Stop Arming Cartels Act of 2025

Protection for current owners: The bill includes a grandfather clause so that the prohibition does not apply to the sale, transfer, or possession of rifles that were already lawfully possessed on or before the date the act is enacted (Section 2(a)(2)(B)).

Legal safeguards for registration: For individuals required to register their existing rifles, the law states that no information or evidence provided during registration can be used against them in criminal proceedings regarding prior or concurrent law violations (Section 2(b)(1)(A)(ii)).

Financial relief for registration: The bill ensures that no fee or tax will be charged to individuals who need to register their rifles under the new requirements (Section 2(b)(1)(A)(ii)).

Targeting criminal elements: The act expands the list of people prohibited from receiving firearms to include significant foreign narcotics traffickers and certain other foreign persons (Section 4(a)).

New restrictions on ownership and trade: It becomes unlawful for any person to import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a rifle capable of firing .50 caliber ammunition, subject to specific exceptions (Section 2(a)(1)).

Mandatory registration requirements: Individuals possessing these specific rifles that are not already in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record must register them with the Secretary within a 12-month period following the act's enactment (Section 2(b)(1)(A)(ii)).

Increased reporting burdens: The law updates sales reporting requirements to include rifles alongside pistols and revolvers (Section 5).