Minnesota Firearm News

Senator Richard Blumenthal has introduced new legislation aimed at closing the so-called “Charleston Loophole,” a move that could dramatically alter the federal background check process for gun owners. While framed as a public safety measure, the proposal would eliminate the current three-day transfer rule under NICS, potentially leaving lawful purchasers stuck in indefinite limbo. Critics argue the bill punishes law-abiding citizens for government failures, setting the stage

For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, gun violence in the United States has fallen back to pre-pandemic levels. New data show that shootings declined sharply in 2025, with overall incidents dropping 14 percent and mass shootings falling to a nearly two-decade low. Forty-one states saw reductions in gun deaths, and non-fatal shooting injuries reached their lowest level in more than a decade. These trends challenge long-standing narratives that expanded gun ownership.

The reduction of the National Firearms Act tax to $0 on suppressors and short-barreled rifles triggered an unprecedented surge in demand, overwhelming the ATF’s eForms system within hours of the change taking effect. With roughly 150,000 submissions filed in a single day, the flood of applications exposed long-standing flaws in the NFA framework and underscored what the firearms industry has argued for years: when unnecessary barriers are removed.

As the NFA tax on suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs drops to $0 on January 1, gun owners are celebrating the first meaningful relief from nearly a century of federal taxation. But the victory comes with a catch: the National Firearms Act itself remains fully intact. By leaving the underlying law in place, Congress has created a roadmap for future administrations to simply raise the tax again—potentially pricing everyday Americans out of commonly owned firearms and accessories

President Trump’s December 18, 2025 executive order on marijuana has sparked widespread discussion, but for gun owners it offers little immediate relief. While the order accelerates the review process for potential reclassification, it does not change marijuana’s legal status or alter federal firearms prohibitions. Under current law, marijuana users—whether medicinal or recreational—remain classified as prohibited persons, leaving any meaningful change to gun rights likely de

As 2025 comes to a close, the fight to restore Second Amendment rights has delivered both major victories and frustrating contradictions. While gun rights groups secured important court wins at the federal and state levels, the Supreme Court continues to delay meaningful engagement with post-Bruen cases. Meanwhile, the Trump Administration has taken an aggressive stance against state and territorial gun control through the DOJ’s new Second Amendment Civil Rights Division—whil