Pro-gun rights

Brief in support of a motion for preliminary injunction asks federal court to block Maryland from banning some of America’s most popular handguns

BALTIMORE, Md. (September 22, 2026) — Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) announced today that it filed its reply brief in support of a preliminary injunction in Bathras v. Moore, urging the United States District Court for the District of Maryland to block the State’s new ban on Glock and Glock-style handguns before it takes effect. Individuals who want to join the FPC Grassroots Army and help support important lawsuits like this one can sign up in under three minutes at JoinFPC.org.

Court reverses lower court, renders judgment for FPC, and holds federal handgun purchase restrictions unconstitutional under the Second Amendment

NEW ORLEANS (September 18, 2026) — Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) announced today a major victory in Elite Precision Customs v. ATF, with the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit holding that the federal government’s ban on direct interstate handgun purchases violates the Second Amendment. The Court reversed the lower court’s dismissal of the case and rendered judgment for FPC and its co-plaintiffs.

Today, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel’s issued, through a Press Release, a 49 page opinion, concluding that 18-to-20-year-olds are among "the people" protected by the Second Amendment and that restrictions on their rights, based solely on their age, are unconstitutional. The opinion is consistent with the arguments that we've made in … Continue reading DOJ Opinion Finds Age-Based Handgun Ban for 18–20-Year-Olds Unconstitutional →

Petition asks Court to resolve major Second Amendment splits over facial challenges and whether 1791 or later history controls

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 16, 2026) — Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) announced today that it filed a petition for writ of certiorari with the United States Supreme Court in Christian v. James, asking the Court to strike down New York’s sweeping ban on peaceable firearm carry in public parks and resolve major conflicts among lower courts over how the Second Amendment must be applied.

If you’re receiving this email, your Representative in Congress is on the House Judiciary Committee.

That means we’ve got an important request for you.

Tomorrow, the House Judiciary Committee will be voting on two bills that matter to your Second Amendment rights:

H.R. 2442, the Freedom from Unfair Gun Taxes Act of 2025, and H.R. 9298, the Stopping Harmful and Outrageous Torts Act — the SHOT Act.

While both of these bills create much needed protections for gun owners, we’re asking for amendments to be added to H.R. 9298 to expand protections for non-profit businesses in the firearms industry.

We’re asking GOA members to please contact their member on the House Judiciary Committee and tell them to support H.R. 2442 and to adopt Gun Owners of America’s proposed amendments to H.R. 9298. 

H.R. 2442 would stop states from imposing excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, and parts—taxes designed to raise the cost of guns and ammo and price gun owners out of their rights.

It would also preempt backdoor suppressor bans like the one proposed in Virginia, where lawmakers wanted to tax suppressors at $500 after GOA repealed the NFA tax.

H.R. 9298 would strengthen the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, but as written it primarily protects for-profit businesses and trade associations like the NSSF.

With targeted changes, it could protect the entire industry, including nonprofit Second Amendment organizations (like GOA) and individuals engaged in lawful firearms commerce and advocacy.

Please contact the House Judiciary Committee and tell them to support H.R. 2442 and to adopt Gun Owners of America’s proposed amendments to H.R. 9298.

FPC asks federal court to strike down New Jersey’s handgun-rationing law after securing victory over California’s similar ban

TRENTON, N.J. (September 14, 2026) — Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) announced today that it and its co-plaintiffs filed a motion for summary judgment in Struck v. Davenport, asking the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey to declare the State’s “one-gun-a-month” handgun purchase ban unconstitutional and permanently enjoin its enforcement. This move comes after FPC was successful in striking down California’s similar law—the first time the Ninth Circuit issued a final judgment striking down a law as unconstitutional under the Second Amendment.

Texas DPS Director agrees challenged laws are unconstitutional while Houston Astros and other anti-rights organizations ask Fifth Circuit to preserve them

NEW ORLEANS (September 11, 2026) — Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) announced today that it filed its reply brief with the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Ziegenfuss v. Martin, urging the Court to reverse the judgment below and strike down three Texas laws that criminalize carrying firearms at certain locations, including racetracks, businesses that derive 51 percent or more of their revenue from alcohol sales, and sporting and interscholastic events.

Court rules unserialized firearms, frames and receivers are protected “Arms” and Delaware cannot ban peaceable people from making their own firearms

WILMINGTON, DE (September 10, 2026) — Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) announced today a major Second Amendment victory in its Rigby v. Jennings lawsuit, with the United States District Court for the District of Delaware holding that the State’s bans on possessing and self-manufacturing so-called “ghost guns” are unconstitutional.

NEW ORLEANS (September 10, 2026) — Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) announced today that it filed an important friend-of-the-court brief in United States v. Squire, urging the en banc United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit to reverse Curtis Squire’s conviction and hold that Congress cannot use the Commerce Clause to turn purely local firearm possession into a federal crime merely because a gun crossed state lines sometime in the past.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 10, 2026) — Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) thanked the numerous people and groups that filed amicus briefs with the United States Supreme Court in support of its Viramontes v. Cook County lawsuit, which asks the Court to hold that bans on so-called “assault weapons” are unconstitutional and that the semiautomatic rifles at issue are protected by the Second Amendment.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

September 4, 2026 

GOA LEADS INDUSTRY COALITION IN SUPREME COURT FIGHT TO DEFEND AR-15s 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Gun Owners of America (GOA) and Gun Owners Foundation (GOF)—along with Century Arms, Canik USA, B&T USA and Fostech—filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down “assault weapons” bans in Viramontes v. Cook County. 

What that case comes down to is this: Does the Second Amendment protect Americans’ right to own AR-15s and other commonly owned rifles? 

AR-15s are the most popular rifles in America, and it is estimated that 20–40 million AR-15s are owned by Americans. The Supreme Court has already recognized that these rifles are widely owned and in common use. 

Our brief argues that the government cannot ban commonly owned firearms simply because politicians or judges consider them too dangerous or akin to “military-style.” The Second Amendment does not draw a line between “civilian” and “military” weapons. The Founding Fathers understood that citizens should and would have access to the same kinds of arms used by soldiers. 

Erich Pratt, Senior Vice President of Gun Owners of America, issued the following statement:   

“The Supreme Court’s decision could have major consequences for Second Amendment rights nationwide. A favorable ruling would strike a major blow to some of the nation’s most extreme gun control laws, and states with ‘assault weapon’ bans will face a reckoning like never before.”   

 Adam Ruonala, VP of Sales and Marketing at Century Arms and Canik USA, issued the following statement:   

“For decades, Century Arms has helped bring firearms to the American market and serve law-abiding gun owners across the country. The Viramontes case presents a historic opportunity for the Supreme Court to affirm that commonly owned semiautomatic rifles, including the AR-15 platform, are protected by the Second Amendment. Century Arms and Canik USA are proud to stand with Gun Owners of America and our industry partners in this effort and grateful to be part of a historic moment that could have lasting implications for our customers, our industry, and future generations of Americans.” 

Ridley Key, CEO of B&T USA, issued the following statement:  

“When the Court asks whether these rifles are in common use, we can answer that from the shop floor. The features these bans single out—grips, stocks, magazines—are the features that make a rifle controllable and safe to handle. Millions of Americans own this class of rifle for defense, for competition and for sport. B&T USA is proud to stand with Gun Owners of America in asking the Court to call them what they are: constitutional arms.” 

David Foster, one of the founders and owners of Fostech, issued the following statement: 

“Together with my brothers Mark and Paul, I stand with Gun Owners of America and with every group and citizen fighting to defend gun rights and uphold the Second Amendment. We support the principle that AR-15-style rifles are arms in common use for lawful purposes—the same rifles Americans already own and that we build in Indiana. The right to keep and bear arms does not belong to any government. It is God-given—endowed by our Creator, not granted by man. We will keep standing with those who refuse to let it be bargained away.”

GOA spokesmen are available for interviews. Gun Owners of America is a nonprofit grassroots lobbying organization representing over two million members and activists. For more information, visit GOA’s Press Center.  

-GOA- 

FPC warned Louisiana of the constitutional problem in 2025 and proposed a simple legislative fix—but the State refused. Now FPC is asking a federal court to stop the unconstitutional ban.

LAFAYETTE, LA (September 1, 2026) — Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) announced today that it has filed a motion for preliminary injunction in its Pool v. Besson lawsuit, asking the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana to immediately block Louisiana’s ban on handgun carry permits for 18-to-20-year-old adults.

• Biden’s “Ghost Gun” rule was struck down by the courts. GOA’s case against it is still active.

• Gun shops are passing ATF inspections after selling suppressors with no registration.

• A foreign ransomware gang hacked ATF.

A federal judge struck down the ghost gun rule. Our case is still in the fight.

On August 17, Judge Reed O’Connor threw out the Biden rule that treated unfinished chunks of plastic or metal as complete firearms.

The Judge decided that the rule violates the Second Amendment, and that it was too vague to be legal on top of that.

The rule could not say when a block of material becomes a gun. It gave ATF a list of factors and let the agency decide case by case. Individuals were expected to guess, and guessing wrong is a felony.  

Credit where it belongs. That case was brought by Defense Distributed and the Second Amendment Foundation, and they earned it. Two things to keep straight. The judge’s order protects the people in that lawsuit, and the government can still take it to the Fifth Circuit.

We have been fighting the same rule since 2022. Our case is Morehouse Enterprises v. ATF, filed in North Dakota with a gun shop standing beside us as co-plaintiff.

That case also takes aim at ATF’s registry of gun owners. Hold onto that last part because it comes back at the bottom of this email.

Gun shops are passing ATF inspections after selling suppressors with no registration.

When a federal district judge in Texas ruled in GOA’s favor in our NFA case, gun shops across the country gained protection under the injunction by becoming GOA Corporate Members.

As a result, these dealers have been able to sell suppressors using the same background check form required for a rifle purchase. No Form 4. No federal registration.

Four of those shops have now been inspected by ATF. All four came out clean, with zero violations. The inspectors did not treat the sales as violations, because of the court order.

*That does not mean ATF has formally endorsed or approved these sales. ATF has not issued any public guidance on the matter.*

This information came from people in the industry—not from ATF itself. GOA asked ATF for something in writing weeks ago, but we have received nothing in response—not even an acknowledgment that our inquiry was received.

Keep in mind that if you are not covered by the court order, none of this applies to you. The injunction protects GOA members and the customers of the companies involved in the lawsuit—in those states which do not ban NFA items. Everyone else remains outside the injunction’s protection.

If you are an FFL, consult an attorney licensed in your state before changing the way you operate your shop. 

Keep an eye on this one. A ransomware gang hit ATF.

A Russian ransomware crew called Qilin claimed ATF as a victim last Wednesday. The bureau confirmed it the same day. The agency says the machine that got hit was a standalone system holding information on people ATF was investigating, and that it was not connected to eForms or its other systems. Justice Department officials labeled it a major incident, which is a formal designation that requires them to notify Congress.

Early word from inside ATF is that gun owner records were not taken. We hope that holds. But nobody has verified what the hackers walked away with, and the gang has not shown its hand yet.

Here is the part that should stick with you. ATF sits on files covering roughly a billion guns and gun owners, including paperwork from shops that closed years ago. Every one of those records is a target.

This is why GOA is calling on President Trump to delete ATF’s illegal digital gun registry. And we are also calling on Congress to pass the No REGISTRY Rights Act by Rep. Michael Cloud and Senator Jim Risch to certify the registry’s complete destruction.

P.S., we’ve partnered with our friends at GoatGuns to bring you a limited edition 1911 celebrating GOA’s 50th anniversary! 

Proceeds from the sales of this product go to supporting GOA in our mission to fight for the Second Amendment!

If you aren’t already, please consider becoming a GOA member so that we can fight on your behalf! And consider also making it a repeating yearly contribution so that you will always stay covered by our lawsuit injunctions.