Young Minnesota gun owners received tremendous news this week after a judge's ruling backed their Second Amendment rights. 

According to Reuters, a federal judge struck down a state law that prohibited residents under 21 from obtaining a permit to carry a handgun in public, as critics of the law argued that it violated young gun owners' constitutional rights under the Second Amendment.

The state had enacted the ban on those under 21 obtaining such a permit in a 2003 expansion of the state's gun control agenda.

The law was eventually challenged in 2021 "by three gun rights groups - Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) and Second Amendment Foundation - and three individuals," Reuters noted.

"Resounding victory"

Members of the groups that challenged the state law, including Bryan Strawser, chair of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, celebrated U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez's ruling that struck down the law.

"This is a resounding victory for 18- to 20-year-old adults who wish to exercise their Constitutional right to bear arms," Strawser said in a statement.

"The order by U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez in St. Paul is the latest in a series of legal defeats for state gun control measures following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year expanding gun rights nationwide," FPC Action Foundation tweeted.

"The order by U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez in St. Paul is the latest in a series of legal defeats for state gun control measures following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year expanding gun rights nationwide." https://t.co/thVzMysTAi

— FPC Action Foundation (@FPCAction) March 31, 2023

"In sum, the Commissioner's reliance on statutes passed in the second half of the 19th century does not support his burden to show the age requirement in [MN law] is consistent with the nation's history and tradition of firearm regulations as required by Bruen," one Twitter user wrote, attaching part of the judge's ruling.

"In sum, the Commissioner's reliance on statutes passed in the second half of the 19th century does not support his burden to show the age requirement in [MN law] is consistent with the nation's history and tradition of firearm regulations as required by Bruen." pic.twitter.com/qtrrpou5dq

— Rob Romano (@2Aupdates) March 31, 2023

Legal hurdles

In a late-breaking development to the story, the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus reported that Democratic Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed an emergency motion for a stay on the federal judge's ruling.

"Minnesota AG Keith Ellison has filed an emergency motion for a stay so that Minnesota can figure out how to implement the court's ruling and decide whether or not they appeal. They argue that a stay will be in the "plaintiff's best interests" - we'll agree to disagree," the gun group tweeted.

Minnesota AG Keith Ellison has filed an emergency motion for a stay so that Minnesota can figure out how to implement the court's ruling and decide whether or not they appeal.

They argue that a stay will be in the "plaintiff's best interests" - we'll agree to disagree.…

— MN Gun Owners Caucus (@mnguncaucus) April 1, 2023

While there is still work to be done, even with the AG's interference, gun owners in Minnesota should soon be on their way to victory, at least if the Constitution has anything to do with it.