{"id":256701,"date":"2026-09-20T10:15:44","date_gmt":"2026-09-20T15:15:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=256701"},"modified":"2026-09-22T10:17:29","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T15:17:29","slug":"doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\/","title":{"rendered":"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-estimated-reading-time yoast-reading-time__wrapper\"><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__icon\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-icon=\"clock\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" style=\"display:inline-block;vertical-align:-0.1em\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 8v4l3 3m6-3a9 9 0 11-18 0 9 9 0 0118 0z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__spacer\" style=\"display:inline-block;width:1em\"><\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__descriptive-text\">Estimated reading time: <\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__reading-time\">3<\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__time-unit\"> minutes<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 id=\"h-\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Justice Department says the federal government cannot constitutionally punish licensed dealers for selling handguns to law-abiding adults ages 18 through 20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DOJ <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/opa\/pr\/justice-department-concludes-federal-ban-handgun-sales-18-20-year-olds-unconstitutional-and\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\" title=\"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21\">announced<\/a> the major policy shift Friday after releasing a 49-page <a href=\"https:\/\/www.justice.gov\/olc\/media\/1461811\/dl\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\" title=\"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21\">opinion<\/a> from its Office of Legal Counsel. The opinion concludes that the federal age restriction violates the Second Amendment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The policy does not repeal the federal statute. However, it directs the executive branch not to criminally enforce it against dealers selling handguns to otherwise eligible young adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"DOJ Won&amp;apos;t Prosecute Handgun Sales to 18-Year-Olds as ATF Prepares New Guidance\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tXPNQJl7pAo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>Table of contents<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-doj-calls-18-year-olds-part-of-the-people\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\" title=\"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21\" data-level=\"2\">DOJ Calls 18-Year-Olds Part of \u201cThe People\u201d<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-doj-finds-no-historical-match\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\" title=\"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21\" data-level=\"2\">DOJ Finds No Historical Match<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-this-is-not-a-court-ruling\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\" title=\"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21\" data-level=\"2\">This Is Not a Court Ruling<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-several-restrictions-remain\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\" title=\"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21\" data-level=\"2\">Several Restrictions Remain<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-doj-calls-18-year-olds-part-of-the-people\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">DOJ Calls 18-Year-Olds Part of \u201cThe People\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Federal law has generally prohibited federally licensed dealers from selling handguns to anyone younger than 21. Adults ages 18 through 20 could still purchase rifles and shotguns from dealers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Federal law also allowed them to receive handguns through certain gifts or private, in-state transfers. State restrictions could still block those transactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Office of Legal Counsel found that adults under 21 remain part of \u201cthe people\u201d protected by the Second Amendment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEighteen-year-olds may vote, serve on juries, be drafted, and face adult criminal penalties,\u201d Assistant Attorney General T. Elliot Gaiser said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The opinion also noted that the Constitution establishes specific age limits for holding federal office. The Second Amendment contains no comparable age requirement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-doj-finds-no-historical-match\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">DOJ Finds No Historical Match<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Under the Supreme Court\u2019s <em>Bruen<\/em> test, the government must connect modern gun restrictions to the nation\u2019s historical firearm regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DOJ said it could not find a strong historical tradition supporting a nationwide handgun-purchase ban for adults under 21.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Instead, militia laws around the Founding commonly required service beginning at age 18. Those young men were often expected to provide their own firearms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>SEE ALSO: <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/ptr-9kt-mp5k-build\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\" title=\"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21\">PTR 9KT MP5K Build: My $5,008 Dream Gun<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some laws required parents or guardians to arm militia members who could not afford weapons. According to the DOJ, those measures sought to ensure young adults were armed rather than keep guns away from them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The opinion also rejected comparisons to Founding-era contract rules. Those rules sometimes allowed minors to cancel agreements. They did not criminalize merchants for selling lawful products to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-this-is-not-a-court-ruling\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">This Is Not a Court Ruling<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The decision carries substantial weight inside the federal government. Office of Legal Counsel opinions provide controlling legal guidance to executive-branch agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, the opinion does not erase the statute passed by Congress. It also does not bind federal courts or prevent a future administration from changing the government\u2019s position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Courts remain divided on the issue. The Fifth Circuit struck down the federal restriction in <em>Reese v. ATF<\/em>. The Fourth Circuit upheld it in a separate case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Supreme Court has not settled that split. It declined to hear several challenges involving young-adult firearm restrictions in June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gun-control organizations criticized the DOJ\u2019s move and argued that younger adults present greater public-safety risks. Gun-rights groups counter that constitutional rights begin at adulthood, not age 21.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-several-restrictions-remain\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Several Restrictions Remain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DOJ opinion is narrower than a blanket authorization for every 18-year-old to purchase any firearm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It does not address handgun possession by anyone younger than 18. It also leaves background checks and other age-neutral dealer requirements intact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The enhanced federal review period for firearm buyers under 21 also remains outside the opinion\u2019s scope. Prohibited persons remain barred from buying or possessing firearms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>SEE ALSO: <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/ready-strike-new-38-special-colt-cobra-full-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\" title=\"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21\">Colt Cobra vs. King Cobra: Which One Wins in 2026?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">State and local age restrictions may also remain enforceable. Dealers must still account for laws within their jurisdictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DOJ\u2019s conclusion is nevertheless a major change. The federal government now considers law-abiding Americans ages 18 through 20 protected adults when they seek to purchase a handgun from a licensed dealer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:24px\"><strong><em>*** <a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\" title=\"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Buy and Sell on GunsAmerica!<\/a> ***<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The DOJ announced the major policy shift Friday after releasing a 49-page opinion from its Office of Legal Counsel. The opinion concludes that the federal age restriction violates the Second Amendment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":158,"featured_media":256703,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_specdata_upc":"","_specdata_placement":"manual","footnotes":""},"categories":[4024],"tags":[132,607,122],"featured":[],"hunt365":[],"class_list":["post-256701","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","tag-buzz","tag-news","tag-r2kba"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.4 (Yoast SEO v28.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The DOJ says the federal ban on licensed handgun sales to law-abiding adults ages 18 through 20 violates the Second Amendment.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The DOJ announced the major policy shift Friday after releasing a 49-page opinion from its Office of Legal Counsel. The opinion concludes that the federal age restriction violates the Second Amendment.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gun Reviews and News | GunsAmerica.com\/Digest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-09-20T15:15:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-22T15:17:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DOJ_Handgun_Ban.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Larry Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@https:\/\/twitter.com\/GunsAmerica\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@gunsamerica\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Larry Z\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Larry Z\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e6de4369965cb544a9ebd9533bb9c06b\"},\"headline\":\"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-20T15:15:44+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-22T15:17:29+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":638,\"commentCount\":1,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/DOJ_Handgun_Ban.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Buzz\",\"News\",\"R2KBA\"],\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\\\/#respond\"]}],\"accessibilityFeature\":[\"tableOfContents\"]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\\\/\",\"name\":\"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/DOJ_Handgun_Ban.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-20T15:15:44+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-22T15:17:29+00:00\",\"description\":\"The DOJ says the federal ban on licensed handgun sales to law-abiding adults ages 18 through 20 violates the Second Amendment.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/DOJ_Handgun_Ban.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/DOJ_Handgun_Ban.png\",\"width\":900,\"height\":600,\"caption\":\"The Justice Department says the federal handgun sales restriction for law-abiding adults ages 18 through 20 cannot be criminally enforced.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/\",\"name\":\"Gun Reviews and News | GunsAmerica.com\\\/Digest\",\"description\":\"Gun Reviews, Industry News, and Product Reviews for Rifles, Pistols, Revolvers, Shotguns, Optics, and Ammunition. Looking to purchase a firearm online? Look no further than GunsAmerica.com, America&#039;s premier destination for buying and selling firearms.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"GunsAmerica\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/image-3.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/image-3.png\",\"width\":286,\"height\":156,\"caption\":\"GunsAmerica\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/gunsamerica\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/gunsamerica\",\"https:\\\/\\\/instagram.com\\\/gunsamerica_official\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/GunsAmerica\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/e6de4369965cb544a9ebd9533bb9c06b\",\"name\":\"Larry Z\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5a69271fff458c0181bcf97d84275180a0fb536786a6dd417d0618e9688be035?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5a69271fff458c0181bcf97d84275180a0fb536786a6dd417d0618e9688be035?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/5a69271fff458c0181bcf97d84275180a0fb536786a6dd417d0618e9688be035?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Larry Z\"},\"description\":\"is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who'd rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he\u2019s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he's deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there's a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry\u2019s got an opinion\u2014and it's probably backed up with both facts and field experience. Experience: \u2013 Licensed Bowhunter, Hunter, and Trapper \u2013 Experienced in ethical hunting and wildlife conservation.\u2013 Concealed Carry Permit Holder (NYS &amp; AZ) \u2013 Trained and licensed to carry in multiple states.\u2013 2A Journalist \u2013 Covering firearms legislation, Second Amendment issues, and gun rights for over a decade.\u2013 Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) \u2013 Certified to provide emergency medical care in the field.\u2013 Field-Tested Gear Reviewer \u2013 Hands-on experience with firearms, optics, and hunting tech.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/hunt365.gunsamerica.com\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/gunsamerica\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/gunsamerica_official\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/https:\\\/\\\/twitter.com\\\/GunsAmerica\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/GunsAmerica\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/author\\\/larry-z\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21","description":"The DOJ says the federal ban on licensed handgun sales to law-abiding adults ages 18 through 20 violates the Second Amendment.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21","og_description":"The DOJ announced the major policy shift Friday after releasing a 49-page opinion from its Office of Legal Counsel. The opinion concludes that the federal age restriction violates the Second Amendment.","og_url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\/","og_site_name":"Gun Reviews and News | GunsAmerica.com\/Digest","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica","article_published_time":"2026-09-20T15:15:44+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-09-22T15:17:29+00:00","og_image":[{"width":900,"height":600,"url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DOJ_Handgun_Ban.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Larry Z","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@https:\/\/twitter.com\/GunsAmerica","twitter_site":"@gunsamerica","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Larry Z","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\/"},"author":{"name":"Larry Z","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/person\/e6de4369965cb544a9ebd9533bb9c06b"},"headline":"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21","datePublished":"2026-09-20T15:15:44+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-22T15:17:29+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\/"},"wordCount":638,"commentCount":1,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DOJ_Handgun_Ban.png","keywords":["Buzz","News","R2KBA"],"articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\/#respond"]}],"accessibilityFeature":["tableOfContents"]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\/","url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\/","name":"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DOJ_Handgun_Ban.png","datePublished":"2026-09-20T15:15:44+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-22T15:17:29+00:00","description":"The DOJ says the federal ban on licensed handgun sales to law-abiding adults ages 18 through 20 violates the Second Amendment.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DOJ_Handgun_Ban.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DOJ_Handgun_Ban.png","width":900,"height":600,"caption":"The Justice Department says the federal handgun sales restriction for law-abiding adults ages 18 through 20 cannot be criminally enforced."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/doj-handgun-sales-adults-under-21\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"DOJ Won\u2019t Enforce Handgun Sales Ban for Adults Under 21"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#website","url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/","name":"Gun Reviews and News | GunsAmerica.com\/Digest","description":"Gun Reviews, Industry News, and Product Reviews for Rifles, Pistols, Revolvers, Shotguns, Optics, and Ammunition. Looking to purchase a firearm online? Look no further than GunsAmerica.com, America&#039;s premier destination for buying and selling firearms.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#organization","name":"GunsAmerica","url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-3.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-3.png","width":286,"height":156,"caption":"GunsAmerica"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica","https:\/\/x.com\/gunsamerica","https:\/\/instagram.com\/gunsamerica_official\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/GunsAmerica"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/#\/schema\/person\/e6de4369965cb544a9ebd9533bb9c06b","name":"Larry Z","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5a69271fff458c0181bcf97d84275180a0fb536786a6dd417d0618e9688be035?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5a69271fff458c0181bcf97d84275180a0fb536786a6dd417d0618e9688be035?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/5a69271fff458c0181bcf97d84275180a0fb536786a6dd417d0618e9688be035?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Larry Z"},"description":"is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who'd rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he\u2019s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he's deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there's a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry\u2019s got an opinion\u2014and it's probably backed up with both facts and field experience. Experience: \u2013 Licensed Bowhunter, Hunter, and Trapper \u2013 Experienced in ethical hunting and wildlife conservation.\u2013 Concealed Carry Permit Holder (NYS &amp; AZ) \u2013 Trained and licensed to carry in multiple states.\u2013 2A Journalist \u2013 Covering firearms legislation, Second Amendment issues, and gun rights for over a decade.\u2013 Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) \u2013 Certified to provide emergency medical care in the field.\u2013 Field-Tested Gear Reviewer \u2013 Hands-on experience with firearms, optics, and hunting tech.","sameAs":["https:\/\/hunt365.gunsamerica.com","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/gunsamerica_official\/","https:\/\/x.com\/https:\/\/twitter.com\/GunsAmerica","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/GunsAmerica"],"url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/author\/larry-z\/"}]}},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/DOJ_Handgun_Ban-150x100.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256701","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/158"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=256701"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256701\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":256706,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256701\/revisions\/256706"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/256703"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=256701"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=256701"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=256701"},{"taxonomy":"featured","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured?post=256701"},{"taxonomy":"hunt365","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hunt365?post=256701"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}