ASA Leads Charge to Kill the NFA

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Suppressor Nation isn’t backing down—and July 2025 proved it.

The American Suppressor Association (ASA), in a major show of force, teamed up with the NRA, Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), and other pro-2A groups to launch a multi-pronged legal offensive aimed straight at the heart of the National Firearms Act (NFA).

From state bans to federal overreach, the fight to restore suppressor rights just entered high gear.

Lawsuit Blitz: New Jersey, Illinois, California—and Now Missouri

On July 18, ASA and its powerhouse partners filed Padua v. Platkin, challenging New Jersey’s outright ban on suppressors. The lawsuit includes the backing of the NRA, SAF, Safari Club International, and local firearms groups. With this filing, New Jersey joins Illinois (Anderson v. Raoul) and California (Sanchez v. Bonta) in the legal crosshairs.

Then on August 1, the coalition dropped another bombshell: Brown v. ATF, filed in federal court in Missouri, directly challenges the constitutionality of the NFA itself.

“The NFA’s registration scheme only exists to enforce a tax,” said SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut. “Now that the tax is gone, so is the government’s justification for keeping the registry.”

Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill: The Game-Changer

The lawsuits stem from a seismic shift in federal law. On July 4, President Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill, eliminating the $200 NFA transfer tax on suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and so-called “Any Other Weapons.” That marks the first real crack in the NFA’s foundation since it was passed in 1934.

Starting January 1, 2026, gun owners will no longer be forced to pay a $200 tax just to legally own a muffler for their firearm. The new law delivers an estimated $200 million annual tax break to law-abiding Americans.

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But more importantly, it opens the door to challenge the entire NFA registry as unconstitutional.

“With the tax eliminated, the NFA is now just a useless hurdle standing between Americans and their rights,” said ASA President Knox Williams. “It’s time to send this law to the dustbin of history.”

Murphy’s Desperate Hail Mary

Predictably, the anti-gun crowd is scrambling. Just three weeks after the OBBB passed, Sen. Chris Murphy introduced an amendment to jack the suppressor tax back up—not to $200, but to a modern-day equivalent of $4,700.

Why that oddly specific number? That’s how much $200 in 1934 money is worth today, adjusted for inflation. But don’t expect this absurd proposal to go anywhere.

“There’s no chance Congress or President Trump will undo the very bill they just passed,” said Williams. “Murphy’s amendment is DOA.”

Guam Goes Loud (but Quietly)

In a historic win for hearing protection and personal freedom, Guam became the first U.S. territory to legalize civilian suppressor use. The Guam legislature overrode Governor Guerrero’s veto on July 31, passing the Guam Hearing Protection Act with a veto-proof majority.

“Congratulations to the citizens of Guam for reclaiming part of your freedoms,” said Williams. “Your hearing will thank you.”

The Endgame: 50-State Suppressor Freedom

ASA and its allies aren’t just playing defense—they’re going for total victory. With lawsuits active in the 3rd, 7th, and 9th Circuits, the legal roadmap is clear: win favorable rulings, take the issue to the Supreme Court, and permanently erase suppressor bans across the country.

“If we win, suppressors will be legal in all 50 states for the first time in American history,” said Williams. “And no state, city, or federal agency will ever be able to ban them again.”

The fight isn’t easy. But it’s loud, it’s relentless, and it’s gaining ground fast.

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