The National Rifle Association (NRA) is actively backing lawsuits challenging state laws that ban or heavily restrict certain firearms, particularly semiautomatic rifles and magazines with higher capacities. These legal actions are part of a broader effort by the NRA to defend what it views as constitutional rights under the Second Amendment, which protects the right to keep and bear arms.
In Colorado, for example, the NRA’s affiliated group, the Colorado State Shooting Association, has filed a federal lawsuit against a new state law that bans the purchase, sale, and manufacture of many semiautomatic firearms with detachable magazines. This law, passed in 2024, targets popular models like the AR-15 and AK-47 variants, requiring magazines to be permanently fixed to comply with a 15-round limit. The lawsuit argues that this law infringes on Second Amendment rights by restricting access to commonly used firearms and magazines, asserting that the amendment’s protections extend to the conduct of bearing arms, not just possession[1].
Similarly, in New Jersey, the NRA supports a legal challenge against the state’s bans on “assault firearms” and magazines holding more than 10 rounds. This case has progressed to the federal appellate level, with the full Third Circuit Court of Appeals agreeing to hear the case en banc, which means all judges will consider it. This is a significant development because the court recently ruled a related federal statute unconstitutional in a different context, signaling a potentially favorable environment for the NRA’s arguments. The case is scheduled for oral arguments in late 2025, reflecting the NRA’s ongoing commitment to overturning restrictive gun laws through the courts[2].
Beyond state bans, the NRA is also challenging federal regulations. For instance, it has filed a lawsuit against the National Firearms Act (NFA), which imposes taxes and regulations on certain firearms and accessories like suppressors and short-barreled rifles. The NRA contends that with recent legislative changes eliminating the NFA tax, the regulatory framework that justified these restrictions no longer stands, making the entire act unconstitutional. This lawsuit aims to dismantle what the NRA sees as an impermissible federal restriction on Second Amendment rights[3].
In Florida, the NRA has challenged waiting period laws that require a “cooling off” period before firearm purchases. The organization argues that such laws arbitrarily deny law-abiding citizens timely access to firearms, especially in light of recent Supreme Court decisions that have reinforced Second Amendment protections. This case is part of a broader strategy to remove what
