This week, we're reacting to the debate. That's why I've got one of the top political reporters in the country on the show.

Dave Weigel is a writer for Semafor, who runs their Americana newsletter. He has been covering national politics across major outlets for decades now. He is one of the best-sourced reporters out there.

He said Kamala Harris bringing up her gun ownership at the debate was a bit of a surprise since she hasn't talked much about that before. He agreed the fact she owns a handgun for self-defense could make her more relatable to the average gun owner than Tim Walz, who centers his gun ownership around hunting. But he doubted that would become a major part of her campaign going forward.

Weigel said guns have been a relatively minor issue in the election thus far. He said that was likely due to two factors. One is the relative lack of high-profile shootings. The other is the limits on what gun control is even possible under the Supreme Court's Bruen precedent.

Special Guest: Dave Weigel.

Contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I discuss my time in Texas covering the NRA's latest board meeting, where the group came to an agreement on a reform plan but failed to overhaul its legal strategy after a marathon executive session. We also discuss new corruption allegations against the group in a recently filed lawsuit from a former employee, as well as the group's first big election ad buy of the cycle. Finally, we recap the limited role guns played in the Presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump and new evidence of a modest bump in support for stricter gun laws in the aftermath of the Georgia shooting.

This week, we've got one of the nation's premier political analysts on the show.

Steve Hayes, co-founder of The Dispatch, joined us to discuss the state of the 2024 gun debate. He gave his take on the path Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have taken in their respective campaigns. Then he turned to how the recent mass shooting at a Georgia High School might shake up those positions.

Hayes noted guns have not been a top priority for voters thus far in the election. He said that was likely because there haven't been a lot of high-profile shootings this year. He argued that could change because of the new attention the Georgia shooting will bring to the issue, but he wasn't sure if it would reach the level of intense media coverage that's necessary to push either candidate one way or the other.

Special Guest: Steve Hayes.

Contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I cover the early political and legal fallout from the Georgia High School shooting, including what it could mean for the Presidential race as well as the trend of criminally charging the parents of mass shooters. We also talk about a new political ad campaign launched by gun control group March for Our Lives and Ben & Jerry's targeted at voters in swing states. We wrap up with some original reporting on the upcoming NRA board meeting where the group is potentially set to vote on an internal reform program and consider separating from its longtime outside legal counsel, William Brewer.

This week, we're covering the very first time since the Supreme Court handed down the Bruen ruling that a federal judge has struck down the machinegun ban.

That may have implications for not just the ban itself but the law it is housed under: The National Firearms Act (NFA). That's why we've got a gun-rights lawyer who has handled NFA cases. Matt Larosiere gives his view of what the holding in US v. Morgan means for the ban on post-1986 fully-automatic weapons and the NFA writ large.

He notes the case doesn't include an injunction against the ban. Instead, it's limited to the named defendant. He argued it's very likely to be appealed and unlikely to win at the next level, though he couldn't say for sure.

Larosiere said the barrier to plaintiffs winning cases against the ban was less a legal one than a public or judicial perception one. Still, he argued the victory in Morgan was not meaningless. He said it would help him and other gun-rights activists in future cases against the ban as well as other portions of the NFA.

Special Guest: Matt Larosiere.

Contributing Writer Jake Fogleman and I cover the latest federal campaign finance numbers showing gun control groups outraising the NRA and other gun rights organizations in the lead up to the election. We also talk about a pair of federal appeals court rulings, one striking down the federal gun ban for marijuana users and the other striking down Missouri's expansive Second Amendment Sanctuary law. Finally, we wrap up with a quick discussion of gun groups officially appealing to the Supreme Court over Maryland's AR-15 ban and a pair of dueling court decisions on the legality of switchblade bans from across the country.

This week, we're talking about a major moderation issue on YouTube.

It's not the first time we've discussed this. It probably won't be the last, either. But this time the platform is deleting videos and, potentially, whole channels focused on gun content after a new policy update that's only partially written out.

I talked with YouTube spokespeople about the changes and got more details this week. But things are still a bit vague. Purposefully so. That's why we've got Jon Patton of The Gun Collective on the show to share what he's been told and to discuss how serious the impact of the changes could be.

Patton argued the fallout of the new policy against directing viewers to lawful gun or ammo dealers could be huge. He said it makes it harder for gun channels to survive on the platform and for gun companies to advertise their products. He also worried about the often chaotic nature of YouTube enforcement and how it has the potential to lead to instant bans for people who rely on the platform to make a living--without warning or explanation.

Special Guest: Jon Patton.

Contributing Writer Jake Fogleman is on vacation this week. So, Reload Founder Stephen Gutowski hosts the news update. He gives a recap of how the Democratic National Convention approached guns. From the platform, to the keynote speeches, to an entire programing block in primetime on the final day the DNC highlighted gun control. Kamala Harris also called for a "red flag" law, universal background checks, and an "assault weapons" ban. That all contrasts with how Donald Trump and the RNC handled guns, which is to say they didn't really at all. I also go over the latest gun polling and a new ruling against one of California's gun restrictions.

The pistol brace ban just racked up another legal loss.

A panel on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the ban. That puts it in legal peril in a whole new federal circuit. And this case is the one led by the company that pioneered the accessory, SB Tactical.

That's why we have SB Tactical Founder Alex Bosco on the show to give his reaction to the ruling. He explains why he thinks the new decision is vital for his company and industry even though another court already vacated the brace ban rule. Then, he lays out where SB Tactical and the industry plan to head from here, both in court and in the marketplace.

We also have a Member Segment where we hear from one of the people who make The Reload possible. He describes his journey from military kid to military man to gun collector and beyond. It's always great getting to know our members!

Special Guest: Alex Bosco.

Contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I cover new polling data showing that the Supreme Court's recognition of public gun carry rights is more popular than ever. We also analyze the likelihood of the Supreme Court agreeing to hear an assault weapon case later this year, as well as a new Fox News poll showing voters trust Donald Trump over Kamala Harris on gun policy. We wrap up by discussing a new Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling against President Biden's pistol brace ban, New York officials opting to create gun carry permits for non-residents, and the latest instance of parents of school shooters being taken to court.