Justice Department, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Bureau
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives ("ATF") is proposing to amend Department of Justice ("Department") regulations on firearms with attached stabilizing braces. Courts have found that ATF's revisions in the 2023 final rule on the same topic violated the Administrative Procedure Act. Several courts have enjoined, stayed, or vacated the final rule, which has rarely been in effect. ATF is therefore proposing to remove from the regulatory definitions of "rifle" the two paragraphs added by the 2023 final rule that defined the term "designed or redesigned, made or remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder."
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Justice Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives 27 CFR Parts 478 and 479 [Docket No. ATF-2026-0335; ATF No. 2025R-11P] RIN 1140-AA98 AGENCY: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Department of Justice. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. SUMMARY: The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”) is proposing to amend Department of Justice (“Department”) regulations on firearms with attached stabilizing braces. Courts have found that ATF's revisions in the 2023 final rule on the same topic violated the Administrative Procedure Act. Several courts have enjoined, stayed, or vacated the final rule, which has rarely been in effect. ATF is therefore proposing to remove from the regulatory definitions of “rifle” the two paragraphs added by the 2023 final rule that defined the term “designed or redesigned, made or ( printed page 24454) remade, and intended to be fired from the shoulder.” DATES: Comments must be submitted in writing, and must be submitted on or before (or, if mailed, must be postmarked on or before) August 4, 2026. Commenters should be aware that the federal e-rulemaking portal comment system will not accept comments after midnight Eastern Time on the last day of the comment period. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by RIN 1140-AA98, by either of the following methods— Federal e-rulemaking portal: https://www.regulations.gov . Follow the inst…
Citation: 91 FR 24453
