Diversity in gun ownership celebrated at Owings Mills’ Guntry range

Gun enthusiasts gathered Wednesday evening to celebrate diversity in gun ownership and Second Amendment advocacy in honor of Black History Month at the Guntry gun range in Owings Mills — and warned that pending gun legislation could hurt their community.

Building community and advocating for the perspectives of Black gun owners is especially crucial this year, said co-host Shermichael Singleton at the Gun Rights: A Celebration of Freedom event, which was cosponsored by media outlets We The Free TV and Guns Out TV.

Gun laws under consideration risk criminalizing large numbers of otherwise law-abiding Black gun enthusiasts and hobbyists, he said.

For example, Virginia House Bill 1524 and its Senate counterpart would ban the transport of any weapon defined as an “assault rifle” under the law, “on any public street, road, alley, sidewalk, or public right-of-way or in any public park or any other place of whatever nature that is open to the public.” The bill also reduces the allowable magazine capacity for rifles from 20 to 15 rounds with similar restrictions. Maryland, for comparison, prohibits the sale of magazines that hold more than 10 rounds, though they are legal to own, according to Southern Maryland Law’s Gun Rights in Maryland website.

Owners are not going to throw their hardware away, Singleton said, and the Virginia law presents a particular risk to Black gun enthusiasts. “Statistically, Black gun owners can’t afford high-powered attorneys to protect them from these laws,” he said.

He expects Maryland to follow suit if the Virginia law passes.

Singleton also said the event was needed to change the perception of Black gun ownership.

“It’s really important for us to highlight Black gun ownership in a positive light,” Singleton said. “Since COVID times, you have seen a significant number of Black gun enthusiasts embark into gun ownership.”

It featured sharpshooting competitions with prizes from some of the half-dozen vendors on hand, ample shooting opportunities at Guntry’s VIP rifle and pistol ranges, and several shooting simulators. Singleton and co-host John Keys cofounded We The Free and Guns Out together, and said they advocate for gun ownership, gun rights and positive recognition for the Black gun-owning community.

“It’s important for lawmakers to recognize how some of the laws they are considering might disproportionately impact the Black communities they represent,” he said. “Is there crime because of guns, or because of the lack of strong opportunities in certain communities? … Restricting firearms is not going to improve the lives of people who are suffering today from a lack of opportunities.”

The love for the Second Amendment and the chance to meet and trade notes with prominent gun organizations and businesses drew in some participants who spoke with The Sun.

“I’m here today because of We The Free,” said Anthony Gaines Jr., a Baltimore-based certified firearms trainer. “I also subscribe to Guns Out TV and [YouTuber] Bmore Calculated, who is also here. I had to come out and see all the great things these guys are doing. It’s a huge community.”

DeMarco Thomas, from Northern Virginia, described himself as a hobbyist who is enthusiastic about shooting.

“I’d say it’s the people. That is what it boils down to.” Thomas said. “In a country divided, it’s something that brings people together. John Keys and Shermichael [Singleton] are really big on YouTube. These guys are always putting on something for the community, and events like these bring the community together.”

Michael Cain represented Boss Silencers of Stafford, Virginia, and offered one of their models as a prize for the pistol shooting competition. Boss also produced a show on We The Free TV called The Science of Silencers, which is geared toward dispelling myths about silencers for the general public.

“There are a lot of misconceptions about silencers,” Cain said. “Hollywood has done people a disservice about the value of silencers.”

While many portrayals feature spies and criminals using silenced firearms to kill people in sneaky ways, he said, “They are safety devices designed to protect your hearing. The vast majority of silencers are not movie quiet.”

The Sun observed that one of his rifle silencers made firing the bullet quieter than hitting the paper target 100 feet away.

Baltimore gun enthusiast James Gaines III shoots target at the gun range during Gun Rights: A Celebration of Freedom hosted by We The Free at Guntry in Owings Mills. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) — Baltimore gun enthusiast James Gaines III shoots a target at the gun range during Gun Rights: A Celebration of Freedom hosted by We The Free at Guntry in Owings Mills. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff)

Roy Oelschlager III represented Icarus Precision, a gunsmithing company from Washougal, Washington, that makes adapted receivers for many models of handguns designed to reduce the kick from firing.

“We firmly believe that if we can make it more comfortable, improve the ergonomics, it helps the shooter be more proficient with their firearm, whether it’s a new or more experienced shooter,” Oelschlager said.