Oklahoma Sheriffs to ATF: We Will Not Enforce Pistol Brace Rule

At least three Oklahoma sheriffs have posted videos and/or notices on their Facebook pages to let the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) know they have no intention of enforcing the pistol brace rule in non-criminal situations.

On January 25, 2023, Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson III posted a video to Facebook in which he made it clear he has instructed his deputies not to enforce the rule “in a low-level incidental contact” with someone who is in possession of a pistol with a stabilizer brace.

Sheriff Johnson said, “In other words, if a deputy encounters someone with a pistol equipped with a stabilizer brace they will take no action against that person, unless that person is using the weapon in the commission of a crime.”

Following Sheriff Johnson’s video, Logan County Sheriff Damon Devereaux made clear his deputies will not be enforcing the pistol brace rule either.

Devereaux wrote:

The Logan County Sheriff’s Office stands with our neighbors to the South, Sheriff Tommy Johnson III, and the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office and any other Sheriff’s Office or other Law Enforcement in defense of rights. We will not be taking any action relating to ATF Rule 2021R-08F. To be clear, should any of our deputies come in contact with anyone possessing/owning any short barreled weapons with a “stabilizer brace” or other rearward attachments, we will take no action, unless the weapon is used in the commission of a crime.

Payne County Sheriff Joe Harper has also stated his deputies are not to take part in enforcing the ban.

A letter signed by Harper was posted to Facebook. The letter said, in part, “The Payne County Sheriff’s Office will not participate in the confiscation of firearms based on this DOJ ‘rule’ nor will they attempt to enforce Federal guidelines or rules that conflict with Oklahoma State statutes which they are sworn to uphold.”

Breitbart News noted that legislation has been introduced in the United States House to abolish the ATF and to do away with the National Firearms Act. It is under the auspices of the National Firearms Act that the ATF issues rules which criminalize law-abiding gun owners.