Founded by long-time civil rights activists in California to counter the marginalization of gun owners and combat the civilian disarmament movement, The Calguns Foundation (CGF) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that serves its members, supporters, and the public through educational, cultural, and judicial efforts to advance Second Amendment and related civil rights.
Since its inception, CGF has held governments accountable to the Constitution and the law in matters that directly affect the rights of law-abiding gun owners through its legal action, education, and research programs.
In addition to its ongoing strategic efforts to advance the right to keep and bear arms, CGF has successfully defended innocent gun owners from malicious or wrongful prosecution and assisted thousands with various firearm-related issues.
CGF has also filed important supporting amicus briefs in lawsuits filed in courts across the nation, including the landmark McDonald v. Chicago case at the United States Supreme Court and many others.
Below are just some of the many ways that The Calguns Foundation is fighting for your rights. Please consider joining the fight to restore the Second Amendment in California and beyond by making a tax-deductible donation today.
Civil Litigation
In California and other “battleground states”, where the legislature is hostile to Second Amendment rights, gun control laws will mainly be attacked in civil litigation. We file both tactical and strategic, major-issue cases to defend and advance your gun rights.
Carry License Sunshine & Compliance Initiative
CGF’s Carry License Sunshine & Compliance Initiative has been helping thousands of law-abiding California gun owners get their carry license. We also litigate compliance issues, conduct research and requests under the Public Records Act, publish Annual Reports on carry license issuance statistics, Model Policies, and help inform the public through our FAQs and educational materials.
CGF Help Hotline and Defense of Gun Owners
All too often in California, law-abiding gun owners are harassed, intimidated, and wrongly prosecuted. The Calguns Foundation and our attorneys review these cases and, wherever possible, defend innocent gun owners from these attacks on their rights.
Public & Member Services
What happens when California gun owners have personal property–like guns–wrongly seized from them, or they’re facing some other firearm-related legal issue that they can’t tackle on their own? CGF helps people get their guns back and, in some cases, these seizures and legal issues become civil rights lawsuits against the offending parties and government agencies. We also assist the public in other ways by providing legal assistance and educational materials on firearms-related issues.
Education, Grassroots Outreach, and Events
Thousands of Californians are learning about their Second Amendment rights every year thanks to our amazing team of volunteers and educational content creators. From gun shows to training courses to the World Ag Expo, the CGF team is working hard to advance gun rights and reach more new people with the news and information that matters.
CGF Successes:
Here’s a brief list of some of our accomplishments:
- Ventura – Governments must disclose public records: CGF v. County of Ventura
- Defended Bright Spot Pawn from AW charges
- Defended John Contos from AW charges
- Defended UOC-ing Marine charged in Oceanside
- Defended large-capacity magazine charge
- Gutted DC’s adoption of California’s Handgun Roster
- Defended Don Anderson against AW charges
- Defended legal AR (Orange County Sheriff Department AR seizure)
- Defended charges of illegal carry, established shotgun is not concealable upon the person
- Assisted “Theseus” UOC case fundraising
- Assisted LA Airport AW case fundraising
- Filed an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in McDonald v. Chicago supporting Second Amendment incorporation
- Assisted in defeating San Mateo County LCAV ordinances
- Funded UOC Lawsuit vs. San Diego
- Nordyke amicus brief, shows gun show ban has no crime effect
- SAF/CGF gun ads negate SF MTA anti-gun policy
There is no affiliation or connection between The Calguns Foundation (“CGF”) and Calguns.net. The opinions of and statements made by each respective entity are separate from and not attributable to the other.
