Minnesota Firearm News

New FBI background check data shows Americans continue buying firearms at elevated levels, with over 1.26 million likely retail sales in February 2026. In states like Virginia, where lawmakers are advancing new gun control measures, purchases surged dramatically as gun owners moved to secure firearms before potential restrictions take effect.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in United States v. Hemani, a case challenging the federal prohibition on firearm possession by marijuana users under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(3). The justices examined whether disarming someone based solely on regular marijuana use aligns with the historical-tradition standard set forth in Bruen, a decision that could significantly impact status-based firearm bans nationwide.

A new federal lawsuit, Roberts v. ATF, argues that the National Firearms Act’s registration requirements for suppressors and short-barreled firearms cannot stand now that the $200 excise tax has been eliminated. Plaintiffs contend the NFA was upheld as a tax measure in Sonzinsky v. United States, and without that revenue basis, the remaining registration regime lacks constitutional justification — potentially setting up a major test of federal firearms regulation.

West Virginia’s SB 1071, the “Public Defense and Provisioning Act,” seeks to create a state-based pathway for lawful machine gun transfers by relying on an exemption in the 1986 Hughes Amendment for firearms transferred “to or by” a state. Backed by Gun Owners of America, the bill would establish a state office to facilitate transfers to qualified individuals, setting up a potential legal challenge to long-standing federal restrictions on newly manufactured machine guns.

The Senate Judiciary Committee’s confirmation hearing for ATF nominee Robert Cekada may have been smooth, but the real question for Second Amendment advocates goes beyond personalities. Under the Supreme Court’s Bruen standard, firearm regulations must align with the nation’s historical tradition—not modern policy preferences. As administrations change, constitutional limits—not individual directors—must remain the safeguard for “shall not be infringed.”

Trump’s nominee to lead the ATF, Robert Cekada, faced unusually smooth sailing during his Senate confirmation hearing, drawing praise from both Republicans and Democrats and signaling a likely confirmation. The current deputy director emphasized a focus on violent crime rather than regulatory crackdowns, while stopping short of promising immediate rollbacks of controversial Biden-era rules.