Year: 2026

This article breaks down a discussion between Second Amendment attorneys Mark W. Smith and Stephen P. Halbrook on the legal gaps in the post-1986 machine gun ban. They show how 18 U.S.C. § 922(o) allows possession “under the authority of” a state, while the ATF’s regulation adds a narrower “for the benefit of government” rule.

From Comments: “If the gov’t sees MJ users the same as drunkards (who aren’t barred the possession of arms) then it seems the Fed just made the case for removing 4473 Item 21f.” Are regular marijuana users the modern equivalent of “habitual drunkards” at the Founding? What about someone who regularly takes a sleep gummy?

In Benson v. United States, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals—not to be confused with the federal United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit—ruled that Washington, D.C.’s ban on magazines holding more than ten rounds is unconstitutional. The District of Columbia Court of Appeals is the highest court in D.C.,

From what I’ve learned, states can delegate some administrative tasks to private companies, such as allowing third-party providers to handle driver’s licenses, but that power applies only where the state has legal authority. They cannot use delegation to bypass federal law. Anything prohibited by federal statutes, like civilian machine guns, remains illegal, and private ‘agents’

West Virginia has found a brilliant approach to complying with the the NFA and the Hughes Amendment when it comes to the private ownership of modern machine guns. Mark Smith, Four Boxes Diner, discusses… Four Boxes Diner, Mark W. Smith.

Amy Swearer @AmySwearer “Minnesota Dems went completely unhinged yesterday trying to stop me from testifying against their gun control bills. When @mnguncaucus low key bullied them into not being cowards, they gave me two throw-away minutes. I did NOT throw them away.”

“I took to heart the Mayor’s comment on self-reflection as a gun owner. After serious private consideration, I have reached the conclusion that Socialist Democrats cannot provide adequate leadership to even a sanitation department of a city without their overwhelming need to control what people do. I am again struck by the arrogance in assuming

Gunsmoke’s Dodge City lesson: outlaw intent ignores rules. Disarming law-abiding citizens doesn’t create safety—it invites danger. In the late 1950s, Gunsmoke was more than just a television Western. It told the story of Dodge City, Kansas—a frontier town of lawmen, outlaws, and ordinary citizens trying to survive in a world where danger was always present. At first

 Prints on 8-1/2 x 11 paper right from your printer. Click on print icon in the top right corner. May leave margins at the top and bottom depending on your printer. But, hey, it’s free. This will print only from your desktop. Print Instructions from computer: Click on the Print icon at the top right

Mark Smith discusses the recent DOJ brief in Jensen v. ATF, challenging aspects of the National Firearms Act (NFA). Although the 2025 “One Big Beautiful Bill” removed the $200 tax on items like suppressors and short-barreled rifles/shotguns, the DOJ continues to enforce registration, fingerprinting, and background check requirements. Smith argues these requirements now lack a