Look, I've been selling firearms for years, and I still can't believe what some counties try to get away with. Contra Costa County, California is now the only jurisdiction in America telling lawful concealed carry holders they can't carry handguns with red dot sights, weapon-mounted lights, or — get this — 1911-style pistols.
That's right. The Second Amendment Foundation just filed a federal lawsuit against Contra Costa County because their sheriff is blocking residents from using common, modern defensive gear. Red dots? Banned. A flashlight on your pistol to identify threats before you pull the trigger? Banned. A 1911, one of the most proven defensive handguns in American history? Also banned.
The kicker? California's CCW permits are valid statewide. So a permit holder from another county can waltz through Contra Costa carrying exactly what their own residents aren't allowed to carry. That's not public safety — that's bureaucratic harassment.
SAF's argument is solid. Under Bruen and Heller, the government can't just ban common arms and accessories because some sheriff thinks he knows better. Where's the historical tradition of prohibiting red dots? What founding-era law banned weapon lights? Exactly.
Two local residents, Andrew Moore and James Treuel, are named as plaintiffs. Both have valid permits, both want to carry modern, effective defensive setups, and both are getting blocked by these unconstitutional policies.
This is exactly the kind of post-Bruen nonsense we've been seeing. When officials can't deny carry outright, they try to make it impractical. "Sure, you can carry — but only with the worst sighting system we allow, no way to identify threats in the dark, and forget about that proven 1911 you've carried for decades."
The Second Amendment doesn't have a county line, and neither does the right to carry effective defensive tools. SAF is asking the court to knock these bans down, and I hope they do. If you're in California, support organizations like SAF that fight these battles for all of us.