When you are convicted of a federal felony offense (including by general court martial), you lose your Second Amendment right to bear arms, even if your offense did not involve guns or violence. In other words, a felony conviction give rise to a lifetime ban against owning a gun or ammunition, even for recreational hunting or target shooting. Possessing a firearm by a convicted felon is itself a serious crime.

The laws that govern ownership and use of firearms differ from state to state, and the relationship between state and federal firearms laws is complex and confusing. If you have had your civil rights restored by the state in which you live, you do not necessarily get back your right to own a gun—states have no jurisdiction over disabilities imposed under federal law.

The only way to restore your Second Amendment rights after a conviction for a federal offense is through a full and unconditional Presidential pardon. If you are laboring under the burden of a federal firearms disability, Mr. Morison can discuss the specific circumstances of your case and give you an assessment about the best way to get your rights restored.

For more information about restoring your Second Amendment rights, read Samuel Morison’s essay, “Restoring the Right to Possess Firearms Under Federal Law.”