freedomrankings.comSecond Amendment
States differ enormously on the right to keep and bear arms — from permitless "constitutional carry" with almost no restrictions to may-issue permitting, magazine limits, and red-flag laws. This ranking scores all 50 states on Second Amendment freedom so you can see at a glance where gun owners have the most latitude.
Wyoming leads all 50 states for Second Amendment with a score of 10.0/10, followed by Idaho and Montana. New York ranks last. Each state is scored 0–10 on Second Amendment from established, annually-updated third-party indexes.
Score reflects carry laws, permitting, red-flag laws, magazine and firearm restrictions, and castle-doctrine protections. Darker green = stronger; click any state for its full breakdown.
What Is Constitutional Carry? The 29 Permitless-Carry States (2026)
Constitutional carry lets an eligible adult carry a concealed handgun without a government permit. Here is what it means, which states allow it, and the rules that still apply.
Red Flag Law States: Which States Have ERPO Laws (2026)
Red flag laws let a court temporarily remove someone’s firearms when they’re deemed a danger. Here is what they are, which 21 states have them, and how the process works.
Open Carry States: Where Open Carry Is Legal (2026)
Open carry of a handgun is legal in most of the country. Here is what open carry means, the handful of states that ban it or require a permit, and how it differs from concealed carry.
Stand Your Ground States: The Full List (2026)
Stand-your-ground laws remove the duty to retreat before using force in self-defense. Here is what that means, which states have it, and how it differs from the castle doctrine.
Castle Doctrine States: Defending Your Home (2026)
The castle doctrine lets you defend your home without a duty to retreat. Nearly every state recognizes it — here is how it works and the states that still require retreat in public.
Assault Weapons Ban States: The 2026 List (and What Counts)
Ten states plus DC ban the rifles their laws call “assault weapons,” and two more join in July 2026. Here is the full list, what the bans actually cover, and the magazine limits that come with them.
Wyoming ranks #1 for Second Amendment freedom, scoring 10.0/10 — typically a constitutional-carry state with minimal permitting and no magazine or assault-weapon bans. The full top-to-bottom order is above.
Constitutional (permitless) carry means a law-abiding adult can carry a firearm without a government permit. These states cluster at the top of the ranking because permitless carry is one of the heaviest-weighted factors in the Second Amendment score.
New York sits at the bottom of the Second Amendment ranking, reflecting may-issue or restrictive permitting, magazine limits, red-flag laws, and firearm bans.
Each state gets a 0–10 Second Amendment score built from carry laws, permitting requirements, red-flag laws, magazine and firearm restrictions, and self-defense protections. See the methodology page for sources and weighting.