New Mexico has become a flashpoint in America’s battle over gun rights, with lawmakers introducing sweeping legislation that gun advocates say threatens constitutional freedoms. From age restrictions to liability expansions, recent sessions of the state legislature have drawn opposition from grassroots Second Amendment groups. The New Mexico Shooting Sports Association (NMSSA) stands in the middle of the debate.
The association is led by Zach Fort, a self-taught organizer who has helped transform the group into a prominent voice for firearm owners across the state. Fort argues that meaningful civic participation—not ideology—will determine the future of gun ownership in New Mexico.
Fort, president of the NMSSA, never imagined himself at the helm of a statewide gun rights organization. He is a lifelong New Mexican born and raised between Albuquerque and Portales, but did not grow up with firearms. “I really didn’t actually grow up around guns that much,” he says. “I didn’t own a firearm until I was well into my 20s.” His journey began not on the range, but through politics. “Around 2017, a friend of mine who was working for the National Rifle Association... said, ‘Zach, you know, things are starting to really turn for gun owners in the state.’” Fort accepted an invitation to join the association, despite what he calls a lack of qualifications—“the one thing that made me qualified was I was willing to learn.”
Since stepping up in 2018, Fort transformed the organization from a “somewhat defunct” entity into a more robust force in New Mexico’s political and cultural landscape. “We’re in a whole different place… from what we’re able to accomplish,” he says. “I think gun owners of New Mexico are better off for it.”
Though not a competitive shooter himself—“most of the time I just shoot recreationally”—he oversees an organization that attracts members from every corner of the state. “It’s just such a huge gamut of people who donate to us and who support us,” he says, ranging from “high school dropouts... all the way up to surgeons.”
The NMSSA is structured as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit, allowing it to advocate directly in the legislative arena. “All that we’re doing is advocating for what we strongly believe that the United States Constitution says.” Fort describes the recent legislative climate as hostile: “We kind of call [them] the kitchen sink sessions, because they just threw every single idea they possibly could,” from banning firearm possession by minors to increasing civil liability for manufacturers. “Typically, we’re tracking anywhere from 15 to 25 bills during a given legislative session.”
Fort points to CDC statistics. “Higher crime areas have lower rates of firearm ownership... rural areas tend to have very high rates of firearm ownership and typically much less crime,” he says. He finds arguments for gun control to be ideologically driven but not grounded in effectiveness. “The way criminals obtain firearms... is so far removed from the way you or I would obtain a firearm.” In his view, the debate over waiting periods and background checks is largely meaningless. “With social media apps, you can find a stolen gun for sale in Albuquerque in under 15 minutes,” he says, citing firsthand research. “There’s no background check. You just pay someone cash.”
Fort stresses the difference between youth crime and youth shooting sports. “Banning someone under the age of 18 from even holding a firearm is not the answer,” he says, adding that youth shooting events are “a bunch of stellar high school students... everyone is following every safety precaution and having a lot of fun.” In fact, he notes, “one of the fastest growing high school sports in this country is actually shotgun sports.”
He encourages those skeptical of firearms to get informed through experience. “If you just want to learn more about the topic, spend some time around firearms,” he advises. Fort suggests taking a concealed carry class even if you’ve never handled a gun. “You’re going to be really good... because you haven’t had the opportunity to pick up bad habits.”
On legislative reform, Fort says, “we would love to be left alone, but we realize that there is a well-financed opposing side... they’re going to keep coming back.” Still, he remains committed to growing grassroots support. “What we try to do is identify somebody in that community... and say, ‘hey, do you want to be our liaison?’” The decentralized approach has yielded positive results. “When someone who is not even registered to vote is contacting their legislator, that means people are paying attention.”
Fort calls voting “100% important” and urges New Mexicans—especially in rural counties—to match the high turnout of places like Santa Fe. “If places like Otero County, Eddy County, Lea County voted at the same rate Santa Fe County did, you’d begin to see some real change.”
For Fort, the mission is both political and personal. “I took a friend to the range, a Democrat from California... today he owns an AR-15,” Fort says. “He’s very pro-gun today. So it is a really great way—if you’re looking to convert your friends and family—take them to the range.”
As president and treasurer of NMSSA, Fort encourages citizens to get involved. “We haven’t changed our membership fees in 20 or 30 years,” he says. “We want everyone to be involved and to be a member.” Whether it’s attending a fundraiser or subscribing to the group’s free newsletter, Fort’s message is, “we can make a difference in the legislature, but we need everyone to step up and get involved.”
