The Justice Department has determined that a nearly century-old federal ban on mailing handguns through the U.S. Postal Service is unconstitutional, setting the stage for potential changes to USPS policy.
In a January 2026 legal opinion, the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel concluded that the law — 18 U.S.C. § 1715 — violates the Second Amendment as applied to constitutionally protected firearms.
The ruling effectively instructs federal authorities to stop enforcing the restriction and directs the Postal Service to update its regulations.
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) proposed a rule on April 2, 2026, to allow mailing handguns, reversing a long-standing ban based on the DOJ opinion declaring the restriction unconstitutional. A 30-day public comment period began upon publication, allowing citizens to submit feedback at Regulations.gov before finalization.
As AmmoLand reports:
One of the expected results of being able to send handguns through the postal service is a drop in the cost of ordering handguns remotely, through the Internet, telephone, or by mail. The cost of returning handguns to the manufacturer for warranty service should also drop. The cost of sending handguns through non-postal means has skyrocketed in recent years, along with privacy concerns.
The argument over the utility of concealed weapons continues to this day. Those opposed to an armed population claim that weapons in the hands of ordinary citizens, especially handguns, serve no useful purpose. Those supporting the reasoning behind the adoption of the Second Amendment claim multiple useful and necessary purposes. Research on the subject is divided.
Bans on handguns do not appear to reduce overall homicide rates or suicide rates. Handgun bans appear to be motivated for purposes of political power.
The Second Amendment appears clear on the subject. The Supreme Court has issued a definitive opinion in the Bruen decision. The Second Amendment protects the right to be armed in public.
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What customer has ever shot up a post office?
Several postal workers have!
But not any of us.
Still, anyone who wants to do such a thing won’t care what that anti-gun law states.
They’ll just go in and do their stupid ‘thing’.
No asinine law can stop an idiot like that.
But that stupid law DOES make lawful people have to leave their gun in their car where any ‘bad guy’ can try to steal it.
Not a smart law to have!