Texas Judge Rules National Firearms Act Unconstitutional for Untaxed Suppressors and Short-Barreled Guns

In a 66-page opinion, U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix of the Northern District of Texas concluded that the National Firearms Act’s regulatory provisions for suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns and a defined group of miscellaneous firearms exceed Congress’s constitutional power to tax, after legislation signed by Donald Trump in July 2025 reduced the associated taxes to zero. Granting summary judgment to the Silencer Shop Foundation, Hendrix ruled that the Act’s registration and paperwork requirements lack a revenue basis and were never justified by any other congressional power.

The court did not reach the Second Amendment question. The Department of Justice has, in multiple filings since May 2025, noted that the “beneficial use” of suppressors outweighs criminal misuse. The NRA’s ILA executive director, John Commerford, called the decision a historic victory and a key milestone in efforts to fully repeal the Act. The ruling may prompt further challenges to the NFA’s remaining provisions.