5th Circuit Overturns Under-21 Handgun Sales Ban

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit has ruled that the federal ban on handgun sales to individuals aged 18 to 20 is unconstitutional, citing the Second Amendment. This decision follows the Supreme Court's 2022 ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which emphasized that firearm laws must be consistent with historical traditions. The ruling marks a significant victory for Second Amendment advocates and challenges a longstanding provision from the Gun Control Act of 1968. The court found that the government failed to show historical precedent for age-based restrictions on gun ownership. This decision overturns a previous 2012 ruling by the same court, which had upheld the ban. Gun rights groups such as the Firearms Policy Coalition and the Second Amendment Foundation supported the challenge, while gun violence prevention organizations like Everytown Law have criticized the ruling as dangerous to public safety.