On April 7, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice officially repealed the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) “zero tolerance” policy – a controversial Biden-era rule that led to the shutdown of hundreds of gun stores across the country.
According to an AmmoLand article by John Crump, the policy was originally implemented to crack down on so-called “rogue gun dealers,” but in practice, it penalized law-abiding Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) for minor clerical errors. Under this policy, gun stores lost their licenses over infractions as small as transposing digits in a firearm’s serial number or spelling a name incorrectly on paperwork.
A Massive Shift
This reversal marks a massive shift in federal firearms regulation. As reported by multiple pro-Second Amendment sources, including Gun Owners of America (GOA), Washington Gun Law, Langley Outdoors Academy, and The Four Boxes Diner, the repeal is being praised as a major win for gun rights and small businesses alike. The rule change stems directly from President Donald Trump’s new executive order calling for a review of federal policies that might infringe on Second Amendment rights.
A Policy Fueled by Politics, Not Crime
President Biden introduced the zero tolerance rule as part of a broader effort to fight illegal gun trafficking. During a Rose Garden speech, he accused gun dealers of contributing to the arming of criminals. But Crump notes that even the Biden administration’s own data from the National Firearms in Commerce and Trafficking Assessment (NFCTA) showed that licensed gun dealers were linked to only 1.6% of trafficking cases. In other words, the narrative didn’t match reality.
William Kirk of Washington Gun Law emphasized in his latest video that this discrepancy proved the policy wasn’t really about crime – it was about control. The ATF expanded its list of “willful violations,” removing any discretion from its Industry Operations Inspectors (IOIs). This allowed the agency to revoke FFLs for even the smallest, one-time errors, regardless of the dealer’s overall compliance history.
Gun Owners of America Rings the Alarm
Ben Sanderson, in a video from Gun Owners of America, broke the story by crediting the Trump administration and Acting ATF Director Kash Patel for officially repealing the policy. GOA had fought the zero tolerance rule in court for years, filing lawsuits like Kiloton Tactical v. Garland and Morehouse Enterprises v. ATF. Sanderson stated plainly: “This policy wasn’t about safety. It was about control.”
According to Sanderson, the zero tolerance rule was also used to help build an illegal digital registry of out-of-business gun dealer records – something prohibited by federal law. These records were reportedly digitized by the ATF in a way that many critics argue violates both privacy and legal precedent. That registry issue might still come under further legal scrutiny, but for now, the rollback of the zero tolerance policy is the first step in what many see as a broader restoration of gun rights.
Langley Outdoors Academy: “Ripped Out by the Root”
Braden Langley of Langley Outdoors Academy called the repeal “phenomenal breaking news” and praised Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi for “ripping out Biden’s executive gun control tyranny by the root.” In his words, this wasn’t just about paperwork; it was about an entire infrastructure designed to choke off the firearms industry without going through Congress. Langley emphasized that this policy created an artificial bottleneck in gun availability – less stores, less access, less freedom.
Langley also highlighted that the policy led to more gun store revocations in 2022 than in any year since 2008. Over 90 licenses were revoked, and 136 more stores received formal warnings. The ATF used these technicalities to systematically reduce access to firearms – a method many have described as “backdoor gun control.”
Washington Gun Law: A Dangerous Precedent
In his detailed breakdown, William Kirk explained how the rule created a dangerous precedent. “The ATF essentially created a list of ‘automatic violations’ where even longtime compliant FFLs could be shut down overnight,” Kirk said. He explained that the agency’s approach made it nearly impossible for stores to operate with confidence. Many gun dealers felt they were walking a legal tightrope, vulnerable to shutdown over a typo.
Kirk emphasized that while the repeal is a major win, the rule still has to go through a formal withdrawal process. That means public notices, comment periods, and regulatory deadlines. “This is not instantaneous,” he warned, “but it’s moving in the right direction.”
The Four Boxes Diner: A Legal and Economic Win
Attorney Mark W. Smith, host of The Four Boxes Diner, offered a broader legal and economic view. “This isn’t just about the Second Amendment – it’s about American small businesses,” Smith explained. According to him, most FFLs are family-run or small-scale operations. Removing the zero tolerance rule eliminates a regulatory threat that could easily destroy these businesses over innocent mistakes.
Smith also connected the repeal to President Trump’s economic agenda. “Trump wants American industries to thrive – including the firearms industry,” he said. Smith explained that removing regulations like this allows businesses to invest, hire, and innovate without fear of sudden, arbitrary shutdowns. In his words, this move represents a double win: a constitutional victory and an economic boost.
Restoring the Right to Acquire Arms
One of the most important takeaways comes from the legal concept discussed by multiple sources: there is no right to bear arms if there is no right to acquire them. As Crump put it in his article, “As the courts have said, there is no right to bear arms without the right to purchase arms.” If the government can eliminate all avenues for legal gun sales, then the Second Amendment becomes meaningless in practice.
That’s what made this policy so dangerous – it didn’t attack the Second Amendment directly. Instead, it went after the supply chain. Shut down enough gun stores, and you’ve effectively shut down lawful access to firearms. That’s why this repeal matters so much: it restores not just a rule, but a right.
Hundreds of Gun Stores Affected
According to Crump’s report, hundreds of FFLs lost their licenses due to the zero tolerance rule. While some might be eligible for reinstatement under the new review process, many may not reopen. These businesses lost leases, inventory, and customer bases. For some, the damage is permanent.
Still, there’s hope that a meaningful number will come back online. The ATF has reportedly begun reviewing past revocations, and decisions made solely under the repealed policy could be reversed. But even if only a fraction of those shops reopen, the repeal is still a step toward undoing the harm.
A Broader Push for Reform
The repeal of the zero tolerance policy might only be the beginning. According to Sanderson and Kirk, ATF Director Kash Patel is now reviewing other controversial rules, including the “pistol brace” regulation and the “engaged in the business” rule. Both were rolled out under Biden and have been widely criticized as vague and overreaching.
If these policies are also reversed, it would represent a sweeping rollback of the Biden administration’s regulatory approach to gun control. GOA, Washington Gun Law, and other pro-gun voices are urging supporters to stay engaged and keep the pressure on. “Positive reinforcement works,” Langley reminded viewers. “We got this win because people showed up and spoke out.”
Why This Moment Matters
What’s fascinating here isn’t just the policy change – it’s how it happened. This wasn’t the result of a court order or a legislative overhaul. It came through a change in leadership and public pressure. A new administration, led by a president who made gun rights a central issue, used the power of executive orders and agency oversight to reset the direction of federal gun policy.
It also speaks volumes about how fragile regulatory power can be. The same ATF that revoked licenses for typos last year is now walking those decisions back. That kind of policy whiplash raises real concerns about stability and fairness. Businesses can’t operate in a system where the rules change every four years depending on who wins an election.
The Fight Isn’t Over
While the repeal of the zero tolerance rule is a major win for gun rights, every source emphasized that the battle is far from finished. Legal cases related to the rule are still in court. Other regulatory threats, like the digital registry issue and the “engaged in the business” rule, remain in place for now. But as Smith from The Four Boxes Diner pointed out, this repeal fits into a larger pattern – one where constitutional rights and economic freedom are being restored together.
In the end, this policy wasn’t just bad for gun shops. It was bad for due process, small business, and the rule of law. And now, at least for the time being, it’s dead.
A former park ranger and wildlife conservationist, Lisa’s passion for survival started with her deep connection to nature. Raised on a small farm in northern Wisconsin, she learned how to grow her own food, raise livestock, and live off the land. Lisa is our dedicated Second Amendment news writer and also focuses on homesteading, natural remedies, and survival strategies. Lisa aims to help others live more sustainably and prepare for the unexpected.