McCoy v. ATF
Cert Denied — Jun 30, 2026No. 25-24
Can the federal government ban licensed gun dealers from selling handguns to adults aged 18–20?
What happened
Denied June 30, 2026. Federal law bars licensed dealers from selling handguns to anyone under 21. The 4th Circuit upheld that ban in June 2025, and the denial leaves it in force within the Fourth Circuit. The government had declined to seek review after the 5th Circuit struck down the same law in Reese v. ATF — so a circuit split remains, unresolved by this denial.
What it means going forward
The federal age ban stands in the Fourth Circuit for now. Because the Fourth and Fifth Circuits disagree, the question is likely to return to the Court in a future case with a cleaner vehicle.
Key dates
- Jun 30, 2026 Cert denied — federal age ban left intact in the 4th Circuit
- Nov 2025 Distributed for conference — held with companion cases
- Jul 2025 Petition for certiorari filed
- Jun 18, 2025 4th Circuit upheld the federal age ban