Gun rights advocates file lawsuit to challenge national firearms act
Pro-gun organizations have launched a lawsuit against the federal government, arguing that the 1934 National Firearms Act's regulations on silencers and short-barreled firearms are unconstitutional following a recent legislative change. The suit, dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Lawsuit,' seeks to eliminate longstanding restrictions and the associated federal registry. It comes after Congress passed the Big Beautiful Bill, which removes a $200 tax on these items starting in 2026.
The lawsuit targets the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) and involves the Silencer Shop Foundation, Gun Owners of America, Palmetto State Armory, and other pro-gun groups. It challenges the National Firearms Act (NFA), enacted in 1934, which regulates silencers, short-barreled rifles and shotguns, and a category known as 'any other weapon.' These items have long required a $200 tax for purchase, along with federal registration to ensure tax compliance.
The plaintiffs argue that the Big Beautiful Bill's elimination of the tax, effective in 2026, undermines the constitutional basis for the NFA's restrictions. Without the tax, they contend, the federal registry lacks legal justification and becomes 'increasingly legally flimsy.' The suit aims to dismantle these regulations entirely, viewing the tax removal as a pivotal opportunity.
Dave Matheny, CEO and founder of Silencer Shop, emphasized the historical context: “This lawsuit isn’t about picking a fight — it’s about ending one that started in 1934. For nearly a century, Americans have been told they need to beg for permission to protect their own hearing. That’s not safety. That’s government inertia. We’re fighting to restore the kind of common sense our grandparents took for granted — where you could enjoy your rights without a calendar and a checkbook standing in the way.”
Erich Pratt, senior vice president of Gun Owners of America, described the case as transformative: “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to dismantle one of the most abusive federal gun control laws on the books. With the tax struck down by Congress, the rest of the NFA is standing on air. We’re ready to take this fight to the courts and finally end the federal registry once and for all.”
Advocates from the Silencer Shop Foundation note that success would remove barriers to exercising Second Amendment rights and prevent future impositions of higher costs on suppressor purchases. The case highlights ongoing debates over federal gun regulations in the post-legislative landscape.