The Biden-era ATF rule restricting pistol braces was vacated Thursday after President Donald Trump's Department of Justice agreed to drop its appeal in a federal lawsuit, delivering a major victory to gun-rights advocates, Breitbart reported.
The move marks a significant reversal in federal firearms regulation and concludes a lengthy legal battle over the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives' 2023 rule that reclassified AR-pistols with braces as short-barreled rifles under the National Firearms Act.
"This afternoon, Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) and the federal government agreed to a joint dismissal of the government's appeal in our Mock v. Bondi lawsuit, a case that successfully challenged the Biden ATF's 'pistol brace' ban and secured injunctive relief for gun owners while the case was being litigated to final judgment, which completely vacated the rule," the Firearms Policy Coalition said in a statement.
The pistol brace rule was published in the Federal Register on Jan. 31, 2023, and was met with immediate legal opposition. It sought to bring AR-style pistols equipped with stabilizing braces under the purview of the National Firearms Act, subjecting owners to the same requirements as those purchasing fully automatic firearms. That included mandatory registration and additional federal scrutiny.
Gun-rights groups hailed the dismissal as a pivotal legal win. The company Daniel Defense, a prominent manufacturer of AR-15 rifles, also praised the outcome on social media, proclaiming the ban "terminated."
Firearms Policy Coalition CEO Brandon Combs emphasized that the regulation contradicted Second Amendment protections.
"As we explained in the case filings, braced pistols are not short-barreled rifles. But either way, they are unquestionably arms protected under the Second Amendment," he said. "We are thrilled to have secured this important win for liberty and excited to take on even more unconstitutional laws so you can exercise your rights when, where, and how you choose."
The legal resolution comes as broader gun policy debates continue to unfold nationwide.
In June, the Supreme Court declined to hear a challenge to Maryland's ban on assault-style rifles and high-capacity magazines, letting a lower court's decision stand.
That state law, enacted in 2013 following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut, specifically bans the AR-15 and similar firearms. The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law, ruling that Maryland may constitutionally prohibit the sale and possession of such weapons. The Supreme Court's decision not to take the case was seen as a significant victory for gun-control advocates.
Although the AR-15 is banned in Maryland and eight other states, it remains legal in 41 states. The rifle is estimated to be in circulation in numbers ranging from 20 million to 30 million units, making it the most popular gun in America.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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