Every year, anti-gun groups like Giffords and so-called Everytown for Gun Safety make a big deal out of their state rankings of firearms laws. They are based on obscure criteria and always show that the most Second Amendment-friendly states rank lowest, with California always ranking highest. This year, a gun-rights group, the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), decided to create its own ranking system: the State Freedom Index. If you ever wondered how free your state is when it comes to firearms ownership, here’s all you need to know.
The Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) has launched its 2026 FPC State Freedom Index. FPC touts it as the “most principled, transparent, and unapologetic scorecard of gun rights in America.”
The index presents the state of the law in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C., as of the end of 2025. Consequently, it gives gun owners a single, clear tool to see exactly how their state is failing them—and what to demand their elected officials fix.
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The freedom designations used in the index were divided into “Chad States,” those ranking 100%; “Freeish States,” 85-99%; “States of Confusion,” 70-84%; and “States of Disaster,” less than 70%.
“The 2026 Index’s scores show that far too many states run by supposedly ‘pro-gun’ Republican leaders are failing their own constituents, with only Kansas and New Hampshire earning a perfect 100% score,” FPC wrote in a news release announcing the launch.
“Surprising exactly no one, California finished last at 4.55%. But the real disappointments? The so-called “Freedom State” of Florida scored just 81.82%. Ohio matched Florida’s poor performance. And Nebraska underwhelmed at just 77.27%.”
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FPC President Brandon Combs said that every other state, except Kansas and New Hampshire, has had ample opportunity to reach 100%, but instead, politicians in those states have chosen not to.
“That’s not a minor oversight—it’s a betrayal of the people and our fundamental rights,” Combs said. “These states need to get their act together and fix their laws to fully respect the right to keep and bear arms.”
Why Does It Matter?
According to FPC, the index provides gun owners and elected officials with a clear, consistent answer to a simple question: Does your state respect the natural, pre-existing right to keep and bear arms? Unlike rankings that rely on opaque methodologies or political favoritism, FPC says this index objectively evaluates all 50 states and Washington, D.C., across 22 specific yes/no criteria in four categories—what you can legally own, how you can get it, where you can bear it, and other criteria, including preemption, registration, and more.
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Combs added that all states should be free states, which is the goal his group is working toward.
“There is no excuse for bad laws and no excuse for more excuses from politicians,” Combs concluded. “Look up your state. Find out exactly how your government is failing you—then make your elected officials answer for it. Get to 100%.”
In the end, 13 states, led by California, were ranked as “States of Disaster.” They included New York, New Jersey, Hawaii, Maryland, Illinois, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Washington, Delaware, and Colorado, along with Washington, D.C.
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Check out how your state ranked and why by clicking here.