The NFA tax eliminated in the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill may look like a win for gun owners, but the battle over federal restrictions on firearms is far from over. While removing the nearly century-old tax on suppressors, short-barreled rifles (SBRs), and other designated weapons is a significant shift, gun rights advocates remain frustrated that broader reform was blocked at the last moment.
This disappointment stems from a quiet but controversial move by the Senate Parliamentarian, who struck out the bill’s original language that would have fully removed these firearms from the control of the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA). As it stands, while the $200 tax will be gone, the federal registration and regulation requirements remain firmly in place.
Gun Rights Supporters Are Pleased with the Change—But Not Much
Shortly after the House passed the bill in a narrow 218–214 vote, leading gun rights organizations including the National Rifle Association (NRA), Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), and the American Suppressor Association (ASA) released a joint statement.
The coalition acknowledged the tax repeal as a step in the right direction but emphasized their long-term goal: full repeal of the NFA’s authority over common firearms accessories.
“For nearly a century, this tax has punished law-abiding gun owners with no justifiable reason,” the statement read. “While its repeal is a milestone, it does not erase the unconstitutional registry, red tape, and restrictions still forced upon American citizens.”
Their message was clear—this isn’t the end of the fight.
Second Amendment Advocates Promise a Court Battle to Challenge the NFA
While the bill’s passage ensures the NFA tax is officially gone as of January 1, 2026, gun rights advocates are already preparing for their next move. The same coalition of pro-Second Amendment groups announced a coordinated legal challenge to the NFA itself.
“While we will continue to fight for the total legislative elimination of the NFA, our organizations are proud to stand together in a new strategic lawsuit to challenge the constitutionality in Federal Court,” the group declared.
They argue that the NFA, created in 1934 in response to organized crime and the Prohibition era, is outdated and unjustified in modern America. Furthermore, they point to the 2022 Supreme Court decision in Bruen that affirmed a historical-tradition standard for firearm regulations—a precedent they believe undermines the legitimacy of current NFA mandates.
The Firearms Policy Coalition voiced particular frustration over how the bill was watered down. “These constitutionally required reforms were gutted by Senators bowing to the nonbinding advice of the Senate Parliamentarian, an unelected bureaucrat,” the group wrote. “Peaceable Americans deserve better than to have their rights stalled by procedural games.”
Anti-Gunners Are Outraged—Despite Lack of Real-World Evidence
On the other side, gun control advocates are already criticizing the tax repeal as a “gift to the gun industry,” despite no evidence linking suppressors or SBRs to increased violent crime.
Everytown for Gun Safety President John Feinblatt called the move “a $1.7 billion gift” that endangers communities, though he failed to provide any substantive data connecting these accessories to rising crime rates.
Brady United President Kris Brown went further, invoking a recent sniper attack on first responders—an event that had nothing to do with suppressors or SBRs. “Just days removed from a heinous sniper attack,” he claimed, “Congress handed a win to gun manufacturers.”
Such mischaracterizations have become common in the debate over firearms policy. Suppressors, for example, are most often used to reduce hearing damage and noise complaints—not to make weapons “silent” as often portrayed in Hollywood. Likewise, SBRs are heavily regulated and rarely used in criminal acts.
The repeal of the NFA tax is a meaningful step toward restoring firearm freedoms for law-abiding Americans, but the fight is far from over. Gun rights groups are clear in their mission: dismantle unconstitutional restrictions, protect self-defense rights, and challenge outdated federal laws that continue to criminalize peaceful citizens. As 2026 approaches, the next front in this legal and legislative battle is already underway.
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