The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld Biden-era federal regulations on “ghost guns,” mail-order kits that allow people to build untraceable weapons at home – handing gun control groups a rare win at the conservative high court.
Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote the opinion for a 7-2 majority that included both liberal and conservative justices in one of the most closely watched Supreme Court cases of the year.
“Perhaps a half hour of work is required before anyone can fire a shot,” Gorsuch wrote. “But even as sold, the kit comes with all necessary components, and its intended function as instrument of combat is obvious. Really, the kit’s name says it all: ‘Buy Build Shoot.’
Individuals who had purchased the weapons and several manufacturers challenged regulations created by the Biden administration in 2022 that require ghost gun makers to include serial numbers on the kits and perform background checks on people who purchase them.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives created the new regulations as police say the untraceable weapons are turning up much more frequently at crime scenes.