The US government will stop trying to regulate pistol braces as rifles
What happened
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is proposing to remove rules that classify pistols with stabilizing braces as rifles. This means that these firearms will no longer be subject to the stricter regulations that apply to rifles.
beforepistols with braces as rifles
afterpistols with braces as pistols
Why this matters
The ATF has tried to regulate these devices for years, but courts have repeatedly blocked their efforts. This proposed rule change means the agency is giving up on that approach. It effectively means that firearms with stabilizing braces will remain largely unregulated at the federal level, despite concerns about their use in mass shootings.
Who wins, who loses
who winsOwners of firearms with attached stabilizing braces benefit from reduced regulation.
Jargon decoder
stabilizing bracesattachments for pistols that allow them to be fired more stably, often from the shoulder
Administrative Procedure Acta US federal law that governs the way administrative agencies propose and establish regulations
The signal
What happens next
Watch for the final rule to be published and whether any new legal challenges emerge from gun control advocates.
The longer story
The thing the document buries
The 2023 final rule, which the ATF is now proposing to remove, was 'rarely in effect' because several courts had enjoined, stayed, or vacated it.