Big, Beautiful New BATFE Reforms Hand Big Wins to Gun Owners

RedState 

Those of us who are concerned about our rights under the Second Amendment have long ago resolved ourselves to a fight that will never end. One of the bigger problems we have had over the years is the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE), which, under some presidential administrations, has spared no effort to make life more difficult for law-abiding gun owners, collectors, and dealers. None of their efforts affect criminals, of course; criminals couldn't care less about gun laws and regulations, and do as they please.

There's a new sheriff in town, now, though. Or, more properly, at the BATFE. On Wednesday, the Bureau announced 34 rule changes, and overall, these changes should have the Second Amendment community walking around with grins on their mugs. We first saw the news announced by Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet K. Dhillon on her official X account. 

The BATFE also announced the rule changes here. They're calling it a "new era."

ATF launched a new era of reform in 2025 focused on a commitment to transparency, accountability, and partnership with the firearms industry, gun owners, and the public. Under new leadership, the agency has fundamentally changed course, moving toward a model built on trust and collaboration. This means working with federal firearms and explosives licensees as partners, reducing unnecessary burdens on law-abiding businesses and citizens, and ensuring ATF’s actions are grounded in clear statutory authority and focused on protecting American communities from violent crime driven by explosives, arson, and the illegal use of firearms.

As part of ATF’s commitment, the agency recently published a landmark package of proposed rules representing the most significant modernization of ATF regulations in the agency’s history. These proposed rules take a common-sense approach to modernizing regulations and forms and reducing burden on law-abiding businesses and citizens alike. Public comments are encouraged during the open comment period for each rule.

There are 34 new or changed rules, which are supposed to have been signed on Wednesday. Let's look at some high spots.

First, under the "Repeal Group," BATFE is rescinding the 2023 rule on pistol braces, clarifying what it means to be "engaged in the business" as a dealer, and they have repealed the "bump stock" rule by amending the regulatory definition of "machine gun."

Second, under the "Modernize Group," there are several changes involving electronic records, transaction records, required record retention periods, and revising regs around "Non-Over-The-Counter" sales.

Third, under the "Reduce Burden" group, there are a host of things clarifying and amending rules on things like interstate transport of firearms, and clearing up license requirements and transfer criteria in a variety of instances.

There's also the "Clarify" group and "Align" group, much of which seems to have much to do with cleaning up a lot of older rules and requirements, and not just with firearms.

The big win for the Second Amendment here is the removal of the pistol brace and bump stock rules, and the streamlining of licensing and transfer requirements. Now, it would be better to adopt the unambiguous meaning of the Second Amendment, paying special attention to "...shall not be infringed," but that doesn't look like it's in the cards. For now, all of us in the Second Amendment community are going to have to take our wins where we find them. 

On Wednesday, we won some. This fall, turn out to vote, vote for pro-Second Amendment candidates, and maybe we'll win some more.