Federal Judge Strikes Down NFA Rules for Untaxed Guns

A federal court on Wednesday struck down the National Firearms Act’s registration requirements for certain firearms and accessories.

The court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in their case against the Bureau for Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) challenging the registration requirements. It found that the government overstepped its powers under the Constitution when it sought to apply National Firearms Act rules to untaxed firearms.

The ruling covers rules about registering and transferring these firearms, but it does not extend to the NFA’s regulation of other guns.

FPC WIN: A Texas federal judge has has struck down the NFA's registration requirement for now-untaxed firearms, saying it "cannot be upheld under the taxing power": https://t.co/IuIXZrMhcv pic.twitter.com/9wbKa3OQ9D

— Firearms Policy Coalition (@gunpolicy) August 5, 2026

The legal battles started when the Silencer Shop Foundation, Gun Owners of America, several other gun companies, and an individual named Brady Wetz sued the ATF on July 4, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.

When Congress passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year, it reduced the longstanding $200 fee mandated by the National Firearms Act for manufacturing or transferring silencers, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and “any other weapons” to zero. However, people were still required to register the firearms and obtain government approval while providing fingerprints.

🚨 A federal judge has ruled that major portions of the National Firearms Act are unconstitutional after Congress eliminated certain taxes on suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and other covered firearms. pic.twitter.com/C2s2diEU8E

— SCOTUS Wire (@scotus_wire) August 5, 2026

The plaintiffs argued that since the tax was eliminated, there was no further reason to impose these extra rules. They insisted that the rules were unconstitutional because Congress only has limited powers under the U.S. Constitution.

In Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF, the court threw out the NFA's registration and approval scheme for suppressors, SBRs, and SBSs. Form 1. Form 4. ATF wait period. NFA Registry. All gone.

And because we won, you win too. The ruling covers all Silencer Shop customers, current… pic.twitter.com/508dwB2mF2

— SilencerShop (@SilencerShop) August 5, 2026

Proponents of gun rights celebrated the ruling as a win for gun owners. John Commerford, NRA-ILA Executive Director, told Townhall the decision opens the door to striking down the entire National Firearms Act.

“The NRA has launched a several prong offensive to systematically dismantle the National Firearms Act,” he said. “Our work to remove the $200 fee for NFA items has opened the door to repeal this archaic law and our world-class legal team has filed cases in multiple jurisdictions to provide every avenue to take it down. Simply put, the NRA has launched an all-out blitz, and we have positioned ourselves to remove this draconian gun control measure once and for all.”

Editor’s Note: President Trump and Republicans across the country are doing everything they can to protect our Second Amendment rights and right to self-defense.

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