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National Firearms Act (NFA)

The National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA) requires the registration, with the federal government, of fully-automatic firearms (termed “machineguns”), rifles and shotguns that have an overall length under 26 inches, rifles with a barrel under 16 inches, shotguns with a barrel under 18 inches, and firearm sound suppressors (termed “silencers”). The Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA) placed “destructive devices” (primarily explosives and the like, but also including firearms over .50 caliber, other than most shotguns) under the provisions of the NFA. In 1994, the Treasury Department placed revolving-cylinder shotguns and one semi-automatic shotgun under the NFA.

The GCA prohibited the importation of fully-automatic firearms for private purposes and a 1986 amendment to the Act prohibited the domestic manufacture of fully-automatics for private purposes. However, short-barreled rifles and shotguns have becoming increasingly popular for home defense and defensive-skills-based marksmanship training and competitions, and sound suppressors have become increasingly popular for marksmanship training and competitions, and for hunting.

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ATF Reinterprets the Term “Machinegun,” Again

News  

Monday, April 4, 2022

ATF Reinterprets the Term “Machinegun,” Again

On March 22nd, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) released an open letter on “forced reset triggers” ...

Pro-Gun Members of Congress Demand Answers from ATF on Mass Suppressor Application Denials

News  

Monday, March 28, 2022

Pro-Gun Members of Congress Demand Answers from ATF on Mass Suppressor Application Denials

Recently, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) – under the direction of Joe Biden and ...

Recent ATF Action Shows Need for Suppressor Reform

News  

Monday, March 14, 2022

Recent ATF Action Shows Need for Suppressor Reform

As we reported last week, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) denied approximately 850 Form ...

ATF Mass Denial of Suppressor Form 1 Applications

News  

Monday, March 7, 2022

ATF Mass Denial of Suppressor Form 1 Applications

On February 28, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) denied approximately 850 Form 1 applications ...

What You Need to Know about ATF’s New eForms System

News  

Monday, January 10, 2022

What You Need to Know about ATF’s New eForms System

On December 23, ATF launched a new system for applicants to complete various forms that ATF is responsible ...

NRA Files Comments Opposing ATF’s “Stabilizing Brace” Proposed Rule

News  

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

NRA Files Comments Opposing ATF’s “Stabilizing Brace” Proposed Rule

As we’ve previously reported, the Biden Department of Justice is threatening to upend the U.S. firearm industry and ...

URGENT! September 8 Deadline Last Chance to Submit Comments on Proposed Rule for Stabilizing Braces

News  

Monday, September 6, 2021

URGENT! September 8 Deadline Last Chance to Submit Comments on Proposed Rule for Stabilizing Braces

In June, ATF published a new notice of proposed rulemaking on its website entitled Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached “Stabilizing ...

NRA-ILA Files Friend of the Court Brief Urging the Supreme Court to Hear a Challenge to ATF’s Bump Stock Rule

Friday, September 3, 2021

NRA-ILA Files Friend of the Court Brief Urging the Supreme Court to Hear a Challenge to ATF’s Bump Stock Rule

Today, NRA-ILA filed an amicus curiae (or friend of the court) brief in support of a petition to the United ...

The Washington Times  

Thursday, August 19, 2021

House Republican Sounds Alarm on ATF’s Gun Control Moves

Rep. Richard Hudson, a staunch Second Amendment advocate, is sounding off on what he sees as a new, ...

Massachusetts: Gun Bills Waiting on Committee Action

Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Massachusetts: Gun Bills Waiting on Committee Action

Last week, the Joint Committee on the Judiciary held public hearings on both pro- and anti-gun bills.

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NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.