Bill to Legalize Short Barrel Rifles and Shotguns Heads to Gov. Abbott’s Desk

The Texas House passed legislation to legalize short barrel rifles and shotguns Tuesday, which means the bill’s next stop is Gov. Greg Abbott’s (R) desk.

Texas Gun Rights celebrated the passage of SB 1596:

SB 1596 removes short barrel firearms from the prohibited firearms list in Texas, but does not remove them from National Firearms Act (NFA) oversight.

“1o1.9 The Bull” reported:

Senate Bill 1596 will remove short-barrel firearms from the list of illegal weapons in Texas law.  Texans would be able to own these guns as long as the proper federal rules are followed:

1) A background check

2) To register the gun with the ATF

3)To pay a $200 tax.

It should be noted that being fingerprinted and photographed are also part of NFA requirements.

Texas is a renowned pro-gun state. The El Paso Times noted that Gov. Abbott signed campus carry into law in 2015, “permitting the carrying of a concealed handgun on university campuses.” And on June 16, 2021, Gov. Abbott signed HB 1927, making Texas the 21st constitutional carry state.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio, a member of Gun Owners of America, and the director of global marketing for Lone Star Hunts. He was a Visiting Fellow at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal in 2010 and has a Ph.D. in Military History. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. Reach him directly at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..