Firearms Policy Coalition Fights California’s “Sin Tax” On Guns

April 15, 2026
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California's latest sneak attack on gun owners isn't a direct hit on your wallet at the checkout counter—it's a so-called excise tax slapped on firearms manufacturers, importers, and dealers since 2024 under Assembly Bill 28 (AB 28). Ostensibly targeting the industry, this sin tax is pure economic fiction: basic supply-and-demand economics (and no shortage of real-world studies from taxes on booze, smokes, and soda) shows these costs inevitably trickle down to consumers through higher prices. It's the Golden State's favorite trick—shifting the blame while padding their coffers to the tune of millions, all funneled toward anti-gun violence prevention programs that rarely prevent actual violence but excel at funding bureaucracy. Enter the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), the 2A warriors who just filed suit to torch this stealth tax in court, arguing it's an unconstitutional overreach that burdens interstate commerce and the core right to keep and bear arms. This isn't just another Sacramento power grab; it's a blueprint for how blue states erode Second Amendment rights through the backdoor of fiscal warfare. By taxing the supply chain, California doesn't just hike your AR-15 or Glock prices by 10-11%—it squeezes out smaller manufacturers and dealers, consolidating power in the hands of compliant big players while driving up costs for everyone else. We've seen this playbook before: New Jersey's microstamping mandates and New York's SAFE Act compliance fees all follow the same pattern of indirect assault, making legal gun ownership prohibitively expensive without outright bans (yet). FPC's lawsuit, if victorious, could set a national precedent, slapping down similar schemes brewing in New York, Illinois, and beyond—reminding the gun-grabbers that the Commerce Clause and Heller aren't optional. For the 2A community, this is a rallying cry: support FPC's fight through donations, amicus briefs, or just spreading the word. Every dollar they extract from us funds their war on our rights, but every court win chips away at their empire. California's sin tax might be hidden, but our resistance isn't—stay vigilant, stay armed, and back the coalition that's got our six.

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California’s latest sneak attack on gun owners isn’t a direct hit on your wallet at the checkout counter—it’s a so-called excise tax slapped on firearms manufacturers, importers, and dealers since 2024 under Assembly Bill 28 (AB 28). Ostensibly targeting the industry, this sin tax is pure economic fiction: basic supply-and-demand economics (and no shortage of real-world studies from taxes on booze, smokes, and soda) shows these costs inevitably trickle down to consumers through higher prices. It’s the Golden State’s favorite trick—shifting the blame while padding their coffers to the tune of millions, all funneled toward anti-gun violence prevention programs that rarely prevent actual violence but excel at funding bureaucracy. Enter the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), the 2A warriors who just filed suit to torch this stealth tax in court, arguing it’s an unconstitutional overreach that burdens interstate commerce and the core right to keep and bear arms.

This isn’t just another Sacramento power grab; it’s a blueprint for how blue states erode Second Amendment rights through the backdoor of fiscal warfare. By taxing the supply chain, California doesn’t just hike your AR-15 or Glock prices by 10-11%—it squeezes out smaller manufacturers and dealers, consolidating power in the hands of compliant big players while driving up costs for everyone else. We’ve seen this playbook before: New Jersey’s microstamping mandates and New York’s SAFE Act compliance fees all follow the same pattern of indirect assault, making legal gun ownership prohibitively expensive without outright bans (yet). FPC’s lawsuit, if victorious, could set a national precedent, slapping down similar schemes brewing in New York, Illinois, and beyond—reminding the gun-grabbers that the Commerce Clause and Heller aren’t optional.

For the 2A community, this is a rallying cry: support FPC’s fight through donations, amicus briefs, or just spreading the word. Every dollar they extract from us funds their war on our rights, but every court win chips away at their empire. California’s sin tax might be hidden, but our resistance isn’t—stay vigilant, stay armed, and back the coalition that’s got our six.

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