SAF: May 2026

In what was a very busy month for the Second Amendment Foundation, the organization welcomed new corporate partners and renewals, filed a new lawsuit and numerous briefs in ongoing cases, attended the ATF’s signing of final and proposed rules, and announced a staff promotion. Check out the full details, and more, below:

SAF Announces New Corporate Partners, Renewal

Over the course of the past month, SAF welcomed two new corporate partners, and one company renewed their partner commitment.

Atrius Development Group and Colt’s Manufacturing Company both joined the organization as Gold-level corporate partners and Silencer Shop renewed their commitment at the Platinum level. In addition to their renewed commitment, Silencer Shop was also named the Saturday night reception sponsor for the 41st annual Gun Rights Policy Conference.

“Lawmakers across the country are continuously finding new ways to infringe on our right to keep and bear arms, and it’s SAF’s job to fight them at every turn,” SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut said. “We’ve been challenging frivolous gun control laws for more than 50 years, and thanks to the support of our members, donors and corporate partners, we will continue to remain at the tip of the spear to ensure our constitutional rights remain intact.”

Should you have any questions or need more information about SAF’s corporate partner program, don’t hesitate to get in touch with SAF Senior Vice President Lauren Hill at Lhill@saf.org.

SAF Files Lawsuit Challenging Newly Passed Assault Weapons Ban in Virginia

Following closely on the heels of Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger signing new gun control legislation into law, the Second Amendment Foundation and its partners have filed a lawsuit challenging the commonwealth’s new bans on “assault firearms” and large-capacity magazines.

Gov. Spanberger signed into law a ban on so-called “assault firearms” declaring that “…any person who imports, sells, manufactures, purchases, or transfers an assault firearm is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor.” The law further defines an “assault firearm” as a semiautomatic rifle chambered in any caliber besides .22 rimfire or one that contains a litany of common features such as a collapsing stock, pistol grip, threaded barrel or more. The law also bans magazines capable of holding more than 15 rounds of ammunition. The new laws go into effect on July 1.

As noted in the complaint, “The firearms that Virginia bans as ‘assault firearms’ are, in all respects, ordinary semiautomatic firearms. To the extent they are different from other semiautomatic firearms, their distinguishing features make them safer and easier to use. Regardless of any new category of arms created by state lawmakers, they cannot be banned because they are not dangerous and unusual.” SAF is joined in McDonald v. Katz by the National Rifle Association, Firearms Policy Coalition and two private citizens.

SAF Applauds DOJ Announcement of ATF ‘New Era Of Reform’

Second Amendment Foundation Executive Director Adam Kraut was on hand for the announcement of 34 proposed and final rules announced during a press conference and signing by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and ATF Director Robert Cekada.

At the ceremony, Cekada signed final and proposed rules to include updates to the “engaged in the business” definition, firearm record retention periods, clarifications to interstate transportation of firearms under the Gun Control Act, and recordkeeping requirements for Federal Firearms Licensees, to name a few.

By law, federal agencies such as the ATF must consult the public when creating, modifying, or rescinding rules. Once the ATF decides a regulation needs to be added, changed or rescinded, it publishes a proposed rule in the Federal Register to ask for public comments. After feedback is considered and changes are made when appropriate, the final rule is published in the Federal Register with a specific date for when the rule will become effective and enforceable.

Internal SAF counsel is in the process of reviewing each final and proposed regulatory change and plans to file comments as needed.

Motion Filed in Third SAF-Supported National Firearms Act Lawsuit

Plaintiffs have filed a motion for summary judgment in Roberts v. ATF, one of SAF’s three supported lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the National Firearms Act’s (NFA) registration requirements for short-barreled firearms and silencers.

Until President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the NFA established a $200 tax and registration regime on certain classes of firearms including silencers and short-barreled rifles, purportedly drawing from Congressional authority to levy taxes. After the One Big Beautiful Bill eliminated the $200 tax on those arms, SAF and its partners filed three lawsuits challenging the remaining registration requirements, because without the tax, Congress’ reliance on their taxing power is no longer justifiable.

SAF itself is a named plaintiff in the NFA lawsuit Brown v. ATF and is now backing two additional challenges – Jensen v. ATF and this case, Roberts v. ATF. Filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky, the named plaintiffs in Roberts are Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership, Center for Human Liberty, American Suppressor Association Foundation, Buckeye Firearms Association, Meridian Ordnance and two private citizens.

SAF Files Motion in Case Challenging ATF’s Frame and Receiver Rule

SAF and Defense Distributed filed a motion for summary judgment in Defense Distributed v. Blanche (formerly VanDerStok v. Bondi), challenging the ATF’s rule which expands the definition of “firearm” in the efforts of the Biden Administration to regulate so-called “ghost guns.”

In April 2022, the ATF published its Final Rule amending the regulatory definition of the term “firearm” to encompass precursor parts that, with enough additional manufacturing operations, could become functional firearms frames or receivers, but in their current state were non-functional – and critically, non-firearm – objects. In seeking to regulate these “non-firearm objects” the ATF’s Final Rule directly contradicted Congress’ definition of “firearm” set forth in the Gun Control Act of 1968. The ATF’s re-definition of “firearm” in the Final Rule establishes a practical ban on the private manufacture of firearms – a constitutionally protected tradition.

In December 2022, SAF filed to intervene in an existing lawsuit in the Northern District of Texas then known as VanDerStok v. Garland. The case challenged the lawfulness of ATF’s regulatory re-definition of a “firearm” under the Administrative Procedures Act. SAF scored a major victory in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, which vacated significant portions of the Rule. The Biden Department of Justice, however, appealed to the Supreme Court, which ruled on only a portion of the lawsuit. This motion for summary judgment seeks vindication on the remaining claims.

SAF Promotes Bill Sack to Senior Director Of Legal Operations

In his new role, Sack will be responsible for oversight of SAF’s legal program to include litigation inception and management, tracking active cases, educating the public and cultivating SAF’s attorney referral network. Additionally, Sack will continue fielding media requests and podcast interviews to promote the organization’s critical work across the country.

Sack is a practicing attorney and graduate of The George Washington University and Widener Law School and currently resides in Pennsylvania. He brings more than five years of direct experience in the Second Amendment advocacy space, including over two years with SAF, and as Director of Legal Operations for another liberty-based advocacy non-profit, as well as a decade of experience in management, marketing and public relations.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to work for SAF and see firsthand how the work we do benefits the American people and the Republic,” Sack said. “There’s no better feeling than to spread the news when SAF has another precedent-setting win that ensures the government cannot violate our rights. SAF and the country have made tremendous strides in the right direction, but there is still plenty of work to be done. SAF will bring that fight every chance we get. I’m honored to be part of this battle and look forward to continue telling the government ‘NO’ on behalf of SAF’s amazing membership.”

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