Firearm maker beats ATF in court case over unorthodox gun

• A federal judge ruled in favor of Nevada gunmaker Franklin Armory in its lawsuit against the ATF over the classification of its Reformation firearm. The agency could appeal the ruling, but it’s unlikely that the new administration would push to extend the challenge.
• Initially, the ATF did not require registration under the National Firearms Act for the Reformation. They later classified it as a new type of firearm, imposing restrictions on its sale and transport.
• The judge stated that the ATF exceeded its authority by attempting to create new gun laws. The judge affirmed that the agency can enforce but not change existing laws.

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A federal judge has ruled in favor of a Nevada gunmaker in its years-long lawsuit against the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) involving its novel firearm. The agency demanded that the gun be subjected to National Firearms Act restrictions.

The firearm at issue is the Franklin Armory Reformation, a rifle-style firearm with an adjustable stock that measures 11.5 inches long. A traditional rifle or shotgun with measurements less than 18 inches would fall under the NFA’s restrictions and extra costs for short-barrel rifles or short-barreled shotguns. However, the Reformation doesn’t fit those categories. 

Unlike traditional rifled barrels that place spiraled grooves into the bullet for stability, the Reformation has straight-cut grooves inside the barrel. In addition to not using shotgun cartridges, this puts it outside of the scope of a rifle or a shotgun, which has no grooves at all.

Initially, the ATF agreed with the gun manufacturer and didn’t require an NFA registration to own the gun. However, they changed course in 2019, saying that the Reformation was a new type of firearm altogether.

The ATF forbade dealers from selling them to any non-federal firearms licensee (FFL) and disallowed private owners from crossing state lines with the firearm while they developed new rules for it. 

Judge Daniel M. Traynor in the U.S. District Court of North Dakota ruled on Feb. 18 that the agency stepped beyond its scope in attempting to make new gun laws. 

“Congress gave ATF the ability to enforce the law, not change it,” Traynor said. “Franklin Armory created a weapon that doesn’t fit into the round holes made by Congress, but that does not give ATF authority to change the shape or size of the hole to make the Reformation fit.”

The agency could appeal the ruling, but it’s unlikely that the new administration would push to extend the challenge. Attorney General Pam Bondi fired ATF Chief Legal Counsel Pamela Hicks last week.