Regulations eased in Texas on suppressors, certain guns after court order takes effect

A federal court order that struck down regulations on firearm suppressors and certain guns took effect on Thursday after an appeal was not filed by the federal government before a seven-day deadline set by the judge.The ruling allows for the purchase of silencers, short-barreled rifles and shotguns and certain other firearms without registration. It also removes an extra layer of background checks for those items.In 1934, Congress enacted the National Firearms Act, which required a tax on making or transferring certain firearms and required registration. When Congress passed its massive tax cuts and spending bill, those taxes were removed.Without taxes to collect, gun business and firearm trade groups filed a lawsuit to overturn parts of the NFA. Texas and 14 other states joined the lawsuit.U.S. District Judge James Hendrix ruled last week that the regulations could not continue if the taxes under which they were enacted are removed."By zeroing out the transfer and making taxes for mos