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7h ago

Judge Bars Enforcement of NFA Registration for Suppressors and Short-Barreled Guns

The ruling says the tax that once justified the registration rules no longer exists and removes that legal basis for federal oversight of those items.

FILE - Firearms and suppressors are displayed at SHOT Show, the annual trade show for the gun industry, Jan. 21 2020, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Lisa Marie Pane, File)
There's burst of smoke and ejecting shell as A.J. Wynne shoots a Heckler & Koch MP 5 short barrel rifle with a suppressor. A.J. Wynne is a former Marine who now works as a firearms instructor. He spent the afternoon target practicing with a variety of high-power weapons at a shooting range owned by the company he works for. He has strong opinions about what he thinks are government attempts to curtail the rights of gun owners. He has suffered from symptoms of PTSD in the past. Michael S. Williamson/Washington Post via Getty
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Overview

  • A federal judge in the Northern District of Texas issued a permanent injunction Wednesday finding that Congress’s taxing power can no longer support NFA registration rules for suppressors, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns.
  • The decision grew out of 2025 legislation signed by President Trump that reduced the NFA’s $200 transfer and making tax to zero for those categories while leaving registration provisions on the books.
  • Practically, the injunction could allow transfers or acquisitions of the affected items without NFA registration in the parties’ jurisdiction, though standard dealer background checks still apply and federal agency guidance remains unclear.
  • Gun-rights groups hailed the ruling as a constitutional win and said they will press similar challenges, while gun-safety organizations warned it removes an added layer of scrutiny that included local law-enforcement notification.
  • The case is expected to be appealed and its national effect will depend on appellate courts and potential Supreme Court review, with the ATF noting there are more than 6.4 million registered suppressors in U.S. records.