COLUMBUS, Ohio (WOWO) — Ohio could soon have an official state firearm under legislation that would recognize the historic long rifle, a weapon associated with colonial America and the state’s frontier history.
House Bill 1025 was introduced October 13 by Republican State Representative Jonathan Newman of Troy. The proposal would designate the “Long Rifle of Early Ohio” as the state’s official firearm.
Newman said the idea came from constituents and was developed through a selection process involving firearm organizations in Ohio according to NBC-4.
“This is the beauty of being available and listening; this idea came from grassroots constituents,” Newman said on social media. “Ten other states have a state firearm; our neighboring states have one. Now Ohio will, too.”
The legislation identifies the long rifle by the name “Long Rifle of Early Ohio,” an unofficial designation intended to recognize the weapon’s connection to the state. Newman said the name reflects rifles that were not formally named for Ohio but were manufactured there and contributed to its history.
According to the National Rifle Association, the long rifle was developed in colonial America and was also known as the Kentucky rifle or Pennsylvania rifle. Compared with European muskets, it featured a longer barrel designed to improve accuracy while remaining relatively lightweight and easier to carry.
Those characteristics made the weapon popular on the American frontier, including during the period when European settlers moved into what is now Ohio.
Newman said Ohio’s leading firearm organizations each nominated a judge to serve on a selection panel. The panel deliberated for approximately a month before selecting the long rifle for the proposed designation.
“This legislation will help Ohioans remember and teach future generations the rich history and virtues that built Ohio into a great state and built America into the greatest nation on earth,” Newman said.
If enacted, Ohio would join 10 other states that have designated an official state firearm. Missouri became the 10th state to do so in 2023, choosing the Hawken rifle.
Four states bordering Ohio — Indiana, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and West Virginia — already have official state firearms. Michigan is the only neighboring state without one.
Ohio already recognizes a range of official state symbols and designations. The bullfrog is the state frog, tomato juice is the state beverage, and the 1905 Wright Flyer III is the state airplane.
Another designation under consideration would make the chocolate-and-peanut-butter buckeye Ohio’s official state candy. That proposal has passed the state Senate but still awaits further action in the Ohio House.
House Bill 1025 had attracted 18 co-sponsors as of Tuesday morning, including 17 Republicans and one Democrat.
The Ohio General Assembly is scheduled to return from its recess after Election Day. Further action on the firearm legislation is considered unlikely before lawmakers return.
The bill’s introduction does not make the long rifle Ohio’s official state firearm. The designation would require approval through the legislative process before becoming law.
