Below The Radar – Firearms Safety Act

Gun-Safe-iStock-1031564278-C5Media
Below The Radar – Firearms Safety Act, Gun-Safe-iStock-1031564278-C5Media

United States – -(AmmoLand.com)- These days, the phrase “gun safety” has become something that makes Second Amendment supporters clench their teeth in frustration, mostly because anti-Second Amendment extremists have co-opted the phrase in order to inflict injustice on tens of millions of Americans for crimes and acts of madness they didn’t commit. Not only that, the hijacking of “gun safety” has obscured real efforts to help Americans safely and responsibly exercise their Second Amendment rights, notably from the National Rifle Association.

One of those real efforts is S 788, the Firearms Safety Act introduced by Senator Roger Marshall (R-KS). Senator Marshall is a Second Amendment champion whose efforts we have covered here before, notably the Home Defense and Competitive Shooting Act, which he introduced in the House of Representatives in 2019. Marshall rightly deserved the backing of Second Amendment supporters for his 2020 Senate run.

The Firearms Safety Act provides for a $100 tax credit for a gun safe (eligibility is limited to one claim every ten years) and a $100 tax credit for firearms safety training (each year). Senator Marshall has even taken a precaution to ensure that these credits can’t be used as a form of backdoor gun registration.

If there is anything to quibble about, it is the paltriness of the tax credits, particularly for gun safes. A look at the Cabela’s site shows that of 77 gun safes and vaults, 43 are over $500. Furthermore, the safes are very different in terms of need. Some are meant for storing long guns, but others are meant to have a handgun available relatively quickly for home defense. It would seem logical to up the limit to twice in a ten-year period, and maybe to boost the gun safe credit to $250.

For training, the issue is not as severe, given that the $100 tax credit is available every year. The question, though, centers around what sort of training. The NRA has an online basic pistol course for $60. But some of those who anticipate using their firearms in a personal-defense situation may want more advanced training, like what the Massad Ayoob Group provides, and that can easily reach $2,000, plus lodging and other expenses. Here, the training tax credit should be upped, and not limited to one course.

It isn’t enough for Second Amendment supporters to publicly beat back the attacks from anti-Second Amendment extremists, they need to make being a responsible firearm owner easier, and in visible ways. The Firearms Safety Act is one of those ways that will benefit all of us down the road, but with the current anti-Second Amendment regimes, it will have a hard time passing.

Second Amendment supporters should politely urge their Representative and Senators to support this legislation. In addition, they need to support the NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action and Political Victory Fund to ensure that the current anti-Second Amendment regimes in the House, Senate, and White House are defeated at the ballot box as soon as possible.


About Harold Hutchison

Writer Harold Hutchison has more than a dozen years of experience covering military affairs, international events, U.S. politics and Second Amendment issues. Harold was consulting senior editor at Soldier of Fortune magazine and is the author of the novel Strike Group Reagan. He has also written for the Daily Caller, National Review, Patriot Post, Strategypage.com, and other national websites.Harold Hutchison

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StLPro2A

NO…NO…A thousand times I say NO!!!!! Do not support another Government Plantation Dweller Free Shit Program!!!! I’m tired of paying for everyone’s Santa Claus free shit……regardless whether I agree with the agenda or not. “If you can’t feed ’em, don’t breed ’em.” What is the difference between Leftist welfare free shit and Pro-2A welfare free shit???? It all stinks!!! And, yes, your free shit does stink!!!! If you want/need something, pay for it your damn self!!!! To get a dollar from the government, someone…..that’s me…..has to send maybe $5 to the government (they really steal….er, tax….Productive Citizens to get it.)… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by StLPro2A
JSNMGC

Agree. The tax code is so horribly broken – one of the reasons is this type of proposal. People read it and conclude “that sounds nice.” It’s not nice – it’s just one more form of wealth redistribution. The purpose of the tax code should be to raise revenue to run the government, not to influence behavior/redistribute wealth. The size, scope, intrusiveness, and cost of government should be cut significantly and the tax code simplified, not made more complicated. BTW, Harold has a B.A. in Politics – not that that precludes him from understanding economics and finance, but it sure… Read more »

Stag

I should have known it was Harold pushing for this stupid legislation when I saw the measly $100 tax credit. That’s laughable considering the price of gun safes. If this Senator was serious about gun safety and training he could have written a bill to make firearm and shooting safety products tax deductible or tax free.

LAbill

Keep in mind, the anti-2A crowd always starts with smaller, easy-to-pass bills that chip away a5 our rights — and it always grows from there.
I’m OK with the small amounts in THIS year’s bill, if it gets a foot in the door for something more substantial later.

Heck, I’m (almost) OK with this as a purely SYMBOLIC gesture right now, considering the tidal wave of anti-2A, anti-safety crap bills that are being pushed right now. We need to start getting SOME legislation passed and work up from there, and not always be on the defensive.

RoyD

Feel good stuff, that’s all. Ah, politicians.

Finnky

@Harold – Politics is about “the art of the possible.” In today’s environment the only way to get such a bill through congress would be to convince democrats that it will do two things (1) create a perception they are “doing something” about gun safety and (2) helping “the little guy”. Security can be sold as preventing unauthorized use, particularly by younger people. Thus a way to reduce “school shootings” and child suicides. My guess is that anti-gun politicians could support simple lock boxes for those with few guns, but not helping collectors or “super owners” protect their property from… Read more »

Ryben Flynn

For retired people like myself on Social Security and no other income who are no longer required to file State or Federal Income Tax, the tax credits are useless.
But nice for those that do file.

Choogie

I disagree with you whole heartedly. Take for instance that your neighbor got some good training from that tax credit and he learned more about handling his firearm. Then one day he sees you or anyone in your community including himself getting robbed or about to be robbed and he is able to stop it because he took that money from that tax credit and got some good training. That (useless tax credit) you talked about may very well have saved someones life or stopped a robbery in your community. I implore you to think about it. Then sit down… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Choogie
StLPro2A

Choogie, welcome, you are a grand Government Plantation Dweller par excel-lance. Be a real American. Get good training and practice so you can be that admirable Sheep Dog for the Sheeple, but on your own dime. It’s way cheaper to “self free shit”…and with no restrictions placed upon you……than to suck at the Government teet at maybe 5x the cost, and be controlled. Or, just go back to sleep, you Woke little Dweller. See my earlier comment on this thread explaining the Government Free Shit Cost Analysis Paradigm.

Finnky

There are two types of tax credits. Those which can only be used to offset taxes you would otherwise pay, and those which are refundable. If this credit was refundable (which it certainly should be if it is targeted at helping lower income people) – than you could take advantage by filing. If you pay someone to do your taxes, I’m guessing it wouldn’t be worth it. However if your income is limited to social security and little else – filing should be very easy. No need to itemize or anything else to reduce tax burden since you are probably… Read more »

2ABeliver

I would like to hear more about how Senator Marshall has taken a precaution to ensure that these credits can’t be used as a form of backdoor gun registration. It looks, to me, like a perfect way to set up a backdoor registration method.