Third Circuit Strikes Down NJ Assault Weapons Ban: A Win for Gun Lobby
The Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled New Jersey's assault weapons ban unconstitutional, citing the Supreme Court's Bruen decision, marking a major judicial expansion of gun rights and directly rolling back state-level gun safety measures.
On July 17, 2026, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals struck down New Jersey's decades-old assault weapons ban, ruling that the prohibition on semiautomatic firearms like AR-15s violates the Second Amendment under the Supreme Court's Bruen framework. This decision, which applies to one of the strictest state gun laws in the nation, effectively legalizes military-style weapons that have been used in numerous mass shootings, including the 2012 Sandy Hook tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. The harm is immediate: New Jersey's 1.2 million residents lose a critical layer of protection against gun violence, and the decision creates a circuit split that may force the Supreme Court—already hostile to gun safety laws—to further erode state authority on firearms regulation. The Third Circuit's reasoning, which rejected the state's historical evidence that the Second Amendment allows bans on dangerous weapons, mirrors the pro-gun lobby's playbook and underscores how federal courts are now actively dismantling state-level public safety measures.
The humanitarian alternative
Instead of the court's nullification, New Jersey and Congress should pursue a federal assault weapons ban grounded in the same historical tradition Bruen purports to respect. Congress can pass a national ban on semiautomatic rifles with high-capacity magazines, modeled on the 1994 ban that was allowed to expire. Additionally, states should adopt 'good cause' permitting systems for such firearms, requiring proof of specific need (e.g., for competitive shooting), which would survive Second Amendment scrutiny by mirroring historical licensing practices for dangerous weapons. The Biden administration could also restore the ATF's authority to classify certain firearms as 'destructive devices' under the National Firearms Act, subjecting them to strict regulation—a step that would not require new legislation and could be done via executive order.
Falsifiable predictions
What this entry claims will happen, and what data would prove it wrong. The Reckoner revisits these against current reality.
- The Third Circuit ruling will be appealed to the Supreme Court, which will grant certiorari within 120 days.
- Following this ruling, New Jersey will see a measurable increase in assault weapon sales and permit applications within 60 days.
Original source — excerpted
news NJ’s ban on assault weapons unconstitutional, US appeals court rules"See more of our coverage in your search results. A federal appeals court on Friday ruled that New Jersey’s assault-weapons law barring possession of semiauto..."