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AR-15 Rifles, Pistols & Tactical Gear | Gun Store in Roanoke, TX

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Personal Safety

Right to Carry Across State Lines: Federal Court Ruling

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If you carry a handgun and ever drive out of state, this one’s worth your attention. I’m Lance Rankin, a Texas FFL and the owner of Western Sport in Roanoke, and questions about carrying across state lines come up at my counter every week. A federal appeals court just made the answer messier.

The case

The Eighth Circuit ruled in Johnson v. Jacobson, a case brought by Jeffrey Johnson Sr., a long-haul truck driver from Georgia who carries permits from Georgia and Florida. His routes take him through Minnesota, which doesn’t recognize either permit; Minnesota only honors permits from states whose standards match its own. Johnson argued that refusing to recognize his valid permits violates the Second Amendment.

After the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision, courts are supposed to judge gun laws by the amendment’s text and this country’s historical tradition of firearm regulation, so a lot of us expected this case to put interstate recognition to that test. The Eighth Circuit sidestepped it instead.

How the court got there

The court’s logic runs like this: Minnesota’s reciprocity statute doesn’t restrict anything, it just exempts some out-of-state residents from applying for a Minnesota permit. Johnson conceded that Minnesota’s own permit system is constitutional, so the court reasoned the state can simply require non-residents to get a Minnesota permit like anyone else. Reciprocity, in this view, is a courtesy between states, a political choice, not a constitutional requirement.

The judges did leave a door cracked open. A state that refused to issue permits to non-residents and refused to honor outside permits might present a different constitutional question. Minnesota lets non-residents apply, so that question waits for another case.

My take

I understand the legal mechanics, but the practical result bothers me. Your driver’s license works in all fifty states. Your marriage license does too. Yet a carry permit, tied to a right the Constitution actually names, can go dead the moment you cross a state line. The Second Amendment says the right belongs to “the people,” not the people of whichever state you happen to be standing in. I suspect this question ends up at the Supreme Court eventually, and national reciprocity bills keep circulating in Congress, but as of this writing neither has resolved it.

What to do about it

Until the law changes, the burden is on you. Before any road trip, check the current reciprocity status of every state on your route, not just your destination, because the map changes more often than people think. This ruling didn’t ban anything, but it confirmed that states can keep drawing their own lines. Texans should know that our LTC has broad reciprocity, which is one of the reasons I still recommend getting one even though Texas constitutional carry covers you at home. My Texas LTC guide walks through the process.

Laws and court rulings move fast in this area, so verify current status before you travel. If you’ve got questions about carrying legally in Texas, come see us at the shop or call 817-393-4000.

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Best Home Defense Shotguns 2026: Texas Top Picks

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A shotgun is still one of the most sensible things you can keep by the bed, and here in Texas it’s practically tradition. I’m Lance Rankin, owner and gunsmith at Western Sport in Roanoke, north of Fort Worth, and I’ve sold, repaired, and patterned more defensive shotguns than I can count. These are the ones I actually recommend, with the trade-offs spelled out.

Pump or semi-auto?

Quick framing before the list. Pumps are cheaper, simpler, and eat anything, but you have to run the action under stress. Semi-autos shoot faster with softer recoil, cost more, and the cheap ones can be ammo-picky. There’s no wrong answer, just an honest budget question. Whichever you pick, load it with quality 00 buckshot and pattern it at household distances so you know where those pellets go.

1. Mossberg 590A1

The pump I’d grab if I could only keep one. The 590A1 is the military-spec version of Mossberg’s classic: heavier barrel, metal trigger guard and safety, parkerized finish. It’s heavier than a standard 500, and that’s the point; the extra weight soaks up recoil and the gun shrugs off abuse. Aftermarket support is enormous. It costs more than a basic pump, and it’s worth it.

2. Beretta 1301 Tactical

The fast one. Beretta’s gas system cycles noticeably quicker than most semi-autos, recoil is soft, and it digests a wide range of loads without complaint. It’s the darling of the tactical shotgun crowd for good reason. The catch is price; you’re well north of the pumps here. If the budget allows, it’s the semi-auto I’d take into a hallway.

3. Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical

The value semi-auto. Mossberg reworked the gas system on the 940 line and it shows; it cycles smoothly across ammo types. You get a 12-gauge with 7+1 capacity, an 18.5-inch barrel, M-LOK slots for a light, and a receiver cut for a red dot that co-witnesses with the irons. It’s most of the 1301’s performance for meaningfully less money.

4. Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol

Beretta’s answer for folks who want the 1301 experience without the 1301 price. You get 7+1 capacity, a 19.1-inch barrel, oversized controls, grippy texturing, and that soft Beretta gas-gun recoil. The loading gate takes a little getting used to if you’re new to shotguns, but a range trip or two sorts that out. A lot of gun for the money.

5. Benelli M4

The premium option. The Marines adopted it, the ARGO gas system runs everything, and the build quality is what you’d expect from a gun at this price. Capacity is 5+1 and it weighs 7.8 pounds, so on paper it gives up ground to cheaper guns. What you’re buying is a shotgun that will still be running when your grandkids inherit it. If money were no object, plenty of serious shooters stop looking right here.

6. Mossberg Maverick 88

The budget king. It’s a simplified Mossberg 500 built to a price, often under $250, and it shares barrels and most accessories with the 500. The safety sits in front of the trigger guard instead of on top, recoil is what recoil is, and there are no frills anywhere. None of that matters at 2 a.m. It works, and for a first shotgun or a truck gun, it’s hard to argue with.

7. Remington 870 Tactical

The old standby. The 870 has been guarding American homes for generations, and the tactical versions with 18.5-inch barrels are handy indoors with aftermarket support to match the Mossbergs. Quality wobbled during Remington’s bankruptcy years, so if you’re buying used, look it over or have a gunsmith do it. A good 870 is still a great shotgun.

Bottom line

Buy the Maverick 88 if money’s tight, the 590A1 if you want a pump for life, the 940 Pro or A300 Patrol for the best semi-auto value, and the 1301 or M4 if the budget’s open. Then spend whatever’s left on buckshot and practice, because the shotgun you’ve patterned and run hard beats the fancier one sitting in the box.

Not sure a shotgun is even the right tool for your house? I’ve written up the best home defense handguns and a full home defense AR-15 setup for comparison, plus a bigger-picture piece on surviving a home invasion. We stock most of these shotguns, and new buyers can start with my guide on how to buy a gun in Texas. Questions? Call 817-393-4000 or email [email protected].

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How to Clean a Glock: Step-by-Step Guide 2026

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I’m Lance Rankin, owner and gunsmith at Western Sport in Roanoke, Texas. Glocks cross my bench about as often as anything else, and I’ll tell you a shop secret: half the “malfunctioning” pistols that come in just need a decent cleaning. The good news is this is a job you can do at the kitchen table in twenty minutes. Here’s how I do it.

Glock 17 with slide off

Gather your supplies

You don’t need much. A one-piece cleaning rod, a bore brush in your caliber, a jag and patches, a nylon brush, cotton swabs, solvent or CLP, gun oil, and a rag. A cleaning mat or an old towel saves your table from solvent stains. Any basic handgun cleaning kit covers all of this.

Unload it, then check it again

Drop the magazine. Lock the slide back. Look in the chamber, then put a finger in there and feel it. I don’t care how sure you are it’s empty; verify anyway. Every negligent discharge story I’ve heard in nearly two decades behind the counter starts with “I thought it was unloaded.” This matters double on a Glock, because takedown requires a trigger pull.

Field stripping

Glocks come apart in seconds:

  1. Point the pistol in a safe direction and pull the trigger to release the striker.
  2. Pull the slide back about a quarter inch.
  3. Pull down both takedown tabs above the trigger guard.
  4. Let the slide run forward off the frame.
  5. Lift out the recoil spring assembly, then the barrel.

You end up with four parts: frame, slide, barrel, and recoil spring assembly. That’s all the disassembly routine cleaning needs. Leave detail stripping to your gunsmith.

Gunsmith cleaning a Glock 17

Clean the barrel

Wet the bore brush with solvent and run it through from the chamber end, eight or ten passes. Let the solvent sit a minute while you start on the slide. Then switch to the jag and push patches through until they come out clean. Wipe down the outside of the barrel too, especially the hood and feed ramp, and dry everything off. A clean bore does more for accuracy than any accessory you can bolt on.

Slide and frame

Work the inside of the slide over with a dry nylon brush. The spots that collect the most carbon are the breech face, under the extractor hook, and the slide rail grooves. Cotton swabs reach the corners, and the wooden end of one will scrape off stubborn carbon without hurting the finish. If your Glock is new and you see copper-colored grease inside the slide, leave it alone. That’s factory lubricant meant to wear in.

The frame is easier. Brush it out, wipe the metal rails and the locking block, and clean around the trigger mechanism without flooding it. Don’t hose solvent into the frame. The polymer doesn’t need it and the trigger internals don’t want it.

Lubrication: less is more

Glocks run dry better than most pistols, and extra oil just attracts grit. Four spots get a drop each:

  • The frame rails and the matching channels inside the slide.
  • A light film on the outside of the barrel, a touch more near the hood.
  • The barrel lug where it meets the slide lock.
  • The point inside the slide where the connector meets the trigger bar.

Keep oil out of the striker channel entirely. It runs dry, period. Oil in there gums up over time, and that’s how light strikes happen.

Reassembly and function check

Everything goes back in reverse: barrel into the slide, recoil spring assembly seated against the barrel lug, then slide onto the frame rails until it clicks home. Now check your work. Rack the slide and pull the trigger on the empty pistol; you should hear the striker fall. Hold the trigger down, rack the slide again, and release the trigger slowly until it clicks. That’s your reset. Pull once more to confirm. If the slide binds or the trigger feels mushy, take it back apart and reseat the recoil spring assembly. That’s the usual culprit.

How often, plus a few notes from the bench

Clean after every range trip if you can, every few hundred rounds at minimum. A carry gun deserves a wipe-down and fresh oil monthly even if it hasn’t been fired, because holster lint and dust find their way everywhere. Magazines mostly need to stay dry; wipe them out and skip the solvent unless something’s actually wrong. While the recoil spring assembly is out, look it over for kinks. They’re cheap to replace, and a worn one causes sluggish cycling.

If your Glock still won’t run right after a proper cleaning, something else is going on and I’m happy to take a look. We do in-house gunsmithing here at the shop. If you’re weighing your next pistol, my Glock 19 vs Glock 17 comparison is a good place to start, and carry folks should see my picks for the best 9mm self-defense ammo. Questions? Email [email protected] or call 817-393-4000.

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California County Wants $2,000 and a Psych Exam for a Carry Permit. Is That Legal?

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I’m Lance Rankin, a Texas FFL and gunsmith at Western Sport in Roanoke. Every so often a story comes across my desk that makes me grateful for the state I do business in. Santa Clara County, California has managed to make exercising a constitutional right cost about as much as a decent used pistol safe, and a lawsuit is asking the obvious question: how is this legal? As always with litigation, this is dated commentary; check the case’s current status before relying on it.

The $2,000 itemized bill

Here’s what a carry permit applicant in Santa Clara County reportedly faces: a $976 application fee, a $500 mandatory psychological evaluation, a $400 training course, plus fingerprinting. Total: roughly $2,000. The permit lasts two years. Renewal runs about $850 and requires an eight-hour recertification course. Every two years. Forever.

The psych exam is the part that stands out. California law lets a sheriff order a psychological evaluation when something in a specific applicant’s record raises a genuine question of mental fitness. Santa Clara made it universal: every applicant, no individualized reason required, pass or fail at the county’s discretion. As of this writing, no other California county does that.

The lawsuit

The challenge, filed as Blank v. Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department, makes two arguments. First, the fees are a wealth qualification: a $2,000 entry price doesn’t regulate carry, it reserves carry for people with disposable income. Courts killed poll taxes on exactly that logic. Run the comparison against any other right and the absurdity is immediate. A $976 fee and a psychological screening to vote, or to speak at a city council meeting, wouldn’t survive a week in court.

Second, the universal psych exam quietly rebuilds what the Supreme Court tore down in Bruen in 2022. Bruen ended subjective, discretionary tests like “good cause,” where an official decided whose reasons for carrying were good enough. An exam that every applicant must pass at the county’s discretion is a subjective gate with a clinical coat of paint. Same discretion, new paperwork.

The tell: other counties

If $2,000 reflected the real cost of processing a permit, other California counties would charge something like it. They don’t. Sacramento County charges about $48 for an initial application. San Diego and Los Angeles, hardly gun-friendly jurisdictions, charge far less than Santa Clara and require no psychological exam. When one county’s price is forty times its neighbor’s, that’s not cost recovery. That’s a message to applicants: don’t bother.

The suit is part of the California Rifle and Pistol Association’s “CCW Reckoning Project,” a county-by-county effort to force compliance with Bruen. A win here would echo well beyond Santa Clara, because plenty of reluctant jurisdictions nationwide are testing how much friction they can add before a court calls it what it is.

The view from Texas

For contrast: a Texas License to Carry costs $40 in state fees plus a modest class, and thanks to constitutional carry most law-abiding Texans don’t need a permit at all. I still recommend the LTC for the training, the reciprocity, and the smoother purchases, and my guide covers the whole process. Rights shouldn’t have a price of admission, and out here they mostly don’t.

If you’re in North Texas and ready to exercise yours, start with how to buy a gun in Texas or my carry gun guides, then come see me. Local pickup by appointment in Roanoke, north of Fort Worth. [email protected] or 817-393-4000.

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Court Rules Church Gun Ban Unconstitutional: A Big 2A Win

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I’m Lance Rankin, a Texas FFL and gunsmith at Western Sport in Roanoke. A federal judge in Buffalo just declared New York’s ban on carrying firearms in churches and other places of worship unconstitutional, and the reasoning matters well beyond New York. The usual caveat applies: this was a temporary restraining order in active litigation, so this is dated commentary. Check where the case stands today before assuming anything below is still the operative law.

What the judge ruled

Federal District Judge John Sinatra issued a temporary restraining order halting enforcement of New York’s prohibition on guns in churches, synagogues, and other houses of worship, finding the law violates the Second Amendment under the Supreme Court’s decision in NYSRPA v. Bruen. Notably, he refused the state’s request to limit relief to just the plaintiffs who sued. He declared the law itself unconstitutional, which meant the ban couldn’t be enforced against anyone while the order stood.

The “sensitive places” question

New York passed this ban as part of its response to losing Bruen, essentially declaring huge swaths of the state “sensitive places” where carry could be forbidden. But Bruen said sensitive places must be narrowly construed, historically analogous to polling places, legislative assemblies, and courthouses as understood around 1791. Judge Sinatra found New York offered no historical evidence that churches belonged on that list.

The history actually cuts the other way. In parts of the colonial era, some congregations were encouraged or even required to bring arms to services. The state could point to a few scattered restrictions from the late nineteenth century, but the judge treated those as what they are: outliers, decades removed from the founding, not a long-standing American tradition of disarming worshippers. That’s the correct application of Bruen’s method, which looks to 1791, not to whatever a few jurisdictions tried in the 1880s.

Why this one hits home for me

This isn’t abstract in North Texas. In December 2019, at a church in White Settlement, maybe twenty minutes from my shop, a volunteer security team member stopped a shooter seconds after he opened fire. Armed congregants ended that attack before it became a massacre. Texas law trusts churches to make their own security decisions, and plenty of my customers serve on volunteer church security teams; I’ve helped outfit more than a few. The idea that a state would criminalize exactly what saved lives down the road from me has never made sense, and now a federal court has said the Constitution doesn’t permit it either.

The pattern since Bruen is hard to miss. When judges actually apply the text-and-history test, laws with no founding-era analogue keep falling. Expect similar challenges anywhere legislatures responded to Bruen by multiplying “sensitive places,” New Jersey and California included. And expect appeals; as of this writing, this was a TRO, the first round rather than the final word.

For Texas readers

Here, carrying at your own church is generally lawful unless the property gives proper notice otherwise, and many churches actively welcome trained carriers on security teams. If you’re getting equipped for that role, my guides on the Texas LTC and constitutional carry cover the legal side, and the right defensive ammo matters more in a crowded room than anywhere else. A good holster that stays put through a two-hour service matters too. Questions about any of it? [email protected] or 817-393-4000.

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