Alaska ranks 3rd in national gun rights index; California finishes last

By SUZANNE DOWNING

May 2, 2026 – Alaska has been ranked the third most “free” state in the nation for gun owners, according to the 2026 State Freedom Index from the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC). The report places Alaska behind only Kansas and New Hampshire, both of which earned perfect scores.

Alaska received a 95.45% rating, landing it in the group FPC labels “Freeish States,” a tier just below its top “Chad State” designation. The ranking reflects what FPC describes as a comprehensive review of each state’s firearms laws as they stood at the end of 2025.

The organization calls its index “the most principled, transparent, and unapologetic scorecard of gun rights in America,” designed to give gun owners a clear snapshot of where their state stands—and where lawmakers may be falling short.

Even as Alaska ranks near the top nationally for gun rights, legislation introduced in Juneau this session shows a continued push in the opposite direction. Senate Bill 203, sponsored by Sen. Löki Tobin, would expand the state’s definition of prohibited weapons to include firearm conversion devices such as auto sears (Glock switches), despite those already being heavily regulated under federal law. This has raised concerns among gun rights advocates about duplicative and symbolic restrictions.

Meanwhile, House Bill 89, led by Rep. Andy Josephson, proposes a “red flag” system allowing courts to confiscate firearms from individuals deemed a risk to themselves or others, including through ex parte orders. Josephson says the measure is aimed at suicide prevention, but it raises serious due process concerns and opens the door to potential abuse.

While Alaska’s third-place finish reinforces its reputation as a strong Second Amendment state, the index suggests there is still room for improvement. Kansas and New Hampshire achieved a perfect 100% score, indicating what FPC considers a fully protected legal environment for gun ownership.

Alaska tied at 95.45% with several other states, including Arizona, Texas, Montana, and Indiana.

One of the more notable takeaways from the index is the performance of states often perceived as strongly pro-gun.

Florida, frequently branded as a “freedom state,” scored just 81.82%, placing it in what FPC calls the “State of Confusion” category. Ohio posted the same score, while Nebraska came in even lower at 77.27%.

Those rankings suggest that Republican-led states are not uniformly advancing gun rights policies as aggressively as their reputations might suggest.

At the bottom of the index is California, which received a score of just 4.55%, placing it firmly in the “State of Disaster” category. It is followed by New York at 13.64% and a cluster of states, including New Jersey, Hawaii, and Washington, D.C., each at 18.18%.

Other low-performing states include Maryland (27.27%), Illinois (31.82%), and Massachusetts (40.91%), reflecting extensive regulatory frameworks governing firearms.

The index is intended as both an informational tool and a political roadmap. Gun owners and policymakers can use it to compare states, identify restrictive laws, and push for legislative changes.

The interactive version of the index is available online, allowing users to drill down into specific policies and see how individual laws affect each state’s score.

For Alaska, the ranking underscores its position near the top of the national landscape—but also highlights that, even among the most gun-friendly states, none are viewed as fully aligned with FPC’s standard except for two.