The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) has enacted a new law that prohibits the use of stabilizing braces on firearms.
Attorney General Merrick Garland signed the policy into effect on Friday.
Countdown Begins: ATF Will Consider You a Criminal If You Don't Register, Surrender, Alter or Destroy This Firearm via @WestJournalism https://t.co/zauMr2kkLv
— 🇺🇸 America/First 🇺🇸 Kenneth F Crowe (@KennethFCrowe1) January 17, 2023
"Under the new rule, owners of many firearms that use the braces have to register the guns with the federal government within 120 days, a requirement for short-barreled rifles under the National Firearms Act of 1934," the Western Journal reported.
"Gun owners who suddenly became the possessors of a short-barreled rifle in the eyes of the government also have the options of altering the firearms to comply with the rule, surrendering them at an ATF office or destroying them," it added.
The ATF is not a legislative body. Pistol braces have been used for many years… with ATF consent. Now ATF is trying to regulate them like machine guns. By what authority?
Democrats controlled all 3 branches and passed no ban. This is not Constitutional. https://t.co/Eb2Gc3MjBn
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) January 14, 2023
Gun Owners of America vowed to challenge the regulation in a lawsuit.
"This admin continues to find ways to attack gun owners. We will continue to work with our industry partners to amplify the disapproving voices in the firearms industry and [Gun Owners Foundation], our sister legal arm, will be filing suit in the near future," said Erich Pratt, senior vice president of Gun Owners of America.
"Pres. Biden just initiated the largest federal gun registration scheme in our nation’s history w/o even the passage of a new law. GOA is actively working with Congress to pass a resolution blocking this rule under the Congressional Review Act," added the organization's director of federal affairs, Aidan Johnston.
The Biden Administration chose to shred the Constitution today. @ATFHQ submitted their pistol brace "final rule" to the Federal Register and demanded Americans either "register" or "surrender" their lawfully owned rifles.
Joe Biden is an enemy of our Second Amendment. pic.twitter.com/fY8SsqtqH2
— NRA (@NRA) January 14, 2023
The NRA also blasted the new effort as government overreach.
"The Biden Administration chose to shred the Constitution today.
The new ban was made without legislative input, marking another example of the government overextending its reach into Second Amendment rights.