Supreme Court Sparks Outrage by Letting State Bans on Popular Guns and Magazines Stand
- Natalie Frank
- Jun 2
- 1 min read
Without comment, the justices refused to hear major Second Amendment cases, leaving gun bans in Maryland and Rhode Island untouched and igniting fresh fears among gun rights advocates
Natalie C. Frank, Ph.D June 2, 2025
WASHINGTON D.C. In a surprising move that caught many gun rights supporters off guard and further widened the divide over firearm laws, the U.S. Supreme Court chose not to review two high-profile cases on semi-automatic rifles and large-capacity magazines. Their decision, made without explanation, means that Maryland and Rhode Island’s strict gun laws will stay in place—for now. This refusal to hear these Second Amendment cases has ripple effects across a nation still reeling from mass shootings and dealing with deepening debates about gun ownership. For many, it feels like a missed chance to clarify a highly contested constitutional right.
Maryland’s Ban on AR-15s Remains Unchanged
The first case involved Maryland’s 2013 law banning several semi-automatic rifles, including AR-15 and AK-style guns. Passed shortly after the tragic Sandy Hook shooting, the law was challenged by a local resident, David Snope, who wanted to legally buy these weapons for self-defense and other lawful reasons. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals had previously upheld the law, ruling that these firearms are "dangerous and unusual" and therefore not protected by the Second Amendment. Judge Harvie Wilkinson, a Reagan appointee, strongly supported Maryland’s authority to regulate such weapons.
