De-Brace Yourselves!

Editor’s Note: at the time of writing the brace rule was just released yet not o cially published. e nearly 300 page regulation is still being combed through by lawyers and gun rights groups. Chances are it will go through the courts as well. Check for updates at FishGame.com.

SINCE THE RELEASE OF THE pistol brace around a decade ago, millions of braced pistols have been manufactured and sold to the public. e ATF has issued several technical approval le ers to multiple companies in numerous variations con rming that these braces are indeed just pistols and not regulated as SBRs. However, in January 2023 the ATF released 2021R-08F, a “ruling” declaring all previous approval le ers null and void therefore making millions of gun owners potential felons.

At the time of this article being submitted to publication, the pistol brace rule is not yet o cially published. However at SHOT Show 2023 the ATF was answering plenty of questions and raising just as many concerns about the upcoming brace Armageddon.

e short summary is that all braces are now considered stocks by the ATF. If you have one installed on a rearm that has a sub-16” barrel, it is declared an SBR (Short Barreled Ri e) and possession of such requires approval and tax stamp from the ATF. is tax stamp is the same process as owning a suppressor or full auto machine gun in the form of a background check, months of waiting for the approval process, along with a $200 tax. is infringement on your constitutional right has been in place since 1934 and violation of such can carry a penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 ne.

e ATF has declared an amnesty registration period (which somewhat reminds me of what they did when they declared “Street Sweeper Shotguns” to be a “Destructive Device”) of 120 days from rule publication where you can register your braced pistol with the ATF tax free. e other options given to you by the ATF are to remove the brace completely, which should also be disposed of since possession of it within the area of a short barreled rearm can be ruled as “constructive intent” of an illegal SBR. Or you can ensure your barrel is at least 16” in length per NFA Act of 1934 or destroy/surrender your braced pistol to the ATF.

:: by DUSTIN ELLERMANN TF&G Shooting Editor

tered their braces, it could take 80 years for them to be approved.

Hopefully by the time of publication this

To register your braced pistol you will have to le a “Form 1” (Application to Make and Register a Firearm) which, if approved, would include your personal information such as passport photo, photos of your rearm, ngerprints, rearm information, as well as personal information in the NFRTR (the central federal registry of all NFA items). Further, the ATF’s NFA branch is so ine cient at processing tax stamps that it was calculated if the millions of assumed brace owners regis- issue is a bit more clear. However readers need to know that they might soon be considered felons by their government by purchasing something recently approved and perfectly legal. e best solution is to abolish the unconstitutional and antiquated National Firearms Act of 1934 which regulates barrel length in the rst place. Contact your government representatives and voice your concern about this.