A federal appeals court has struck down a California law prohibiting the sale of semiautomatic weapons to young adults in a major blow to anti-gun zealots, potentially leading the way for laws in other states that impose similar age restrictions to be rolled back.
On Wednesday, the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the law which bans the sale of the firearms to those under 21-years-old is unconstitutional and that a San Diego judge should have blocked what it called “an almost total ban on semiautomatic centerfire rifles,” finding the law in violation of the Second Amendment.
“America would not exist without the heroism of the young adults who fought and died in our revolutionary army,” wrote Judge Ryan Nelson in the 2-1 ruling, according to Fox News.”Today we reaffirm that our Constitution still protects the right that enabled their sacrifice: the right of young adults to keep and bear arms.”
U.S. District Court Judge Sidney Stein of the Southern District of New York, who was assigned to the panel, dissented from the majority.
Gun rights advocacy organization the Firearms Policy Coalition which brought the case against California Attorney General Rob Bonta expressed hope that the ruling would set a precedent.
“Today’s decision confirms that peaceable legal adults cannot be prohibited from acquiring firearms and exercising their rights enshrined in the Second Amendment,” Firearms Policy Coalition Vice President of Programs Adam Kraut told Fox News.
“We are pleased to see progress on this important legal front and optimistic that similar results will come from our many other challenges to age-based bans filed in courts across the United States,” Kraut added in a statement to the outlet.
According to its website, “FPC is a coalition of hundreds of thousands of Patriots organizing to take back our Constitution and defend the inalienable, fundamental, and individual right to keep and bear arms.”
A spokesperson for Attorney General Bonta provided a statement to Fox News, saying that “his office is reviewing the court’s decision.”
“California will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent and reduce gun violence,” according to the statement. “We remain committed to defending California’s commonsense gun laws, which save lives and make our communities safer.”
The court’s ruling fell short of a total victory for gun rights advocates who also sought to prevent the state of California’s requirement that adults 21-years-old and under who are not in the military or in law enforcement have a hunting license to buy shotguns or rifles.
“The court ruled the hunting license requirement was reasonable for increasing public safety through ‘sensible firearm control,'” Fox News reported.
Young Californians reacted to the ruling.
(Video: YouTube/Fox 11 Los Angeles)
Leftists expressed dismay over the court’s affirmation of the right to bear arms including California State Senator Scott Wiener of San Francisco.
“Trump judges continue to shred the Constitution,” Wiener wrote on Twitter. “The latest: 18 year olds have a “constitutional right” to own mass killing machines. The kind used in the Poway synagogue massacre.”
Trump judges continue to shred the Constitution.
The latest: 18 year olds have a “constitutional right” to own mass killing machines. The kind used in the Poway synagogue massacre. https://t.co/h5OK25nMXg
— Senator Scott Wiener (@Scott_Wiener) May 11, 2022
Another California state senator also lamented the decision.
“Disappointed in the court decision – it shows who our judges are matters. As the author of the bill in question this means we all have to work harder to keep guns out of the wrong hands,” wrote Democrat Anthony Portantino.
Disappointed in the court decision – it shows who our judges are matters. As the author of the bill in question this means we all have to work harder to keep guns out of the wrong hands https://t.co/Io0xZvxWC4 @bradybuzz @LABradyCampaign @Brady_SFV @MomsDemand
— Anthony Portantino (@Portantino) May 12, 2022
Buoyed by the ruling, the Firearms Policy Coalition tweeted, “And we have more where that came from.”
And we have more where that came from. https://t.co/t8SNJmn0qz
— Firearms Policy Coalition (@gunpolicy) May 12, 2022
Get the latest BPR news delivered free to your inbox daily. SIGN UP HERE
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
- Trump trolls Biden, Obama in savage new plaques added to White House Presidential Walk of Fame - December 18, 2025
- Dems dutifully dumped on Trump’s big primetime speech, but was it effective? - December 18, 2025
- Chip Roy accuses his party of buying MTG’s vote: ‘That’s the kind of sh*t that keeps happening’ - December 17, 2025
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
BPR INSIDER COMMENTS
Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!
16 thoughts on “Federal appeals court rules that California gun ban is unconstitutional”
Comments are closed.

“Shall not be infringed” pretty much says it all! Most victims and all slaves are unarmed.
law makers passing such laws should have to reimburse your legal fees
Or have to practice what they preach; NO security detail!
Google pay 97$ per hour my last pay check was $8500 working 1o hours a week online. My younger brother friend has been averaging 12k for months now and he works about 22 hours a week. I cant believe how easy it was once I tried it out it.. :) AND GOOD LUCK.:)..
open this site .…………>> https://www.fuljobz.com
Irrelevant and useless. How many cops do you know under age 21? And how many retired military under 21?
This ruling is an attempt to codify the “hunting” argument used by anti-gunners for decades. Firearms Policy Coalition needs to appeal the section of the ruling they lost.
His name is quite appropriate – Whiner would be even more so – ““Trump judges continue to shred the Constitution,” Wiener wrote on Twitter. “The latest: 18 year olds have a “constitutional right” to own mass killing machines.” Is he totally ignorant of Constitution and the fact that 18 year olds with “mass killing machines” are part of the military who are keeping America free so that idiots like this guy can spout their stupidity far and wide?
Heck, they ARE mass killing machines. My boy was in the 101st. Quiet, efficient, deadly.
i no longer can say dumbdonkey on american wire how woke misinformation sorry aw but its true fjb and his natzicrew
Does any one really believe we need a judge to tell us that. California as well as many other liberal states care NOTHING about the constitution. They have murdered 10’s of thousands of infants in the name of a woman’s right to her body. Completely ignoring the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Where are the children rights?
and let they have no problem knocking of the unborn .cant believe the 9th got it right fjb
What these fools don’t realize is gun owners keep America free. It’s not our ownership or ability to own them that keeps gun violence so high. They’d just find another way to kill one another. Idiots will be idiots no matter what.
And criminals will always have guns.
So will government.
Please never use the term “Gun violence”. Using that term is subtly accepting the term that guns cause violence. I understand you personally know the truth but by bringing that term into common usage people who are undecided on the issue of guns/gun control may be swayed.
Violence is violence and is done by people. Guns are inanimate objects that require people to operate. This term falls into the same category as the “Gun show loophole” and the old “Saturday night special”.or “assault weapon”. Dont allow anti gunners to control the words. They lie.
The left is melting, just like the Wicked Witch of the West.
Just not fast enough for my taste.