Virginia Judge Expands Injunction Against AR Ban

Virginia gun owners just got another courtroom win. According to AmmoLand News, Lancaster County Circuit Court Judge John S. Martin expanded a preliminary injunction that has been blocking enforcement of the state's restrictions on commonly owned semiautomatic rifles and magazines that hold more than 15 rounds.

The November 2 order in Crump v. Katz stretches that injunction past the Virginia State Police. It now covers the Commonwealth of Virginia, its agencies, and its employees. That matters. Politicians like to pass a ban, then look for another agency to enforce it when the first door gets shut.

AmmoLand reports that the fight is over Senate Bill 749, signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger in May. The law brands everyday rifles as "assault firearms" and restricts magazines most law abiding shooters already own. Groups behind the case include Gun Owners of America, Gun Owners Foundation, the Virginia Citizens Defense League, and Virginia Citizens Defense Foundation. AmmoLand contributor John Crump is among the plaintiffs.

This is not a final knockout. The injunction remains preliminary, with terms tied to earlier June and September orders, and it runs through December 31, 2026 or until the court says otherwise. Virginia's lawyers objected to bringing the Commonwealth itself under the order. The judge granted that expansion anyway.

I am glad for every inch of ground held. AR style rifles are not rare museum pieces. They are among the most common rifles in America, used for home defense, competition, and lawful recreation. Calling them "assault weapons" is a political slogan, not a Bible verse and not a constitutional category.

What the Bible Says About Defense

Bible believing Christians should not be ashamed of lawful self defense. Jesus told His disciples, "But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one" (Luke 22:36). Nehemiah told the people, "Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses" (Nehemiah 4:14). The law of Moses also recognized deadly force against a night thief: "If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him" (Exodus 22:2).

A free people who will not defend their homes will not keep their pulpits free either. Church security is not paranoia. It is stewardship. When a state tries to strip ordinary tools of defense from law abiding citizens, Bible believing people ought to notice.

Keep Watching Virginia and the Supreme Court

AmmoLand also notes that the U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear consolidated cases on December 2, 2026, including Viramontes v. Cook County, on whether bans on AR style rifles violate the Second Amendment. Virginia's fight and that national fight are moving at the same time. One state court injunction will not settle the country. It does show that gun owners who sue can still stop a new ban from rolling over them while the larger case is pending.

Read the full report at AmmoLand. Cover image: AI generated illustration of a courthouse scene with a rifle silhouette; not an actual photo.

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