Minnesota Firearm News

The ATF’s new rule revising how it defines “unlawful user” of controlled substances may sound like a major shift, but the underlying federal gun prohibition remains firmly in place. Rather than expanding Second Amendment protections, the change largely abandons an outdated enforcement shortcut—one that treated a single incident of alleged drug use as grounds for denial—and brings ATF practice closer to how courts already interpret the law.

With days remaining before Virginia’s legislative crossover deadline, Democrats in the House of Delegates advanced a sweeping package of gun control bills that would ban commonly owned firearms, impose magazine limits, and expand civil liability against the firearms industry. Chief among them, HB 217 would outlaw a wide range of semi-automatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns while criminalizing possession by adults under 21—despite Supreme Court precedent protecting arms in com

A unanimous Ninth Circuit panel has upheld California’s switchblade restrictions as applied to concealed carry, ruling in Knife Rights v. Bonta that historical precedent supports the state’s law despite the Supreme Court’s Bruen framework. By narrowly focusing on concealed carry and sidestepping broader prohibitions, the court preserved one of the nation’s most restrictive knife laws...

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.

January 2026 is already shaping up to be the year of the suppressor, as NFA submissions surged more than 120 percent following the elimination of the federal tax on suppressors and short-barreled firearms. While overall firearm sales remained steady at nearly 1.2 million units, background checks tied specifically to NFA items exploded—confirming what many saw at SHOT Show: when unnecessary taxes and barriers are removed, Americans waste no time exercising their rights.

Following a fatal Border Patrol shooting involving an anti-ICE protester in Minnesota, rhetoric from members of the Trump Administration sparked concern among Second Amendment advocates. Officials emphasized that the individual was carrying a “fully loaded” firearm with extra magazines—language critics argue misrepresents lawful carry and unfairly stigmatizes gun owners.