Latest in the World of Firearms

United States Legal and Legislative News:

 * Mexico's Lawsuit Against Gun Manufacturers Fails: The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Mexico's $10 billion lawsuit against American gun manufacturers, which alleged that they aided illegal gun sales to drug cartels. The Supreme Court found no link between the manufacture of weapons and their trafficking to Mexico.

 * NFA Tax Repeal Advances in Senate: The Senate Finance Committee has advanced language to fully repeal the unconstitutional excise taxes imposed under the National Firearms Act (NFA) on suppressors, short-barreled rifles (SBRs), short-barreled shotguns (SBSs), and "Any Other Weapons" (AOWs). This expands on a House-passed repeal of the suppressor tax and is seen as a significant win for gun rights advocates.

 * Lawsuit Against ATF Over Machine Gun Conversion Devices: Attorney General Ellison and a coalition of 15 other attorneys general are suing the Trump Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to prevent the distribution of thousands of machine gun conversion devices (FRTs). The lawsuit argues that the ATF's settlement agreement to stop enforcing federal law against FRTs and redistribute seized devices threatens public safety.

 * Georgia Supreme Court Upholds Under-21 Handgun Carry Ban: The Georgia Supreme Court upheld a state law prohibiting individuals under 21 from carrying a handgun in public, focusing on the state's constitutional history.

 * Florida Resident Sentenced for Unregistered Machinegun Possession: A Florida resident was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possessing an unregistered semi-automatic weapon modified to function as a fully automatic machine gun in Rhode Island.

 * "National Gun Violence Awareness Day" Resolution: Senator Richard J. Durbin (D-IL) introduced a resolution in the Senate to express support for designating June 6, 2025, as "National Gun Violence Awareness Day" and June 2025 as "National Gun Violence Awareness Month."

 * State-level Gun Law Changes: As the 2025 legislative session winds down, several states are seeing new firearm-related laws take effect. Examples include:

   * Iowa: Effective July 1, two pro-gun bills expand firearm rights by allowing loaded firearms while operating snowmobiles or ATVs, and lowering the minimum age for concealed carry permits to 18.

   * Kansas: Effective July 1, two pro-gun bills allow the state to sell seized firearms to FFL dealers for resale and permit individuals to update provisional concealed carry licenses to standard licenses at age 21.

Firearm Industry Trends:

 * Gun Sales Continue to Decline: The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) reported that sales-related background checks continue a downward trend in 2025, with April 2025 being the worst-performing April since 2019. This is attributed to factors like the election of a pro-industry president reducing demand driven by fears of new restrictions, and a "normalization" of the market after the pandemic surge.

 * Focus on Innovation: The industry continues to focus on product development and innovation, including advanced manufacturing technologies, digital integration, and enhanced safety mechanisms like smart guns and biometric systems. There's also a trend toward user-centric designs and research into lighter, more durable materials.