DOJ Backs Down from Pistol Braces

The Department of Justice announced it’s stepping away from pistol braces – agreeing to dismiss an appeal that halted the Biden Administration’s ban on braces.

Mock v. Bondi received a summary judgment last year that vacated the ATF’s Final Rule on pistol braces. Plaintiff William Mock, alongside Maxim Defense and the Firearms Policy Coalition, sued the government in 2023 after the pistol brace ban was announced, alleging the ban was a clear overreach.

A New Orleans-based District Court agreed, vacating the rule but the Biden Administration appealed the decision. But this week, the federal government agreed to dismiss its appeal, handing a victory to 2A advocates.

“Today is a great day for freedom and the American people,” Firearms Policy Coalition President Brandon Combs said in a news release.

“As we explained in the case filings, braced pistols are not ‘short-barreled rifles’. But either way, they are unquestionably arms protected under the Second Amendment. We are thrilled to have secured this important win for liberty and excited to take on even more unconstitutional laws so you can exercise your rights when, where, and how you choose.”

Pistol braces, also known as stabilizing braces, are accessories that attach to the rear of firearms and allow them to be fired one handed. When first launched, these devices were meant to secure to the forearm with Velcro and were designed to aid disabled shooters firing AR and AK style rifles.

Maxim Defense Gen:6 CQB Brace

$319

at OpticsPlanet

Prices accurate at time of writing

$319

at OpticsPlanet

The drama surrounding braces picked up around 2014 when shooters began pairing them with AR pistols. By definition, an AR pistol cannot have a buttstock – otherwise it slips into the short-barreled rifle territory and is subject to regulation under the National Firearms Act. A pistol brace, on the other hand, was initially determined to not fit the description of a buttstock and could thus be added to an AR pistol.