The Weekly Reload Podcast

Episodes

• 
  How Will Gun Politics Impact the Midterms? (Ft. Semafor's Burgess Everett) 19.10.2026 1h 2m

  This week, we're previewing how gun politics may impact the upcoming midterm elections. To do that, we have Semafor's Burgess Everett back on the show. He serves as the publication's congressional bureau chief. And he's one of the most knowledgeable political reporters out there. He also broke news of the most recent Giffords $10 million ad buy. He said they're going after vulnerable Republicans, but not necessarily all of them. Everett said the group plans not to attack some of the remaining Republicans who backed the 2022 Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, like Maine Senator Susan Collins. He said guns aren't playing a major role in the election on either side of the aisle, though. Democrats are focused on opposition to President Donald Trump, and many purple state candidates don't seem to feel pressure to moderate on issues like gun policy. Trump hasn't done much to tout the pro-gun accomplishments of his second term either and skipped the issue entirely during his midterm convention. Still, the issue could tip some key races. And Everett said it's sure to get some focus in the next Congress. If Democrats do control both houses after the election, he said there's an underrated chance that they and Trump could strike a deal on some kind of gun bill--they almost did back in 2019 after all.Special Guest: Burgess Everett .
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  Florida Greenlights Unregistered Silencers, NRA Drops its First Midterm Ad 15.10.2026 45m

  I detail Florida's decision on how it plans to enforce, or not enforce, its National Firearms Act (NFA) mirror law. Then I discuss the National Rifle Association's new ad in the Texas Senate race. And I discribe how a new filing from the Department of Justice in a different gun-rights case says about its thoughts on the scope of the NFA injunction. Links: -https://thereload.com/florida-announces-residents-dont-need-atf-approval-for-silencers-short-barrel-shotguns/ -https://thereload.com/analysis-dojs-attempt-to-moot-under-21-handgun-case-implicates-nfa-injunction-member-exclusive/ -https://thereload.com/podcast-atf-director-chief-counsel-explain-new-guidance-on-silencers-sbrs-member-early-access/
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  Exclusive: ATF Director, Chief Counsel Explain New Guidance on Silencers, SBRs 10.10.2026 26m

  This week, we have the first interview with ATF Director Robert Cekada and Chief Counsel Robert Leider on their new guidance for how the agency will now handle the National Firearms Act (NFA). Director Cekada and Chief Counsel Leider laid out what the process will look like for legally buying, selling, and making things like silencers, short-barrel shotguns and rifles (SBR), and Any Other Weapons (AOWs) in the wake of Silencer Shop v. ATF. They said the ATF will treat all law-abiding Americans the same under the new guidance and won't enforce the enjoined sections of the NFA against anyone regardless of whether they are technically covered by the injunction. They said for most people, depending on the state they live in, buying a silencer or SBR would now be effectively identical to buying a gun that isn't regulated by the NFA: just pass a background check and pay. The pair also discussed what ATF expects from licensed gun dealers who sell the impacted NFA items. They said the ATF will also treat all dealers the same regardless of whether they are technically covered by the injunction. But they also said dealers will still need a Special Occupational Tax (SOT) designation to sell the items, even though they no longer need to fill out all of the traditional sales paperwork. Cekada and Leider cautioned that neither the injunction nor the ATF's guidance impacts state law, more than a dozen of which require ATF approval for residents to possess NFA items. They said the ATF doesn't have an alternative process for granting permission to possess NFA items, but will allow people to voluntarily continue registering NFA items in order to comply with state law. Cekada also published an open letter, and ATF released a frequently asked questions document that detail how ATF plans to handle the situation. Leider encouraged people to read those documents before reaching out to ATF for more information, but the pair also said they would be fielding more questions down the line.Special Guests: Robert Cekada and Robert Leider.
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  Midterm Gun Money Race Turns Lopsided; Silencer Sales Soar 08.10.2026 59m

  Reload Reporter Julie Miller and I dig into the latest Federal Election Commission filings that indicate the gun money race has gotten out of hand. Then we talk about how 1.1 million silencers have been sold in 2026. And we cover the Department of Justice throwing in the towel on handgun sales to adults under 21. Links: -https://thereload.com/gun-control-groups-dominate-midterm-fundraising-spending/ -https://thereload.com/silencers-sales-soar-past-1-1-million-in-2026/ -https://thereload.com/doj-moves-to-moot-under-21-pistol-sales-challenge-after-agreeing-with-gun-rights-plaintiffs/Special Guest: Julie Miller.
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  Researching Women and Guns (Ft. Yale's Kerri Raissian & KU's Margaret Kelley) 05.10.2026 1h 3m

  This week, we're discussing the growing phenomenon of female gun ownership. To dive into the demographic change and its fascinating implications, we have two academics who were involved in a new edition of the magazine Vital City that focused on women and guns. Kerri Raissian, Executive Director of Yale’s Firearm Injury Prevention Team, co-edited the wide-ranging edition. University of Kansas professor Margaret Kelley, author of A Gun of Her Own: The Everyday Lives of Women Who Shoot, wrote what I think is one of the magazine's best pieces. They both join the show to explore the ins and outs of why women are buying more guns. Raissian said she got a grant to put the edition together with Vital City. She said the goal was to bring a focus on the unique ways guns and gun ownership impact women. She argued women are a growing portion of gun owners, but much of the research, discussion, and even laws are focused on how men use guns. That's where Kelley's research comes in. Her piece, an offshoot of her book, focuses on actual conversations and surveys with female gun owners. She said her evidence points to specific motivations women cite for gun ownership, primarily as an extension of their impulse to care for others, that may differ from men. She said they also tend to weigh considerations, like moral injury, very heavily.Special Guests: Kerri Raissian and Margaret Kelley.
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  Connecticut's Glock Ban Gets Blocked; Gun Owners Join Flock Camera Backlash 02.10.2026 1h 8m

  Reload Reporter Julie Miller and I cover the first injunction issued against a "Glock ban," which came in a Connecticut case. Then we look at growing opposition to Flock cameras among gun owners. And we discuss my critique of a New York Times report on AR-15s, which Julie provides some insider insight into since she worked there at the beginning of her career. Links: -https://thereload.com/federal-judge-temporarily-blocks-connecticut-glock-ban/ -https://thereload.com/analysis-why-connecticuts-glock-ban-was-blocked-after-californias-wasnt-member-exclusive/ -https://thereload.com/gun-advocates-raise-alarm-over-flock-cameras/ -https://thereload.com/analysis-new-york-times-gun-reporting-mistakes-indicative-of-industry-issue-member-exclusive/Special Guest: Julie Miller.
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  High School Admits Gun Search Was Clearly Illegal (Ft. SAF's Bill Sack) 28.09.2026 51m

  This week, we're looking at a Fourth Amendment case out of New Hampshire. To do that, we have the Second Amendment Foundation's (SAF) Bill Sack with us to describe how his group secured a settlement with Hillsboro-Deering High School over the search of a student's car. He said school officials decided to search then-18-year-old Jack Harrington’s car for a gun despite not having permission or a good reason to believe there was one inside. Sack said the officials concluded Harrington might have a gun because he'd told a friend on the baseball team about a traffic stop that had happened more than a week earlier. Harrington described how he'd been pulled over while legally carrying his pistol, and the stop went forward without issue. He wasn't arrested or charged or even accused of doing anything illegal, and the stop didn't happen near the school. Sack said school officials pulled Harrington from class to demand permission to search his car after hearing about the traffic stop. He said they did not have any reason to think Harrington had brought the gun to school or any accusation that he'd made any threats to the school. Still, they pressed him to search his car. Harrington refused to give permission for the search, but the school officials conducted it anyway. Sack said they found there was no gun in the car. That's where the SAF suit came in. They helped Harrington sue, alleging the school violated his Fourth Amendment rights. The school settled and admitted the search was illegal, which Sack said SAF plans to use as a bulwark against similar situations around the country.Special Guest: Bill Sack.
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  Ninth Circuit Finds Bruen Test 'Carve Out'; Poll Says Americans Split on SCOTUS AR-15 Case 24.09.2026 48m

  In a shortened and early update, I detail the Ninth Circuit's decision to uphold novel Hawaiian gun-buying restrictions by using a "carve-out" it identified in the Supreme Court's Bruen decision. Then I explain the latest poll to look at what Americans think the Supreme Court should do in its upcoming AR-15 case. I also discuss an interesting argument that the Court should look at Revolutionary-Era privateers for answers on that case. And I cover the Department of Justice's new opinion on handgun sales to 18-to-20-year-olds. Links: -https://thereload.com/full-ninth-circuit-reverses-course-on-hawaii-handgun-purchase-limits-upholds-restrictions/ -https://thereload.com/poll-americans-split-on-what-scotus-should-do-in-ar-15-case/ -https://thereload.com/analysis-how-revolutionary-era-privateers-play-into-the-supreme-court-ar-15-case/ -https://thereload.com/doj-says-federal-ban-on-handgun-sales-to-adults-under-21-is-unconstitutional/ -https://thereload.com/analysis-doj-takes-a-shot-at-permit-to-purchase-laws-member-exclusive/ -https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-minnesota-st-paul-and-minneapolis-over-firearm-purchase-waiting
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  Guntuber Subpoenaed By Gun-Control Group in Mass Shooting Liability Case (Ft. TFB TV's James Reeves) 21.09.2026 1h 7m

  This week, we're talking to the man at the center of a brand new legal fight in the gun world. The Firearms Blog TV founder, James Reeves, was subpoenaed in an Everytown-backed lawsuit seeking to hold Smith and Wesson liable for the Highland Park mass shooting. The plaintiffs are trying to prove the gun company's marketing contributed to the shooting, which is a hard lift but not a new tactic. What is new is how they're trying to do it. That's where Reeves comes in. Reeves doesn't work for Smith and Wesson. He is a lawyer, gun-rights activist, and gun reviewer. He doesn't have any obvious direct connection to the Highland Park shooting. But the plaintiffs want a trove of documents from him anyway. Why? Because, as Reeves puts it, they are treating all gun reviews as de facto advertisements. They believe Smith and Wesson pays reviewers either directly or under the table to try and make their guns more appealing to unstable young people like the Highland Park shooter. Reeves said he has never done any undisclosed advertising for Smith and Wesson or any other gun company. He also said he's never taken direction from them or anyone else on what points to make in a review. He argued that while there are ethical issues in the gun review industry, they aren't nearly as cartoonish as what the gun-control groups imagine. Ultimately, Reeves accused the plaintiffs of lawfare. He said they're trying to circumvent federal protections for gun business, and they're trying to inflict pain on them through the legal process. He then explained why he ultimately decided to tell the plaintiffs he doesn't have what they're looking for, rather than fight tooth and nail to avoid answering at all.Special Guest: James Reeves.
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  Maryland Synagogue Wins Injunction Against Gun-Carry Ban; DC Jumps Into NRA Foundation Fight 18.09.2026 1h 4m

  Reload Reporter Julie Miller and I cover a new ruling out of Montgomery County, Maryland, that blocks a gun ban at places of worship. We also discuss Washington, DC attempting to intervene in the legal fight between the NRA and its foundation on the side of the foundation. Then we look at the Department of Justice's new gun-carry permitting lawsuit against San Jose, California. And I detail how my charity range day for Homes for Our Troops went this year! Links: -https://thereload.com/synagogue-wins-case-against-maryland-countys-gun-restrictions/ -https://thereload.com/dc-asks-to-join-nra-foundation-fight-on-the-side-of-the-foundation/ -https://thereload.com/analysis-doj-doubles-down-on-gun-carry-lawsuits-member-exclusive/Special Guest: Julie Miller.
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  Examining the Pro-Gun Briefs in the SCOTUS AR-15 Case (Ft. Bearing Arms' Cam Edwards) 14.09.2026 56m

  This week, we're taking a look at the briefs backing the plaintiffs in Viramontes v. Cook County. Bearing Arms editor Cam Edwards joins the show to share what he thinks are the most important and the most interesting amicus briefs in the case. He noted that a ton of briefs were submitted, including briefs from all kinds of groups outside your typical gun groups. He said some briefs focus on how the Supreme Court could answer not just whether AR-15 bans are unconstitutional, but also whether magazine bans or other hardware bans are unconstitutional. Cam pointed to one brief that seeks to clarify that AR-15s aren't more powerful than other similar rifles that "assault weapons" bans don't touch and aren't employed by the military. He said the argument sought to debunk the idea that AR-15s are unusually dangerous. We also went in depth on the Department of Justice's brief in the case, which asks the court to adopt a very unique view of the "common use" test. Then, we talk about gun-rights lawyer Alan Beck's brief that unearths some interesting historical evidence to argue the "dangerous and unusual" standard traditionally applied to conduct rather than the weapons themselves.Special Guest: Cam Edwards.
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  On the Ground in Ukraine's Gun-Rights Fight; The Third Circuit Revives New Jersey Gun Industry Suit 11.09.2026 1h 5m

  Reload Reporter Shiv Parihar and I cover his recent trip to Kyiv in order to document what's happening with gun rights in Ukraine. He details how the push to liberalize the former Soviet nation's gun restrictions has stalled, and the divide on the ground over what should be allowed. We also discuss a Third Circuit panel's decision to revive a National Shooting Sports Foundation lawsuit against a New Jersey law that makes it easier to sue gun businesses. And we touch on some of the pro-gun briefs in the Supreme Court's AR-15 ban case. Links -https://thereload.com/shooting-is-very-nice-when-its-only-going-one-direction-ukrainian-gun-store-staff-see-surging-interest-member-early-access/ -https://thereload.com/exclusive-ukrainian-right-to-bear-arms-policy-proceeds-at-snails-pace/ -https://thereload.com/third-circuit-allows-gun-industry-challenge-to-new-jerseys-reasonable-controls-law/ -https://thereload.com/analysis-the-dangerous-and-unusual-standard-is-about-conduct-not-weapons-themselves/ -https://thereload.com/analysis-why-doj-says-scotus-should-strike-down-ar-15-bans-but-not-every-gun-ban-member-exclusive/Special Guest: Shiv Parihar.
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  Teaching a College Course on Guns in America (Ft. Wake Forest's David Yamane) 07.09.2026 1h 2m

  This week, we're taking a deep dive into a novel college class on the sociology of guns. Wake Forrest University professor David Yamane joins the show to describe his groundbreaking class on guns in America. He just finished the range day portion of his latest course and agreed to describe how he teaches the course, his goals, and how his students react. Yamane explained that most academic research on guns focuses on either the constitutional law questions or the aberrant and criminal misuse of guns. His course instead focuses on how most Americans use guns. He said, in America, guns are normal and normal people use guns. He said he tries to relay the basics of who owns guns, why they own them, and what they use them for most of the time. He also teaches how those things have changed over the decades, including an accelerating trend toward diversification in gun ownership. Part of relaying that information involves going and actually shooting some guns. That is, of course, very similar to what I do with the one-day course I teach college journalists. So, we discuss the ins-and-outs of running a range day for college students. We also talk about what it's like to carve out a unique space in the gun world and try to build it into something more.Special Guest: David Yamane.
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  New Survey Gives Insight on Gun Ownership, Defensive Use; Ninth Circuit Upholds Gun Store Surveillance Law 04.09.2026 1h 8m

  Reload Reporter Julie Miller and I discuss the new release of the National Firearms Survey, which polled more than 50,000 Americans about gun ownership and defensive use. The survey reveals women and minorities increasingly own guns and estimates how many of those guns are AR-15s. We also cover the Ninth Circuit upholding a California gun store surveillence requirement, and a federal judge upholding Hawaii's under-21 gun ban. Links: https://thereload.com/survey-more-women-and-minorities-own-guns-than-ever-40-million-ar-15s-now-in-american-hands/ https://thereload.com/analysis-how-defense-gun-uses-stack-up-in-the-latest-major-survey-member-exclusive/ https://thereload.com/federal-judge-upholds-hawaiis-under-21-gun-ban/ https://thereload.com/ninth-circuit-upholds-state-surveillance-mandate-at-california-gun-stores/ https://apnews.com/article/justice-department-pardons-mel-gibson-c82d73651d7f7ea519ff0856db168bc4 https://cybernews.com/cybercrime/atf-qilin-ransomware-cyberattack-data-leak-investigations/Special Guest: Julie Miller.
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  ATF Hacked in Russian Ransomware Attack (Ft. Cybernews' Stefanie Schappert) 31.08.2026 1h 5m

  This week, news broke that an extortion group claimed it broke into the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). To explain what we know and what may be coming, we have the reporter who broke the story. Stefanie Schappert of Cybernews joins the show to describe how she discovered the hack and what the ATF has said about it. Schappert said a Russian-language hacker group posted news of the hack on a "victim blog," but didn't post any evidence. She noted that the ATF confirmed it had been hacked but didn't say who did it. Still, it did say the hack only impacted a system related to criminal enforcement. While the hacker group did post an announcement that it plans to release data from the hack in the coming days, there's little information on what may be in there to this point. Schappert said the ATF's comments offer clues about what may have been compromised, and the hacker group's history provides further insight into how this may all play out. She said the government's policy on dealing with hackers and this group's background make the threat that the stolen information could become public real.Special Guest: Stefanie Schappert.
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  CDC Restores Gun Defense Use Estimates; YouTuber JaredAF on Building Marksmanship 28.08.2026 1h 20m

  Reload reporter Julie Miller and I cover an update to a story we first broke back in 2022. The CDC reinstated an estimate on the number of defensive gun uses after backlash. We also talk about Michigan's Democratic Senate nominee seeming to double down on a proposal to replace the Second Amendment, and a federal ruling upholding Massachusetts' under-21 gun restrictions. Plus, YouTuber JaredAF joins the show to talk about marksmanship and bullseye shooting. Links https://thereload.com/cdc-restores-gun-defensive-use-estimates-to-website-years-after-removing-them-under-political-pressure/ https://thereload.com/michigan-senate-democratic-nominee-declines-to-disavow-proposal-to-replace-gun-rights/ https://thereload.com/analysis-what-happens-if-swing-state-democrats-dont-moderate-on-guns-and-still-win-member-exclusive/ https://thereload.com/federal-judge-upholds-massachusetts-under-21-semi-auto-sales-ban/ https://youtu.be/9F_MwOhvZdE https://www.youtube.com/@JaredAFSpecial Guests: JaredAF and Julie Miller.
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  Murder Hits All-Time Low (Ft. AH Datalytic's Jeff Asher) 24.08.2026 37m

  This week, the FBI released its latest crime data report, and the news was good. Murder fell faster than at any point in history, and it hit an all-time low last year. To explain the details of what's in the agency's report, we have one of the most prominent crime data analysts in the country: Jeff Asher. Asher runs AH Datalytics and tracks real-time crime data. He has been predicting since last year the FBI's numbers would come in pretty much exactly where they did. Still, he said it's impossible to understate the recent trend. We've gone from relative stability in the murder rate to a massive surge to an even greater climbdown. Now, we've reached an all-time low. And Asher said the decline hasn't stopped. The data he's gathered, which correlates closely with the FBI's data, indicates the murder rate is still falling in 2026. And the drop-off has been consistent across the nation and across demographics. He said that defies the simplest partisan explanations for the decline. Asher explained his preferred theory for why this is all happening, but he also admitted it's impossible to say for sure at this point.Special Guest: Jeff Asher.
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  Startup Says It's Developed 3D Printer Gun Part Filter; DOJ Rights Restoration Process Drops 21.08.2026 1h 9m

  Reporter Julie Miller and I cover an exclusive interview with a startup founder who says he's developed software to block 3D printers from producing gun parts. We also discuss the DOJ's new gun-rights restoration rule. And we preview the FBI's latest crime data report. Plus, we hear from Reload Member Rob in our latest member segment! Links: https://thereload.com/exclusive-new-company-says-its-developed-gun-part-blocker-for-3d-printers/ https://thereload.com/startup-founder-describes-how-his-gun-filter-for-3d-printers-works-enthusiasts-explain-why-it-might-not-member-exclusive/ https://thereload.com/doj-finalizes-gun-rights-restoration-process/ https://thereload.com/fbi-murder-rate-hits-all-time-low/ https://www.firearmtrainerpodcast.com/
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  How Far Does the Injunction Against the National Firearms Act Extend? (Ft. SAF's Kostas Moros) 17.08.2026 59m

  This week, we're diving back into the injunction against enforcement of wide swaths of the National Firearms Act (NFA). That's because, in a bit of a surprise move, the Department of Justice (DOJ) declined to appeal the injunction before the stay on it expired. That led to a symbolic sale of an unregistered silencer between several of the named plaintiffs in the case early Thursday morning. But it has also created a lot of new questions about exactly who and what is covered by the injunction. To try and bring some clarity to the issue, we've got gun-rights lawyer and Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) legal research director Kostas Moros back on the show. SAF is a named plaintiff in a similar case in the Eighth Circuit, and its sister organization, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, is a plaintiff in the Texas case. Kostas said the injunction is fairly complex and nobody has all the answers for every potential eventuality. However, he also said that the ruling appears to be very expansive. He said it enjoins enforcement of many of the NFA regulations associated with silencers, short barrel rifles, short barrel shotguns, and the "any other weapon" category. He said it also covers all named plaintiffs, including all of their members and customers. And it covers both current and future members and customers. Kostas noted there are a number of caveats, though. For instance, he said it doesn't have any impact on state laws, and many of those could still trip people up. He also said it doesn't cover the entire NFA or even all of the NFA's regulations on the impacted items. He argued there's a lot still left to figure out, and the final answers for many of the open questions will have to come from the DOJ and ATF. Kostas also discussed the legal strategy at play, including what he'd like to see the DOJ do with a potential appeal and how vulnerable the current legal situation may be.Special Guest: Kostas Moros.
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  Activists Make the First Legal Unregistered Silencer Sale in 100 Years; Newly Unearthed Videos Show Abdul El-Sayed's Gun Views 14.08.2026 59m

  Reload Founder Stephen Gutowski covers the first legal unregistered silencer sale in nearly 100 years. Then he discusses newly-unearthed videos of Abdul El-Sayed, the Michigan Democratic senate candidate, where he proposes replacing the Second Amendment. He also explains a new federal court ruling on whether the Second Amendment protects unauthorized gun exports. Plus, he looks at reports on a settlement between DOJ and the LA County Sheriff's Office as well as a new DOJ opinion on the Post Office gun ban. Links: https://thereload.com/gun-group-republican-candidate-transfer-unregistered-silencer-as-doj-misses-appeal-deadline/ https://thereload.com/analysis-who-and-what-is-covered-by-the-nfa-injunction-member-exclusive/ https://thereload.com/michigans-democratic-senate-candidate-floated-replacing-the-second-amendment/ https://thereload.com/federal-appeals-court-upholds-pennsylvania-mans-conviction-for-unauthorized-gun-shipment-to-haiti/ https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-08-13/doj-la-sheriffs-department-settle-lawsuit-concealed-carry-firearm-permit-application-delays https://bearingarms.com/camedwards/2026/08/13/doj-says-post-office-carry-ban-contradicts-federal-law-n1233510