Gun owners received a major Christmas gift this year as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit delivered one of the most important Second Amendment rulings of 2025. In a landmark decision, the court dealt a crippling blow to gun waiting periods by allowing a ruling against New Mexico’s seven-day “cooling-off” period to stand.

New Mexico’s law, enacted in 2024, forced most law-abiding citizens to wait a full week before taking possession of a firearm—even after passing a background check. Gun rights groups immediately challenged the law, arguing that a right delayed is a right denied.

In August, a three-judge panel ruled that the waiting period likely violates the Second Amendment, finding no historical tradition supporting blanket delays on firearm acquisition. This week, the full Tenth Circuit refused to rehear the case en banc, making the ruling binding precedent.

The Tenth Circuit covers Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming, meaning courts throughout the region must now follow this guidance. The ruling also strengthens challenges to waiting periods in other states, including California, Washington, and Hawaii.

The court made clear that the right to keep and bear arms includes the right to acquire arms, and that governments cannot impose arbitrary delays without historical justification under the Supreme Court’s Bruen standard.

If other circuits adopt this reasoning—or if conflicting rulings emerge—this case could force the U.S. Supreme Court to finally address waiting periods nationwide.

For now, New Mexico’s law is effectively dead, and the decision stands as a powerful reminder that constitutional rights cannot be paused, postponed, or placed on hold by the government.

Merry Christmas to the Second Amendment.