This week in firearms policy and industry news, the concealed carry landscape shifted in California, a deadline is looming in North Carolina, and New Jersey is pressing ahead in its fight to keep a semiautomatic rifle ban in place. Tariffs are still pushing ammunition prices higher. Here is the policy and industry roundup for the week of August 17, 2026.
The biggest development of the week came from California, where federal officials settled a lawsuit with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department over concealed firearm permits. The Los Angeles Times reported on August 13 that the settlement resolves claims over how the department handled concealed carry permitting in the state's largest county. Under the agreement, the department must process permit applications in line with current federal law and court precedent, a shift that could materially change how many applicants are approved. For gun owners nationwide, the case is a reminder that federal oversight continues to reshape local permitting practice.
The concealed carry fight in North Carolina is not over, but the clock is ticking. WRAL reports that the legal battle over the state's gun laws continues, with time running short before a key deadline in the case. North Carolina is one of the states where permit and carry rules are being tested in the wake of recent Supreme Court rulings, and the coming weeks could bring decisive movement. Gun owners in the state should be watching closely.
New Jersey officials want the state's semiautomatic rifle ban to remain in effect while they seek review by the Supreme Court, according to the New Jersey Monitor. The move continues a broader pattern of states defending restrictive firearm laws before a Court that has repeatedly expanded Second Amendment protections in recent terms. The outcome of New Jersey's appeal could carry national implications for how states regulate modern sporting rifles.
The backdrop for these battles is the Supreme Court's June decision striking down a Hawaii gun restriction, as covered by SCOTUSblog. That ruling gave challengers in permit and carry cases across the country new leverage and reinforced the Court's direction on the Second Amendment. Expect more states to test the limits of that precedent in the months ahead, with permit systems and carry restrictions the most likely targets.
On the industry side, the Trace reports that tariffs are driving up ammunition prices. Imported components and finished ammunition carry added costs that manufacturers are passing along to buyers. With fall hunting seasons and the holiday buying period ahead, shooters should expect price pressure to continue, and analysts keep flagging the risk of shortage-driven panic buying later in the year. For budget-conscious shooters, the trend reinforces the value of tracking prices before making large purchases.
Bottom line: courtrooms and tariff schedules are moving the market for firearms and ammunition in 2026. Outdoor Gun Gear will keep tracking these stories as they develop.