Guns

Rules for gun accessories and parts

22 public statements from 2026 candidates · 2 related bills

§1The range of views

Why this matters: These rules decide what registration and checks gun owners face for these items, and how easily police can trace guns found at crime scenes.

Drafted by AI, then checked for neutral wording in a separate AI review. It describes the question and the main positions, not any candidate's view. Facts link to their sources.

How federal law treats gun accessories and parts such as stabilizing braces for pistols, suppressors and kits for building guns at home, including which ones must be registered with the federal government or sold with a serial number and background check; a 2025 law ended the federal tax on suppressors and short-barreled rifles from 2026 but kept their registration, and the Supreme Court upheld a rule covering some gun kits in 2025.1,2,3,4

  1. Tighten rules, such as registering pistols with stabilizing braces and requiring serial numbers and background checks for all gun kits and parts
  2. Keep current rules
  3. Loosen rules, such as ending federal registration for suppressors and short-barreled rifles

These options describe policies, not people. The order is not a ranking.

§2What candidates have said

Why this matters: Statements candidates made publicly, summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Candidates who haven't spoken publicly on this issue aren't listed.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

Tighten rules, such as registering pistols with stabilizing braces and requiring serial numbers and background checks for all gun kits and parts (5)

  • Dave Min CA-47
    His campaign website says he introduced legislation to address 3D-printed firearms and ghost guns.5
  • Jim Himes CT-4
    His campaign website says he supports limits on magazine sizes.6
  • Jill N. Tokuda HI-2
    Her campaign website says she has advocated addressing the proliferation of ghost guns, and that as a state senator she supported legislation banning bump fire stocks and multi-burst trigger activators, which it says she supports at the federal level.7
  • Edward J. Markey MA Senate
    His campaign website says he would ban the online distribution of gun blueprints and close what it calls a loophole that lets 3D-printed guns be sold and carried without serial numbers.8
  • Lori Loureiro Trahan MA-3
    A gun reform page that appears only in her campaign website's site map says she would oppose legislation to deregulate silencers by taking them out of the National Firearms Act, and that she will support a universal ban on bump stocks.9

Loosen rules, such as ending federal registration for suppressors and short-barreled rifles (6)

  • Kat Cammack FL-3
    Her campaign website says she voted to eliminate the $200 federal tax on suppressors and short-barreled rifles, opposed the Biden administration's rule on stabilizing braces, and cosponsored the Hearing Protection Act, which would remove silencers from the National Firearms Act's definition of firearms.10
  • Greg Steube FL-17
    His campaign website says he led the push to do away with the $200 tax stamp on suppressors, short-barreled rifles and short-barreled shotguns.11
  • Andrew Clyde GA-9
    His campaign website says he would pass the Hearing Protection Act to remove sound suppressors from the National Firearms Act, deregulate short-barreled rifles and shotguns, and repeal the National Firearms Act excise tax and the excise tax on firearms and ammunition.12
  • Michelle Fischbach MN-7
    The record page lists co-sponsoring and voting for a resolution to block the federal rule on stabilizing braces for firearms. Her Hearing Protection Act page backs taking suppressors out of the National Firearms Act, which would end the $200 tax and the registration process for them, and says the Senate has an opportunity to go further by ending other taxes and regulations on items such as short-barreled rifles and pistol braces.13,14
  • Michael D Eisenhauer MT-2
    His Issues page says the National Firearms Act should be retained but revised, including by removing the mandatory ATF Form 1 or Form 4 submission for suppressors and short-barreled long guns.15
  • Kevin Hern OK Senate
    His campaign website says he has cosponsored bills, including the SHORT Act and the Hearing Protection Act, to roll back National Firearms Act rules and fees on suppressors, short-barreled rifles and short-barreled shotguns.16

Statements that don't match one option (11)

  • Treg Taylor AK Governor
    His campaign website says he twice sued the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to challenge rule changes on pistol stabilizing braces and firearm sales.17
  • Pedro Antonio Casas CA-38
    His campaign website says he would protect the Second Amendment by targeting criminals, not law-abiding owners, who misuse dangerous modifications such as Glock switches.18
  • Scott Eckhard Jewett FL Governor
    His campaign website says he supports the right to own, carry and modify weapons and accessories, and opposes restrictions on accessories.19
  • Peggy Flanagan MN Senate
    Her campaign website says she wants to ban high-capacity magazines and ghost guns.20
  • Josh Smead MO-6
    His campaign website lists creating registration requirements for 3D-printed guns.21
  • Eric W. Burlison MO-7
    His campaign website lists eliminating the $200 federal gun tax stamp among his accomplishments.22
  • Richard Hudson NC-9
    His campaign website's Protecting the 2nd Amendment page says he has led efforts against ATF regulations on pistol stabilizing braces, which it says would make felons of millions of people, including disabled combat veterans.23
  • Rebecca Bennett NJ-7
    The same page lists reinstating the tax on silencers.24
  • Rob Menendez NJ-8
    The same page lists addressing ghost guns, which it says let people who cannot lawfully own a firearm obtain one, among his goals.25
  • Kathy C. Hochul NY Governor
    Her campaign website lists blocking 3-D printed guns among her accomplishments.26
  • Larry Rhoden SD Governor
    His campaign website says he made South Dakota the first state to eliminate suppressor regulations.27

§3Related bills

Why this matters: Bills from 2023–2026 that bear on this issue, with how Congress handled them.