ATF (sort of) walks back
comments on braced pistols

Last week, NRA-ILA reported that an unnamed ATF official, speaking for the agency's Firearms Industry Programs Branch (FIPB), counseled a gun owner via ATF's official email that ATF considers all pistols equipped with stabilizing braces to be short-barreled rifles (SBRs).

Had this actually been the case, it would have represented an even more aggressive posture than ATF had taken in its notorious 2023 rule, "Factoring Criteria for Firearms with Attached 'Stabilizing Braces,'" which is currently subject to multiple court injunctions. Fortunately, ATF has walked backed those comments, but just where the agency stands on the issue of braced pistols and the National Firearms Act (NFA) is not much clearer.

The update was contained in an email dated Jan. 13, 2025, from Matthew Shear, chief of the FIPB. Shear wrote: "ATF agrees that the statement 'Federal law requires a pistol with an attached stabilizing brace or stock be registered as a short barreled rifle (SBR)' is overbroad." .....