In a major victory for the Second Amendment, Gun Owners of America (GOA), the Silencer Shop Foundation, and other plaintiffs have scored an important win in their challenge to the National Firearms Act (NFA). The case, being heard in the Northern District of Texas before Judge James Wesley Hendrix, targets the federal government’s authority to regulate short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and suppressors under the NFA.

The plaintiffs argue that once the $200 NFA tax—originally imposed in 1934—was effectively nullified by a recent federal tax reform bill, Congress lost its constitutional authority under Article I to require registration and fingerprinting for these items. The tax was the legal foundation for the NFA’s regulatory scheme, and without it, the plaintiffs contend, the entire system collapses.

The ATF and Department of Justice attempted to delay the case, citing the ongoing federal government shutdown. However, Judge Hendrix denied the government’s motion to pause the proceedings, ordering DOJ attorneys to continue litigating the case immediately. The judge emphasized that this matter involves important Second Amendment issues and must move forward without delay.

This ruling keeps the momentum going in GOA’s effort to strike down what they call an unconstitutional overreach of federal power. The case could have sweeping implications: if successful, it could remove suppressors and short-barreled firearms from NFA control entirely, freeing millions of law-abiding gun owners from registration and tax stamp requirements.

While this is just one battle in a much larger war, it’s a significant step forward for gun rights advocates. The court’s decision signals that the judiciary may be taking a closer look at whether decades-old firearm restrictions still stand under modern constitutional scrutiny—especially after landmark rulings like Heller and Bruen reaffirmed that commonly used arms are protected under the Second Amendment.