Gun laws in Arkansas are more strict than than 32 states in the nation, and more lenient than 17 others, according to
Guns and Ammo's 2014 list of the Best States for Gun Owners.
The Brady Campaign, the nation’s largest citizens’ lobby to prevent gun violence, working in partnership with the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, put out a scorecard that included Arkansas among 26 states that received an “F” for failing to have strong gun laws in place.
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In contrast to Guns and Ammo, the scorecard had Arkansas tied with Oklahoma and South Carolina for maintaining the nation’s 34th strongest gun laws by state. That would suggest Arkansas, Oklahoma, and South Carolina each have gun laws stricter than those present in 14 states, but more lenient than those in 33.
Differences in perceptions about where Arkansas stands nationwide may stem in part from factors evaluators are looking at. People examining a state’s gun-friendliness may take into account various things including what types of guns the state allows, what steps a person has to take to acquire a gun, what rights a resident has to use a gun against an intruder, and whether the state allows concealed carry and open carry.
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Arkansas last year joined Vermont, Arizona, Alaska, and Wyoming in becoming only the nation’s fifth state to enact gun-friendly “Constitutional Carry” provisions into law. Constitutional Carry occurs in a state “when no laws exist that generally restrict the carry of handguns (open or concealed)
for self-defense purposes,” the National Review said.
On the other hand, Arkansas wasn’t on a list the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence published in 2014 identifying the
26 states with “shoot first” statutes that generally permit the use of deadly force in self-defense in public places with no duty to retreat.
Guns and Ammo reported Arkansas was a more restrictive “duty to retreat” state, unless the person using deadly force was in his or her home.
This article does not constitute legal advice. Check the current gun laws before purchasing or traveling with a firearm.
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