This week was a fairly busy one for gun information coming in from all angles. Though, with a lot of it coming from the identical a part of the nation.
Sig Sauer obtained some very unhealthy information as a serious part of the Air Drive pulled its standard M18/P320 pistol from service after a deadly incident over the weekend in one other blow to the embattled model. Nonetheless, one of many nation’s biggest Olympic shooters and her fellow California gun house owners obtained some excellent news when a Ninth Circuit panel struck down the state’s ammunition background examine legislation. Nonetheless, that excellent news could also be tempered by the truth that California seems to be headed again down the microstamping path as soon as once more.
Contributing Author Jake Fogleman explains in a bit for Reload Members why the legislation that made the most recent fashions of handguns unlawful to purchase for many Californians for a decade could also be set for a revival. If that wasn’t sufficient California gun information for you, Los Angeles residents and out-of-staters may additionally be glad to listen to one other federal court docket gave a lawsuit towards town’s sheriff’s division the go-ahead to proceed its claims towards years-long processing delays and bans on non-resident candidates.
The Division of Justice made a number of headlines this week, too. First, we have now Jake’s evaluation of the DOJ’s new plan for gun-rights restoration. Then, we even have information that it has determined to drop its enchantment of a court docket ruling towards the pistol brace ban.
Plus, Jake joins me on the podcast to reply Reload Member questions on subjects from a doable surge in silencer reputation to the DOJ’s Second Modification litigation technique. And we have now a bunch of attention-grabbing tales down within the hyperlinks, together with one which offers instantly with these two subjects.

California Ammo Background Checks Dominated UnconstitutionalBy Benjamin Owen
A serious division of the Air Drive is now not utilizing the Sig Sauer M18 pistol after a deadly incident on a base in Wyoming on Sunday.
The Air Drive World Strike Command (AFGSC), which oversees America’s bomber and nuclear weapons operations, has barred its airmen from utilizing the M18 pistol for the foreseeable future. A command spokesperson confirmed the pause was in response to the latest loss of life of a member of the Warren Air Drive Base safety workforce.
“Air Drive World Strike Command has paused use of the M18 Modular Handgun System, efficient July 21, 2025, till additional discover,” an Air Drive World Strike spokesperson informed The Reload. “This determination was made following a tragic incident at F.E. Warren AFB, WY, on July 20, 2025, which resulted within the loss of life of a Safety Forces Airman.”
Click on right here to learn extra.


Evaluation: Microstamping Déjà Vu in California [Member Exclusive]By Jake Fogleman
Cease me should you’ve heard this one earlier than: California’s Legal professional Normal has revealed an official state report certifying that microstamping is viable, setting the stage for requiring all new handguns offered within the state to be outfitted with it.
Final Friday turned out to be Groundhog Day for Golden State gun house owners, as Legal professional Normal Rob Bonta (D.) unveiled a brand new report carried out by the California Division of Justice declaring the state’s technological viability investigation into firearm microstamping—a course of that might operate through the use of a number of components of the internals of a firearm to imprint a novel, identifiable code on spent ammunition—was successful.
“My workplace’s investigation into the technological viability of microstamping elements has discovered that this expertise is viable,” Bonta mentioned in an announcement. “Microstamping expertise may assist legislation enforcement match cartridges discovered at crime scenes on to the firearms they got here from.”
Should you’re a Reload Member, click on right here to learn the remainder. If not, purchase a membership in the present day for unique entry to this and a whole lot of different member exclusives!


Air Drive Bomber Command Says it Has Paused Use of Sig M18 After Deadly IncidentBy Stephen Gutowski and Benjamin Owen
A serious division of the Air Drive is now not utilizing the Sig Sauer M18 pistol after a deadly incident on a base in Wyoming on Sunday.
The Air Drive World Strike Command (AFGSC), which oversees America’s bomber and nuclear weapons operations, has barred its airmen from utilizing the M18 pistol for the foreseeable future. A command spokesperson confirmed the pause was in response to the latest loss of life of a member of the Warren Air Drive Base safety workforce.
“Air Drive World Strike Command has paused use of the M18 Modular Handgun System, efficient July 21, 2025, till additional discover,” an Air Drive World Strike spokesperson informed The Reload. “This determination was made following a tragic incident at F.E. Warren AFB, WY, on July 20, 2025, which resulted within the loss of life of a Safety Forces Airman.”
Click on right here to learn the remainder.


DOJ Drops Enchantment in Pistol Brace Ban CaseBy Benjamin Owen
The Division of Justice (DOJ) will now not defend a Biden-era rule that restricted the sale of weapons outfitted with specialised braces.
On Thursday, DOJ joined the Mock v. Bondi plaintiffs in requesting a dismissal within the case. The submitting halts the federal government’s enchantment of a 2023 Fifth Circuit ruling that vacated a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) rule reclassifying pistol-braced weapons as short-barrel firearms beneath the Nationwide Firearms Act (NFA).
“Pursuant to Federal Rule of Appellate Process 42(b)(1), the events hereby stipulate to the dismissal of this enchantment, with all events to bear their very own prices,” the events wrote in the Stipulation of the Dismissal.
Click on right here to learn extra.


Federal Decide Greenlights LA Hid Carry Allow Delay LawsuitBy Benjamin Owen
A decide has denied a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Division try to dismiss a lawsuit difficult the constitutionality of its hid carry allowing course of and the prolonged delays it has induced.
On Monday, US District Decide Sherilyn Peace Garnett dominated that particular person hid carry candidates and gun-rights organizations have standing to pursue their claims towards the division and Sheriff Robert Luna (D.). She mentioned members of the California Rifle and Pistol Affiliation (CRPA), Second Modification Basis (SAF), and Gun Homeowners of America (GOA) have a sound argument that the division’s practices are harming them, particularly the processing delays that may last as long as two years.
“[T]he Court docket finds that CRPA, SAF, and GOA have standing to pursue claims on behalf of their members associated to the Los Angeles Defendants’ alleged delay in issuing a call on a CCW allow software past the time-frame offered in California Penal Code § 26205,” Decide Garnett, a Joe Biden appointee, wrote in CRPA v. LASD.
Click on right here to learn extra.

Podcast: We Reply Your Gun Coverage QuestionsBy Stephen Gutowski
There was a ton of gun information over the previous week. So, we figured it will be an excellent time to have one other Q&A podcast.
I believe we judged that accurately as a result of we had sufficient nice questions on sufficient attention-grabbing subjects despatched in by Reload Members to refill one among our longest podcasts of the 12 months. We mentioned all the pieces from the impacts of the Nationwide Firearms Act tax lower to the way forward for the NRA and the Division of Justice’s technique in Second Modification circumstances.
Contributing Author Jake Fogleman and I dive into the small print on every query. We cowl an enormous number of subjects throughout each style of gun protection.
You may hearken to the present in your favourite podcasting app or by clicking right here. Video of the episode is obtainable on our YouTube channel.
Plus, Jake and I additionally break down the important thing gun coverage provisions included in Home Republicans’ new ATF funding invoice. Then we unpack a brand new Second Circuit Court docket of Appeals ruling tossing the NRA’s free speech case towards a New York official that pressured monetary firms to chop ties with the group over its politics. And I give an replace on my Nationwide Journalism Heart vary day and Properties For Our Troops charity shoot.
Audio right here. Video right here.


Evaluation: The DOJ’s Plan for Firearm Rights Restoration [Member Exclusive]By Jake Fogleman
Roughly 4 months after restoring the gun rights of a handful of former convicts, the Division of Justice (DOJ) has launched a concrete street map for the way it desires to broaden the revived program to tens of millions extra individuals.
On Friday, the DOJ introduced a brand new proposed rule outlining the way it intends to grant reduction to sure people who federal legislation prohibits from proudly owning firearms. The 48-page proposal outlines the historical past of firearms rights restoration, the coverage rationale and authorized authority utilized by the Legal professional Normal to carry it again, the forms of offenders DOJ will contemplate, the way it will consider them, and extra.
“For too lengthy, numerous Individuals with prison histories have been completely disenfranchised from exercising the suitable to maintain and bear arms—a proper each bit as constitutionally enshrined as the suitable to vote, the suitable to free speech, and the suitable to free train of faith—regardless of whether or not they truly pose a risk,” Legal professional Normal Pam Bondi in a press launch unveiling the brand new rule. “Not.”
Right here’s a take a look at what the DOJ envisions for the primary federal firearms rights restoration regime in additional than 30 years.
Should you’re a Reload Member, click on right here to learn the remainder. If not, purchase a membership for unique entry to this and a whole lot of different tales!
Outdoors The Reload
Gov. Newsom obtained gifted a gun. Getting it house to California might be difficult | SF Normal | By Hannah Wiley
Gun Teams Problem New Jersey Firearm Silencer, Rifle Bans | Bloomberg Regulation | By Beth Wang
Washington units report for hid pistol licenses | Axios | By Christine Clarridge
Can North Carolina Republicans Enact Permitless Carry Over Governor’s Veto? | Bearing Arms | By Cam Edwards
Assessing Crime At Midyear | Jeff-alytics | By Jeff Asher
Democrat Senator Pushes for $4,700 Tax Stamps | Weapons.com | By Chris Eger
That’s it for this week in weapons.
If you wish to hear knowledgeable evaluation of those tales and extra, be sure to seize a Reload membership to get our unique evaluation publication each Sunday!
I’ll see you all subsequent week.
Thanks,Stephen GutowskiFounderThe Reload

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