Court reverses lower court, renders judgment for FPC, and holds federal handgun purchase restrictions unconstitutional under the Second Amendment
NEW ORLEANS (September 18, 2026) — Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) announced today a major victory in Elite Precision Customs v. ATF, with the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit holding that the federal government’s ban on direct interstate handgun purchases violates the Second Amendment. The Court reversed the lower court’s dismissal of the case and rendered judgment for FPC and its co-plaintiffs.
The approach the federal courts are taking on these 2A cases is actually quite revolutionary, and very well tactically executed. As “keeping” of arms is protected, logically a citizen would need to buy and sell firearms to “keep” them. As each case addresses a specific firearm need, in a limited fashion. One step at a time. It would take a tsunami of cases to unravel this, the other way.
Instead of issuing opinions with “vague, widespread” language, or using large ideas like “save the children, what about public safety”, the lawyers are taking a much more logical, specific, and direct approach. Here for “keep” means buying / selling. Then those “assault weapons” black evil features. Then “arms” does mean handguns, yes Washington. “Bear” means self defense and carry.
And the BIG ONE for us: a magazine IS an “arm”, not an accessory. A semi-auto firearm, with no mag, is NOT a semi-auto firearm and possibly won’t fire at all. Magazine limits violate the Second Amendment.
I like this video from Washington Gun Law. Fifth circuit is Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi… but it’s a start for sure:
Ooops, I can’t post links. Look on Washington Gun Law Youtube, 09/21/2026.
"Down Goes the Interstate Handgun Sales Ban"