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The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) just filed its brief in the Harrel v. Raoul case, challenging Illinois’ sweeping ban on so-called “assault weapons” and standard-capacity magazines.
Filed with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, SAF argues that the banned firearms—like AR-15-style rifles—and the magazines they use are squarely protected under the Second Amendment.
SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut was candid.
“The modern semiautomatic rifles banned in Illinois are among the most commonly owned firearms in the country,” he said, “placing them well within the protection of the Second Amendment.”
SAF is joined by the Illinois State Rifle Association, Firearms Policy Coalition, two gun stores, and lead plaintiff Dane Harrel.
The case has already seen two favorable rulings in District Court, including a preliminary injunction and a ruling on the merits.
SEE ALSO: Supreme Court Ducks ‘Assault Weapons’ Cases
Now it’s up to the Seventh Circuit to weigh the full trial record and apply the Supreme Court’s Heller and Bruen decisions. SAF hopes the court will finally trash what it calls unconstitutional laws.
“Illinois legislators may disagree with the Constitution and the Supreme Court,” said SAF founder Alan Gottlieb. “But they don’t get to ban broad categories of popular arms… Hard stop.”
This filing comes just days after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Snope v. Brown and Ocean State Tactical v. Rhode Island—two high-profile challenges to similar bans.
That decision sparked outrage from gun rights groups and commentators. NSSF slammed the Court’s refusal as a “deeply disappointing” failure to defend core rights.
Justice Thomas dissented, writing, “I would not wait to decide whether the government can ban the most popular rifle in America.”
William Kirk of Washington Gun Law called the denial “a bloodbath” for gun owners, accusing the Court of ducking a defining fight.
But for now, the battle shifts back to the Seventh Circuit. SAF says it’s not backing down—and neither are millions of lawful gun owners.
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is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who’d rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he’s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he’s deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there’s a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry’s got an opinion—and it’s probably backed up with both facts and field experience.
Experience:
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– Concealed Carry Permit Holder (NYS & AZ) – Trained and licensed to carry in multiple states.
– 2A Journalist – Covering firearms legislation, Second Amendment issues, and gun rights for over a decade.
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The only way to win these cases is for the Free states to wade into this and help, and opressed peoples to stand their ground USING the 2A to defend the 2A. And we ALL know that ain’t NEVER gonna happen, dont we?