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Judge James Wesley Hendrix declares key NFA provisions unconstitutional
U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix of the Northern District of Texas ruled that the registration and approval requirements for suppressors, short‑barreled rifles and short‑barreled shotguns under the 1934 National Firearms Act (NFA) are unconstitutional. The decision rests on Congress’s 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which eliminated the $200 tax that had justified the NFA’s regulatory scheme. Without the tax, the court found the law exceeded Congress’s taxing power and could not be upheld under the Commerce Clause. The ruling enjoined the ATF from enforcing the registration, fingerprinting and Form 1/Form 4 requirements for the affected firearms and placed a seven‑day hold for a possible appeal. Plaintiffs included Gun Owners of America, the Silencer Shop Foundation, the Second Amendment Foundation, and a coalition of 15 Republican‑led states. The injunction applies to the plaintiffs and their members, allowing owners to purchase suppressors, SBRs and SBSs without the former federal registration process, while other categories such as machine guns remain regulated. The decision is hailed as a major victory by gun‑rights groups and may prompt further challenges and possible Supreme Court review.
Entities
Department of Justice · Donald Trump · Gun Owners of America · James Wesley Hendrix · National Firearms Act · National Rifle Association · National Rifle Association – Institute for Legislative Action · One Big Beautiful Bill Act · Silencer Shop Foundation
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Judge James Wesley Hendrix ruled that NFA provisions for suppressors, short‑barreled rifles and short‑barreled shotguns are unconstitutional because Congress eliminated the $200 tax in 2025. opslens.com · blog.joehuffman.org · dnyuz.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The $200 tax on suppressors and short‑barreled firearms was eliminated by legislation signed by President Donald Trump in July 2025. opslens.com · dnyuz.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The decision could allow owners to purchase suppressors and certain firearms without registration, though federal background checks remain required. dailycallernewsfoundation.org · www.troyrecord.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Gun‑rights groups view the ruling as a major victory and may seek to take the case to the Supreme Court. dailycallernewsfoundation.org · www.troyrecord.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The ruling applies to plaintiffs including the Silencer Shop Foundation, Gun Owners of America, the NRA and several firearms manufacturers, and is limited to the Northern District of Texas. blog.joehuffman.org · opslens.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The National Firearms Act was enacted in 1934 and required a tax and registration for certain firearms. dnyuz.com · dailycallernewsfoundation.org
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Department of Justice and the ATF have not indicated whether they will appeal the ruling. dailycallernewsfoundation.org · srnnews.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] As of June 2026, more than 6.4 million suppressors were registered in the United States. dailycallernewsfoundation.org · www.troyrecord.com
- [● 7 SOURCES] The court issued a permanent injunction blocking the ATF from enforcing registration, Form 1 and Form 4 applications, fingerprinting and photography requirements for the affected firearms americanfaith.com · bushcraftusa.com · nemosnewsnetwork.com · www.zerohedge.com · huntinglife.com · +2 more
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The ATF reported that more than 6.4 million suppressors were registered in the United States as of June rocketnews.com
- [● 7 SOURCES] The decision does not affect machine guns and destructive devices, which remain subject to the $200 tax and registration requirements americanfaith.com · bushcraftusa.com · nemosnewsnetwork.com · www.zerohedge.com · huntinglife.com · +2 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] Plaintiffs included Gun Owners of America, the Second Amendment Foundation, the Firearms Policy Coalition and a coalition of fifteen Republican‑led states bushcraftusa.com · huntinglife.com · rocketnews.com · www.dailysignal.com