Breaking news out of Washington is giving gun owners a rare moment of optimism as the Department of Justice publicly pushes back against Virginia’s sweeping new gun control proposals. The state’s legislature has moved to eliminate grandfather clauses for magazines holding more than ten rounds, a move critics say would criminalize millions of otherwise law-abiding Virginians overnight.

In response, the DOJ’s civil rights leadership issued a clear warning, stating that such measures represent a blatant violation of Supreme Court precedent. The statement directly challenges Virginia lawmakers who are advancing bans that conflict with decisions like Heller and Bruen, which protect arms and firearm components that are in common use for lawful purposes.

At the heart of the issue is the attempt to label standard-capacity magazines as prohibited items. Legal scholars and Second Amendment advocates argue that banning these magazines effectively bans entire categories of commonly owned firearms, something the Supreme Court has repeatedly said states cannot do.

While Virginia officials appear determined to press forward, the DOJ’s intervention signals that these laws may face immediate constitutional challenges. For gun owners, the message is clear: the battle over magazine bans is far from settled, and federal scrutiny could play a decisive role in determining whether Virginia’s proposals ultimately survive in court.