GIFFORDS reacts to federal court striking down background checks for firearm silencers, short-barreled rifles and shotguns

WASHINGTON — GIFFORDS Law Center, the legal arm of the national gun violence prevention group GIFFORDS, released the following statement after the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas struck down the National Firearms Act requirements for background checks and registration for firearm silencers, short-barreled rifles and shotguns. This came after Trump’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” removed the tax on these devices. 

Silencers and short barreled firearms, other than handguns, are rarely used in crimes today because current law has successfully stopped them from falling into the wrong hands. Because of these protections, the shooters in the 2022 Tops Friendly Market massacre in Buffalo, New York, and the 2023 Lewiston, Maine, were unable to access silencers. 

“Today’s ruling is a dangerous step backward for public safety. For nearly 100 years, Congress has required background checks before someone could buy a silencer, short-barreled rifle, or short-barreled shotgun. These commonsense safeguards keep these dangerous devices out of the wrong hands. Silencers make it harder for law enforcement to detect and locate active shooters. And short-barreled rifles and shotguns are easily concealable and extremely dangerous. 

“Congress didn’t eliminate these dangers — it eliminated a tax, and today a court used that to strike down mandatory background checks. This is exactly the outcome the gun lobby wanted: making it easier for gun industry CEOs to profit from selling the most dangerous weapons and accessories at the expense of the safety of every American,” said Adam Skaggs, Vice President and Chief Counsel, GIFFORDS Law Center.