requires all new pistol models to include technology that does not exist in any production firearm on the planet, is at the core of the plaintiffs’ problems with the law. May said it shows the goal is to restrict handgun ownership rather than keep unsafe firearms out of the safe. He said the same was true of the requirement that three approved guns be removed for every one gun added to the roster.
May said the law has a number of contradictions that undermine it as well. He noted that law enforcement is allowed to own and carry pistols the state deems “unsafe,” and the majority of the guns on the roster don’t include the safety features required in the act.
Joining the suit puts May in the company of others who operate popular YouTube channels focused on gun ownership. He explained why he decided to get more involved in activism and why he thinks other “GunTubers” are doing the same.
Plus, Contributing Writer Jake Fogelman and I talk about the new ATF inspection controversy and how it gives insight into the new relationship between the agency and the industry.
You can listen to the episode on your favorite podcasting app or our YouTube channel on Monday. Reload Members can listen to it on Sunday by clicking here.
