Gun Law News
Gun law news: court rulings, state bans and the buying windows before them, DOJ and ATF policy, and agency rulemaking. Newest first.
ATF Reverses Suppressor Repair Rules for Caliber Changes
ATF's August 2026 silencer letter discards the old rule that caliber changes automatically make a new NFA firearm. A registered complete silencer can now be repaired or converted if its serialized frame or receiver remains intact.
Texas Judge Strikes Down NFA Registration for Suppressors, SBRs
A federal judge ruled August 5, 2026 in Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF that NFA registration for suppressors, SBRs, and SBSs exceeds Congress's enumerated powers now that the tax is $0. The permanent injunction covers members of GOA and five other groups plus customers of B&T USA, PSA, and SilencerCo. The stay lapsed August 12, and Rep. Clyde announced the same day that the Trump administration confirmed the DOJ will not appeal.
Third Circuit Upholds Federal Machine Gun Ban in US v. Berger
A Third Circuit panel held September 1, 2026 that machine guns are Second Amendment 'Arms' but that 18 U.S.C. 922(o) can ban them anyway, and that NFA suppressor registration is not an infringement at all. The opinion never cites a registration figure.
ATF Passes Four FFLs That Sold Suppressors on a 4473
ATF investigators cited no violations at four injunction-covered dealers. B&T USA is presenting the 4473 pathway at a trade show attended by more than 275 independent retailers while formal ATF guidance remains pending.
How to Buy a Suppressor Without a Form 4 in 27 States (2026)
SilencerCo lists 27 states where qualifying new suppressor purchases may use Form 4473 instead of Form 4, but warns buyers to keep them in the purchase state. Check coverage, dealer participation, travel, and trust ownership before choosing a path.
ATF Hack: Qilin Leaks 6.3GB, Agency Says NFA Data Safe
Qilin published roughly 6.3GB of ATF material on August 31 after its ransom countdown expired: investigative case directories, Cellebrite phone dumps, and forensic records tied to field offices. ATF named the breached machine as its standalone CALEA system and says eForms, the NFA registry, and case management were never connected to it. What that means for your Form 1, your fingerprints, and the registry that lists what you own.
First No-Form-4 Suppressor Transfers Since 1934 Are Done
At 12:01 a.m. CDT on August 13, 2026, Silencer Shop transferred suppressors to Brandon Herrera and Texas Rep. Wes Virdell with no Form 4 and no registry entry: a SilencerCo Scythe-Ti Black priced at $17.76 and a B&T Print-XH RBS 556 at $19.34. The DOJ let its 5 p.m. Eastern deadline pass without objection and confirmed it will not appeal the August 5 Silencer Shop Foundation injunction.
Does the ATF Know What Guns You Own? 1.3 Billion Records
There is no federal registry of ordinary firearms, and four laws forbid one. But ATF holds roughly 1.3 billion record images at its National Tracing Center, takes in 6.8 million more each month, and keeps them forever. What the government actually has on you, what it does not, and the proposed rule that would finally put an expiration date on the pile.
California Gun Stores Must Record Audio 24/7, Ninth Circuit Rules
A Ninth Circuit panel affirmed dismissal of Richards v. Newsom on August 27, 2026, leaving California Penal Code 26806 in force. Every California FFL must record video and interior audio continuously and keep it a year. Judge Kenneth Lee dissented on the audio mandate; the operative complaint pleaded only First, Fourth and Fifth Amendment claims.
ATF Cuts NFA Fingerprints & Photos: July 2026 Proposed Rule
ATF filed RIN 1140-AA63 on July 2, 2026 to cut the fingerprint and photograph burden on Form 1, 4, and 5 applications. Individuals drop from two FD-258 cards to one and swap the 2x2 passport photo for a scan of a government-issued ID. NFA trust and legal-entity responsible persons would be exempt from fingerprints unless the FBI specifically requests them. Federal Register publication July 6, 2026; comments close October 5, 2026. Not final yet.
ATF Ghost Gun Rule Struck Down: What It Means for 80% Lowers
Judge Reed O'Connor ruled August 17, 2026 in Defense Distributed v. Blanche that ATF's 2022 frame or receiver definitions violate the Second Amendment and are void for vagueness. The declaratory judgment reaches every current and future Second Amendment Foundation member, but the rule is not vacated and the injunction covers only Defense Distributed's own 80% products.
ATF Engaged in the Business Rule Stays Vacated Nationwide
Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk denied DOJ's bid to narrow the June 12 judgment, leaving ATF's 2024 Engaged in the Business Rule vacated nationwide. The underlying dealer statute remains in force, and the court did not strike down ATF's separate May 2026 proposal.
California Glock Ban: Injunction Hearing Set for September 4
SAF, the NRA, FPC and San Diego County dealers moved on August 4, 2026 to preliminarily enjoin California's AB 1127 Glock ban. Judge Dana M. Sabraw hears the motion September 4 in Renna v. Bonta, after a separate judge denied the Justice Department a temporary restraining order against the same law in July.
DOJ Settles LASD CCW Lawsuit: 4 Years of Public Wait Reports
The Justice Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department settled the DOJ's first affirmative lawsuit in support of gun owners on August 13, 2026. LASD must publish its CCW processing times for four years, file a compliance declaration, and stay within California's 90-day statutory deadline under federal court jurisdiction.
DOJ: Concealed Carry Legal in Post Offices Under 18 U.S.C. 930
The DOJ Office of Legal Counsel concluded on August 12, 2026 that the lawful purposes exception in 18 U.S.C. 930(d)(3) protects self-defense carry in post offices open to the public, and that neither the statute nor the USPS carry regulation may be enforced against law-abiding carriers at roughly 31,000 retail locations.
Build Your Own Suppressor? ATF Wants Photos of the Parts
ATF's eForm 1 now asks makers to upload clear photographs of the parts they will use to build a suppressor, and warns that skipping the upload can get the application disapproved. Federal law defines a silencer to include any combination of parts intended for assembling one, which is what makes the request awkward. What the prompt says, what ATF says it is aiming at, the filing order that keeps a Form 1 build clear of the statute, and the serial-number trap the August 2026 NFA ruling left in place for GOA members.
Virginia Gun Ban Buying Guide: What to Stock Up On in 2026
A June 25 injunction blocked Virginia's assault weapons ban and reopened the buying window. The priority order if budget is finite, which AR-15s and AKs to lock onto a Virginia 4473, why magazines are the highest-ROI buy, and the stripped-lower play for cheap firearm-slot insurance while the law is on hold.
Virginia Assault Weapons Ban: Signed, Then Blocked Before July 1
Virginia's HB 217/SB 749 was signed May 14, 2026, then blocked: a June 25 preliminary injunction in Crump v. Katz voided the July 1 effective date. The law bans future sale, manufacture, import, purchase, and transfer of covered semi-automatic rifles, pistols, shotguns, and magazines over 15 rounds. What the ban covers, the feature test, and the five lawsuits that stopped it.
Can You Shoot Down a Drone Over Your Property? The Law in 2026
Drones are aircraft under federal law, and destroying one can be charged under 18 U.S.C. 32 with penalties up to 20 years. Jamming is separately prohibited. Here is what the statutes say and what you can legally do instead.
NJ AR-15 and Magazine Ban Stay: Ruling on Hold Pending SCOTUS
The Third Circuit stayed its July 17 en banc ruling against New Jersey's assault weapons and 10-round magazine ban on August 4, 2026. The ban never lapsed: the state filed for a stay before the July 31 effective date arrived. The law stays enforced while New Jersey petitions the Supreme Court, with the cert filing due October 15.
NJ AR-15 and Magazine Ban Struck Down, Then Stayed for SCOTUS
The Third Circuit struck down New Jersey's ban on semi-automatic rifles and its 10-round magazine cap in a 10-5 en banc ruling on July 17, 2026 in Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs v. Platkin. The court stayed its own ruling on August 4 before the July 31 effective date arrived, so the ban remains enforced while the state petitions the Supreme Court.
Suppressors Come Off the US Munitions List November 20, 2026
State and Commerce published paired interim final rules on July 23, 2026 moving suppressors for non-automatic and semi-automatic firearms off the USML and onto the Commerce Control List as ECCNs 0A501.f and 0A502.f. State concluded they 'no longer provide a critical military or intelligence advantage.' Here is what changes on November 20, what stays on the munitions list, and what it means for US owners who want to hunt abroad.
DOJ Drops Post Office Carry Appeal, Ruling Now Permanent
The Justice Department filed an unopposed motion on July 16, 2026 to voluntarily dismiss its Fifth Circuit appeal in Firearms Policy Coalition v. Blanche. Once the Fifth Circuit enters the dismissal, Judge Reed O'Connor's September 30, 2025 permanent injunction stands as the final word for FPC and SAF members carrying at ordinary U.S. Post Offices.
Virginia AR-15 & Magazine Sales Resume After Statewide Injunction
Virginia gun shops resumed selling AR-15s and magazines over 15 rounds on July 21, 2026, after Washington County Judge Jeffrey L. Campbell clarified that his injunction in Santolla v. Katz pauses the assault weapons ban statewide. PSA and Virginia dealers are shipping and transferring again; AG Jay Jones has appealed with no hearing scheduled.
Binary Trigger Legal States 2026: Minnesota Ban Struck Down
The Minnesota Court of Appeals struck the state binary trigger ban on May 26, 2026 as unconstitutional, leaving twelve states with active bans. Here is the complete state-by-state legal status, what the Minnesota ruling means, and what binary trigger buyers need to verify before ordering.
DOJ Sues Virginia Over AR-15 Ban, California Over Glock Ban
The Justice Department filed separate federal lawsuits against Virginia and California on July 1, 2026, arguing SB 749's AR-15 sales ban and AB 1127's Glock sales ban both violate the Second Amendment. The suits land a day after the Supreme Court agreed to hear Viramontes v. Cook County and ask judges to block enforcement now.
Virginia Assault Weapons Ban Blocked: Crump v. Katz Injunction
Lancaster County Circuit Judge John Martin granted a preliminary injunction in Crump v. Katz on June 25, 2026, blocking enforcement of Virginia's assault firearms and magazine ban (HB 217 / SB 749) through at least December 31, 2026. Gun Owners of America, Gun Owners Foundation, and VCDL secured the order, voiding the July 1 effective date. Attorney General Jay Jones announced an appeal to the Virginia Court of Appeals on June 26. Updated July 1: the DOJ filed its own federal lawsuit against the ban.
Supreme Court to Rule on AR-15 Bans: Viramontes v. Cook County
The Supreme Court granted certiorari on June 30, 2026 in Viramontes v. Cook County and Grant v. Higgins, consolidating two challenges to AR-15 bans in Illinois and Connecticut. The court will decide whether the Second Amendment protects the right to own AR-15 platform rifles. Oral arguments begin fall 2026; a ruling is expected by June 2027.
Fifth Circuit: Suppressors Are Second Amendment 'Arms'
A unanimous Fifth Circuit panel held June 18, 2026 in United States v. Comeaux that suppressors are 'Arms' under the Second Amendment's plain text, while affirming the NFA conviction by treating registration as a shall-issue regime. The Ninth Circuit reached the opposite conclusion in DeBorba weeks earlier, creating a clean circuit split now teed up for the Supreme Court.
Colorado Gun Ban 2026: What to Buy Before August 1 (SB25-003)
Colorado SB25-003 takes effect August 1, 2026. After the cutoff, buying a semi-auto rifle or shotgun with a detachable magazine requires a permit and a safety course. The buying order: which AR-15s and AKs to lock onto a 4473 first, why rapid-fire devices are the one thing you cannot buy to keep, and why magazines are not part of this deadline at all.
Connecticut Pistol Ban 2026: Glock Sales End Oct. 1
Connecticut Public Act 26-41 bans the sale of Glock-style striker-fired pistols with cruciform trigger bars starting October 1, 2026. Hammer-fired pistols remain fully legal. NSSF has announced a Second Amendment lawsuit to challenge the law.
Virginia Gun Sales Hit Record: AR-15 Background Checks Double Before July 1 Ban
Virginia background checks topped 75,000 in May 2026, more than double May 2025, as gun shops report selling AR-15s, standard-capacity magazines, and NFA items at record pace ahead of the July 1 assault weapons ban. Virginia ranked second in the nation for NFA checks in May.
Florida Gun Tax Holiday 2026: Suppressors Added, Sep 1-Dec 31
Florida HB 7031-E creates a four-month sales tax holiday on guns, ammo, and firearm accessories from September 1 through December 31, 2026. Suppressors are included for the first time after being excluded from the 2025 holiday. No price caps apply.
Illinois HB4471 Glock Ban: What It Does and Pistol Alternatives
Illinois HB4471, the Responsible Gun Manufacturing Act, cleared the House Gun Violence Prevention Committee 9-5 on May 20, 2026. The bill bans the sale, manufacture, import, and transfer of any semiautomatic pistol with a cruciform trigger bar. Glock is the only major brand affected. Sig P320, S&W M&P, HK VP9, Walther PDP, Springfield Hellcat, and Sig P365 fall outside the definition and remain legal to sell.
Maryland Bans Glock-Style Pistols: NRA, FPC, SAF Sue
Maryland Governor Wes Moore signed SB 334 on May 26, 2026, banning the future sale and transfer of semiautomatic pistols with cruciform trigger bars starting January 1, 2027. NRA, FPC, and SAF filed a federal lawsuit challenging the law within hours of the signing.
ATF Proposes 6 Rules to Cut NFA Paperwork: Form 20, CLEO
ATF dropped six deregulatory NPRMs in May 2026 that would gut Form 20 short-term travel approval, kill the CLEO notification requirement, let spouses jointly register NFA firearms without a trust, codify safe interstate transport of guns plus magazines and accessories, simplify post-86 machine gun transfers, and clarify the SOT-per-business-activity rule. Comment periods run through July and August; none is final yet.