Is Your Louisiana Handgun Now Illegal Thanks to a New ATF Ruling?

Responsible gun owners across Louisiana and the nation are literally "up in arms" concerning a new ruling by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Many feel that with the stroke of a pen, the ATF has turned thousands of legal weapons into illegal weapons. And in doing so, making thousands of law-abiding responsible gun owners potential felons.

The ruling in question from that ATF has to do with an accessory known as a Stabilizing Brace. The latest ATF ruling's aim was to clarify if a firearm was made, designed, and intended to be fired from your shoulder. Under the verbiage of the ruling, this effectively classifies millions of braced pistols sold in the United States as "short-barrelled rifles". Those weapons are subject to totally different laws, rules, and regulations.

The ATF did clarify that pistol braces themselves are not illegal and not subject to any ban or regulation. The ATF was quick to note their department does not regulate accessories. But as is typical with almost every "government edict" there is a lot of confusion and what appears to be wiggle room depending on the make and model of the weapon or the accessories being offered.

To be honest, the ATF ruling and associated confusion are too difficult to paraphrase. So, if you'd like to read what the ATF ruling covers and doesn't cover, Silencer Shop offered a very nice breakdown and explanation on its website. You can read that information right here. 

Blake Boudreaux with Lafayette Shooters, a South Louisiana hunting and outdoors specialty store, explained that many responsible gun owners, as of January 31st could find themselves in violation of the ATF ruling. In fact, Boudreaux went on to say that not having the proper paperwork for a "braced pistol" could result in felony charges.

Boudreaux suggested that any weapon owner who has questions or concerns about the ruling should contact their local gun shop and get clarity. The Lafayette Shooters website is offering links with answers to many frequently asked questions, simply put "pistol brace ruling" in the chat window and you'll be taken to the information you need.

Boudreaux speculated that some two million American gun owners could be affected by this ruling and many of those responsible gun owners might simply be caught unaware as this ruling was passed and announced with very little fanfare.