Federal court strikes down New Jersey gun bans — what it could mean for Rhode Island

A federal appeals court on Friday struck down New Jersey’s bans on semiautomatic “assault firearms” and ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds—a decision likely to reverberate in Rhode Island.

In a 10-5 ruling, the full 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the covered semiautomatic rifles and larger-capacity magazines are protected by the Second Amendment and that New Jersey failed to demonstrate a comparable historical tradition of banning them.

It is the first time a federal appellate court has invalidated a state assault-weapons ban on constitutional grounds. The ruling did not address New Jersey’s restrictions on semiautomatic pistols and shotguns, which remain subject to further litigation.

The decision is the latest application of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which held that modern gun restrictions must be consistent with the nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation.

The National Rifle Association, which has litigated the case with the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs since 2018, called the decision “a landmark victory for the Second Amendment and the National Rifle Association.”

The NRA said the court correctly determined that semiautomatic rifles and magazines holding more than 10 rounds are “arms” protected by the Second Amendment and are commonly owned for lawful purposes. Read the NRA statement.

GIFFORDS Law Center, the legal arm of the national gun-violence-prevention organization, called the decision “flawed” and warned that, if allowed to stand, it “puts American families at risk.”

“Assault weapons have been used in many of the nation’s deadliest mass shootings because they are designed to inflict maximum damage in a short period of time,” GIFFORDS Executive Director Emma Brown said.

Brown said the organization is preparing to defend similar laws when the Supreme Court considers their constitutionality. Read the GIFFORDS statement.

New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport called the decision “legally incorrect” and said the state is considering its options.

What it means for Rhode Island

Rhode Island now has two comparable restrictions:

• A 2022 law prohibits possession of ammunition magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds.
• A separate law that took effect July 1, 2026, prohibits the manufacture, purchase, sale or transfer of specified semiautomatic rifles and other firearms. Unlike New Jersey’s law, Rhode Island’s statute allows people who already legally owned the affected firearms to keep them.

Friday’s decision does not overturn or suspend either Rhode Island law. New Jersey is within the 3rd Circuit, while Rhode Island is governed by the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals.

The 1st Circuit upheld Rhode Island’s 10-round magazine limit in 2024. The Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of that case in June 2025, leaving the law intact.

The conflicting appellate rulings, however, increase pressure on the Supreme Court to establish one nationwide constitutional standard. The justices have already agreed to consider challenges involving similar semiautomatic-rifle restrictions in Connecticut and Cook County, Illinois.

If the Supreme Court adopts the reasoning used by the 3rd Circuit, Rhode Island’s magazine ban and its newly effective restrictions on the sale and purchase of specified semiautomatic firearms could face serious constitutional challenges.

For now, both Rhode Island laws remain in effect.