Gun Owners of California

Gun Owners of California (GOC) is the oldest pro-gun political action committee in the United States. Founded in 1975 by Senator H.L. Richardson when California's legislature tried to ban all handguns, GOC mobilized grassroots opposition that defeated the legislation—and has been fighting for gun owner rights ever since.

Unlike gun stores or ranges, GOC functions as a 501(c)4 nonprofit membership organization focused entirely on legislative advocacy, legal defense, and political action. They operate from Sacramento—the state capital—where the real battles happen.

Three-pronged approach to defending the Second Amendment:

• •Legislative warfare: Full-time presence in Sacramento opposing anti-gun bills, supporting pro-gun legislation, and influencing policymakers daily
• •Court fights: Filing amicus briefs in California and federal courts, including before the U.S. Supreme Court, on cases affecting gun owner rights
• •Political campaigns: Raising money to elect pro-gun candidates and defeat anti-gun legislators

GOC was the first pro-gun organization on television, radio, and in print when semi-automatic firearm bans surfaced. They produced the first TV video revealing the truth about semi-automatic firearms and pioneered television spots alerting citizens to anti-gun legislation in Sacramento.

Their track record speaks: defeating handgun bans, semi-automatic weapon bans, and fighting unconstitutional California gun laws in courtrooms across the state. They've built institutional knowledge of California politics that policymakers rely on—because GOC knows how the system works and how to beat it.

• •Membership tiers include standard membership and Patriot membership for those ready to stand with GOC in the fight. Members stay updated on legislation through the Legislative ACTION Center, receive exclusive newsletters covering current news, court cases, and legislative developments.

• •Fundraising events keep the fight funded:
• •Gold Country Kids Dinner (April)
• •Sacramento Crab Feed (May)
• •52 Guns in 52 Weeks Raffle (limited to 1,500 tickets at $50 each)

"We believe the 2nd Amendment guarantees the 1st Amendment and all those that follow." — GOC Mission Statement

Resources available to members: - Non-resident CCW information - Legislative priority updates - Guest commentary and analysis - Gun Tech & Reviews blog content - Event calendar and networking - Field agent and distributor network

• •Phone: (916) 984-1400

Funded exclusively through membership contributions and donations, GOC refuses to compromise on constitutional principles. They don't play politics for short-term gains—they fight for permanent victories.

If you believe the Second Amendment protects all other amendments and that Californians shouldn't have to surrender constitutional rights, GOC is where the action is.