D.C. Gun Rights Groups Challenge Stun-Gun Ban, Winning Repeal

posted on September 29, 2016
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

Washington, D.C., legislators are looking to repeal a ban on stun-gun ownership after three residents filed a federal suit challenging its constitutionality. This week, the District decided not to enforce the prohibition against the three, making the way for city lawmakers to prepare legislation to lift the long-standing ban. 

In March—eight years after the Heller decision—the U.S. Supreme Court overruled Massachusetts’ highest courts, which claimed the Second Amendment wasn’t applicable with regards to a ban on stun guns.

While stun guns are currently banned in several states, constitutional supporters say the regulations limit self-defense rights. “(It’s) a first step to greater Second Amendment rights for D.C. residents,” the three plaintiffs’ attorney, George L. Lyon Jr., told The Washington Post, adding, “I think they have effectively conceded that the ban is unconstitutional.”

While self-defense advocates are celebrating the decision, billionaire former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety released a statement saying such reversals “could have profound effects on Second Amendment cases more broadly.”

Latest

NRA member illustration
NRA member illustration

Parting Shot | There is a Time to Rejoice

When fighting for your constitutional rights, it can be tough to know when—if ever—to sit back for a moment and favorably review the scene.

Hawaii’s Concealed Carry is a Fraud

Hawaii’s legislative response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen decision has created a concealed-carry permitting system that is, by design, practically impossible for a law-abiding citizen to navigate without committing a felony.

President Trump Signs Legislation to Support Medal of Honor Recipients

In an Oval Office ceremony, President Donald Trump signed the Medal of Honor Act into law. This legislation increases the monthly special pension for living Medal of Honor recipients.

Dispelling Anti-Gun Disinformation | Here Are 10 Lies About Guns And Crime The Trump Administration Has Exposed

Crime is a major problem in the United States, 66% of Americans believe, with 81% saying it is a major problem in large cities, according to an August 2025 poll by the Associated Press/NORC [previously the National Opinion Research Center].

The Greatest Second Amendment Victory in a Century

On July 4, 2025, Americans celebrated not only our nation’s independence, but also the restoration of our constitutional Second Amendment rights becoming unconstrained by burdensome and arbitrary fees.

Opening Salvo | More Evidence That Gun-Control Groups are Freaking Out

With the Trump administration’s law-and-order push showing America’s crime problem is clearly not the fault of lawfully armed citizens, gun-control groups are freaking out.

Interests



Get the best of America's 1st Freedom delivered to your inbox.