On July 3, 2025, Congress passed the Big Beautiful Bill—one of the most impactful pieces of congressional firearms legislation in recent memory. At first glance, it looks like a solid victory for gun owners nationwide. After years of fighting, the federal government has finally eliminated the $200 NFA tax stamp for suppressors, short-barreled rifles (SBRs), short-barreled shotguns (SBSs), and AOWs.

On Independence Day, July 4 at 5:00 PM Eastern, President Donald J. Trump signed the bill into law. Symbolically, it is perfect timing. Constitutionally, it is long overdue.

But let’s be honest: while this bill is a win—it is not the win we needed. And it is time our elected representatives, especially those on the right, stop treating partial relief like full-blown victory.

Beginning January 1, 2026, the tax stamp fee required under the National Firearms Act will be reduced from $200 to $0. That applies to suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, and AOWs.

For many Americans—especially blue-collar families and newer gun owners—this change finally opens the door to lawful NFA ownership without being priced out of owning a firearm. It removes a financial barrier that’s existed since 1934.

It is a significant step. But it is not the finish line.

While the $200 tax is gone, the entire NFA process remains. Gun owners must still submit fingerprints, photos, background checks, detailed paperwork, and wait months for ATF approval—all for items that should never have been regulated in the first place.

You are still entered into a federal registry. You are still seeking permission to exercise a constitutional right. That’s not freedom—it’s a slightly cheaper version of the same infringement.

Meanwhile, states like California, New York,  and Colorado continue to layer their own restrictions on top of the federal rules. The bill did not address that either.

There was real momentum behind removing suppressors and SBRs from the NFA entirely. The votes were there. The language was drafted. The people were ready.

But the Senate Parliamentarian ruled that delisting NFA items was not a budget issue—and therefore could not be included in the reconciliation bill. That decision shut down the core of what needed to happen.

Democrats, when they face roadblocks, change the rules. They have eliminated the filibuster for judicial appointments, invoked the nuclear option for legislation, and rewritten precedent to move their agenda forward.

Republicans, in this case, respected the rules. They chose not to challenge the Parliamentarian. And while that may reflect principle, it also shows a reluctance to fight as hard as their opposition does.

You don’t go hog hunting with a pocketknife and a prayer. If the other side’s out there with dogs and rifles, you had better be bringing more than good intentions—because they are not out to play fair.

This was our moment to gut the NFA. We settled for trimming around the edges.

To those who helped push this bill through thank you. But to the rest—those who stood on the sidelines or played it safe—know this:

The Second Amendment is not a slogan or a fundraising tool. It is a line in the sand.

Our base does not want lip service. We want action. If the other side is willing to break norms to take away rights, then our side needs to be just as bold in defending them.

No more excuses. No more calculated hesitation.

At my shop, Spartan Defense, we work every day with customers navigating the NFA process—people who want to follow the law but are constantly met with red tape, wait times, and confusing rules. I have seen how these barriers discourage lawful ownership of firearms and complicate even the most basic purchases.

This change will help. But helping is not the same as fixing. The core issue—the registry, the approvals, the classification of suppressors and short barrels as “special” items—still remains.

Where We Go From Here

The momentum can’t stop now. We must:

Final Thoughts

This bill proves one thing clearly: pressure works. When the firearms community stands up and speaks with one voice, things move.

But it also proves that if we settle for small wins, that is all we will ever get.

We have cracked the surface of the NFA—but the core of it still stands. Until there is no tax, no registry, no permission slips for lawful ownership, the fight is not over.

This Fourth of July, I will be celebrating like everyone else—but I will also be watching the road ahead.

Because true liberty does not come from legislation. It comes from the people who refuse to stop demanding it.