West Virginia is charging ahead in the fight for full Second Amendment restoration with House Bill 4185, a bold move to scrap the state’s outdated machine gun ban and bring local laws squarely in line with federal NFA regulations. This isn’t some half-measure tweak—it’s a full repeal that would let law-abiding citizens register full-auto firearms through the ATF without the extra layer of state prohibition hanging over their heads. Sponsored by conservative heavy-hitters in the legislature, the bill taps into a surging tide of pro-2A momentum, where states like West Virginia are done playing gatekeeper to Uncle Sam’s already stringent rules. Picture this: in a nation where the 1934 National Firearms Act has kept machine guns locked behind bureaucratic walls for decades, WV lawmakers are saying, Enough—let our people exercise their rights without state meddling.
The context here is electric for the 2A community. West Virginia, already a concealed carry haven with constitutional carry and no permit requirements, has been chipping away at restrictions for years—permitless carry in 2016, campus carry expansions, and now this NFA alignment. It’s part of a national ripple effect seen in states like Missouri and Louisiana, where Republican supermajorities are systematically dismantling Hughes Amendment ghosts and state-level NFA bans. Critics will cry public safety, but the data tells a different story: NFA items are involved in a vanishingly small fraction of crimes (FBI stats show zero machine gun murders by civilians since 1934), and these repeals empower responsible owners while exposing the hypocrisy of assault weapon hysterics. This bill flips the script on incrementalism, proving that when red states flex, blue-state bans look increasingly isolated.
Implications? Massive. If HB 4185 passes—and with WV’s GOP dominance, odds are strong—it could turbocharge the machine gun market, spiking NFA trust formations and dealer transfers while pressuring neighbors like Ohio and Kentucky to follow suit. For collectors, historians, and range enthusiasts, it’s a green light to preserve America’s firepower heritage without Big Brother’s state-level boot. Nationally, it bolsters lawsuits challenging post-86 bans, potentially paving the way for broader relief. 2A warriors, keep eyes on Charleston—this is how you win the long game, one repeal at a time. Contact your reps, amplify the bill, and watch the dominoes fall.
