The Supreme Court Upholds Regulations on Ghost Guns

Today, the Supreme Court defended public safety by upholding federal regulations on ghost guns, addressing the major issue of untraceable firearm use in violent crimes nationwide. Research shows state and federal regulations on ghost guns effectively limit the prevalence of these untraceable firearms in crimes. 

In 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) issued a rule regulating gun-making kits and other gun parts as they would traditionally manufactured firearms, by requiring serial numbers, background checks, and record-keeping. Today’s 7-2 decision in Bondi v. VanDerStok means the regulations can continue. 

“The Supreme Court’s decision confirms that gun-making kits and other key pieces can easily be converted to firing guns, and should be regulated in line with other firearms,” says Alex McCourt, JD, PhD ‘19, MPH, Center core faculty member.  “This decision means the ATF can continue to carefully regulate gun-making kits and firearm pieces in a way that furthers the original intent of the Gun Control Act of 1968.” 

A January 2025 national survey conducted by the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions found overwhelming public support for regulating do-it-yourself gun kits like other firearms. This includes support by 67 percent of individuals who reported that they voted for President Trump in the 2024 election and 69 percent of Republicans.

Support regulating do-it-yourself gun kits

Data shows the implementation of federal regulations on ghost guns in 2022 is associated with a sharp decline in untraceable firearms recovered from crime suspects or found at crime scenes in Baltimore. Data from the Baltimore Police Department demonstrate that ghost guns are primarily recovered from individuals who were prohibited from lawful firearm possession including, underage youth, individuals with felony convictions, and those with violent criminal histories that prohibit gun ownership. Similarly, data from the California Department of Justice show dramatic reductions in recovery of untraceable privately-made firearms through 2023. 

“The federal rule to regulate the sale of do-it-yourself gun kits as firearms has been a turning point in reducing the use of untraceable firearms in violent crime,” says the Center’s Distinguished Scholar, Daniel Webster, ScD, MPH, who worked with the Baltimore Police Department to help study the use of untraceable firearms in crimes. “Since its implementation in August 2022, we’ve seen sharp declines in the use of untraceable privately-made firearms in violent crime, particularly among individuals prohibited from possessing firearms—underage youth, those with felony convictions, and individuals with violent histories. The data make it clear: this rule has achieved its objective of curbing the use of ghost guns in crime.”  

The decision does open the door for some uncertainty in the interpretation of the law. Justice Neil Gorsuch mentioned in his opinion that while there are gun kits that do meet the definition of a firearm, there may be other gun kits that are too complicated to assemble to be considered firearms. The Center will continue to monitor this decision and its impact on ghost gun regulations.