In another major blow to the gun control agenda, a federal appeals court has ruled that the ATF’s ban on handgun sales to 18-20-year-olds is unconstitutional, marking yet another victory for Second Amendment advocates in the wake of the 2022 Bruen decision.

This ruling, handed down by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, follows the legal precedent set by New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, where the Supreme Court reaffirmed that any gun restriction must be consistent with the nation’s historical traditions. The court found that the ATF’s prohibition on licensed firearm dealers selling handguns to 18-20-year-old adults is not only inconsistent with the Second Amendment, but it also lacks any historical justification.

“This is yet another landmark victory for gun owners,” said Texas Gun Rights President Chris McNutt. “The idea that 18-year-old adults—who can vote, sign contracts, serve in the military, and be held fully responsible under the law—should be barred from purchasing a handgun for self-defense is absurd. This ruling rightly corrects that unconstitutional restriction.”

Following the Texas Carry Ruling

This ruling follows a 2022 federal court decision in Texas, which struck down the state’s ban on licensed carry for 18-20-year-olds. In that case, a Fort Worth federal judge ruled that Texas’ restriction on young adults carrying handguns outside their home was unconstitutional, again citing the historical standard established by Bruen.

At the time, the ruling only applied to licensed carry, which meant that 18-20-year-olds could now obtain a License to Carry (LTC), giving them the ability to legally carry a handgun in public. However, because Texas has Constitutional Carry, the ruling raised the question: If an 18-year-old can carry a handgun with an LTC, what is stopping them from carrying under permitless Constitutional Carry?

This latest ruling now removes the restriction on handgun purchases, making it clear that 18-20-year-olds should have the same Second Amendment rights as any other law-abiding adult.

Texas Still Needs to Codify These Protections into Law

While these federal rulings represent huge victories for gun rights, they do not automatically apply nationwide. While states like Texas, which reside in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, will be required to follow this decision, it does not prevent liberal city governments and law enforcement agencies from selectively enforcing outdated laws.

“Just because a federal court has ruled against this unconstitutional restriction doesn’t mean anti-gun bureaucrats in cities like Austin, Dallas, or Houston won’t try to enforce it anyway,” McNutt warned. “That’s why the Texas Legislature needs to take action in 2025 to codify these protections into law.”

Texas Gun Rights has long supported Constitutional Carry for all law-abiding adults, and the organization is pushing for legislation to explicitly affirm the rights of 18-20-year-olds to purchase and carry handguns under Texas law.

“It’s time for Texas to step up and ensure that every law-abiding adult has the same ability to exercise their Second Amendment rights,” McNutt continued. “Gun owners cannot afford to let these victories be undone by activist judges or rogue local officials.”

A National Movement for Full Second Amendment Rights

With these rulings striking down age-based gun restrictions, momentum is on the side of gun owners. However, without federal legislation, anti-gun states will continue to defy the courts and deny young adults their constitutional rights.

“We need National Constitutional Carry—not a watered-down reciprocity bill—to ensure that every American has the ability to protect themselves, no matter what state they’re in,” McNutt concluded.

Congressman Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) recently re-introduced the National Constitutional Carry Act (H.R. 645), which is being pushed by Texas Gun Rights.

With President Trump and a Republican-led Congress, gun rights activists have an opportunity to push for real pro-gun reforms at both the state and federal level. The question is whether elected Republicans will rise to the occasion or once again buckle under pressure from the anti-gun lobby.

For now, though, the Second Amendment has won another major victory, and young adults in Texas and across the Fifth Circuit’s jurisdiction are one step closer to enjoying their full constitutional rights.