Data / Federal rules / 2026-08930
Removing Factoring Criteria for Firearms With Attached “Stabilizing Braces”
The Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Bureau published this proposed rule in the Federal Register on May 6, 2026. Comments closed on August 4, 2026.
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What the agency says
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."
Key facts
- Document number
- 2026-08930
- Type
- Proposed rule
- Action
- Notice of proposed rulemaking
- Agency
- Justice Department; Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Bureau
- Published
- May 6, 2026
- Comments due
- August 4, 2026
- 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.
- Docket
- Docket No. ATF-2026-0335; ATF No. 2025R-11P
- Regulation ID (RIN)
- 1140-AA98
- Code of Federal Regulations
- 27 CFR 478; 27 CFR 479
- Topics
- Administrative practice and procedure; Arms and munitions; Exports; Freight; Imports; Intergovernmental relations; Law enforcement officers; Military personnel; Penalties; Reporting and recordkeeping requirements; Research; Seizures and forfeitures; Taxes; Transportation
- Pages
- 10
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Everything from the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Bureau · Rules on administrative practice and procedure · Rules on arms and munitions · Rules on exports · Published in May 2026
Read from the Federal Register API, last updated 2026-10-24. The document on federalregister.gov is the official record; dates and dockets can change through later corrections. Free to reuse with credit to SpecStream under CC BY 4.0.