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Montana’s lack of even the most basic gun safety laws puts its residents at enormous risk, and the failure of state lawmakers to save lives from gun violence is unconscionable. 

The state’s dangerous “stand your ground” law and weak public carry laws make it far too easy for daily arguments to turn into deadly shootouts. In 2023, Montana had the ninth highest gun death rate among the states. In an average year, 250 people die from gun violence in the state. That means someone dies from gun violence every 35 hours. Eighty-two percent of those deaths are gun suicides, and 13% are gun homicides. In Montana, the rate of gun deaths increased 34% from 2014 to 2023, compared to a 33% increase nationwide.

What Montana Does Well

  • Certain domestic violence gun laws

What Montana Is Missing

  • Universal background checks
  • Gun owner licensing
  • Extreme risk protection orders
  • Assault weapon restrictions
  • Large capacity magazine ban
  • Waiting periods
  • Strong concealed carry law
  • Open carry regulations
  • Child access prevention laws
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SPOTLIGHT

GUN LAW SCORECARD

The data is clear: States with stronger gun laws have less gun violence. See how your state compares in our annual ranking.

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We’re in this together. To build a safer America—one where children and parents in every neighborhood can learn, play, work, and worship without fear of gun violence—we need you standing beside us in this fight.