Democrats Want 1000% Gun Tax

Last updated March 2026 · By Nick Hall, firearm news writer covering proposed federal gun taxes and their market impact

A group of more than two dozen House Democrats introduced legislation on Friday that would impose a 1,000% excise tax on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

So that means a $500 AR-15 will cost you $5,000 if this bunch of activists get their way. I mean that is serious custom AR-15 territory right there…

Of course it’s not about the money, it’s about making guns too expensive to own and taking them out of the hands of law abiding citizens that need them.

Because criminals who want an AR-15 probably won’t be going through the proper channels and paying the tax anyway…

Bill Targeting Random Gun Features, Again…

The bill, called the “Assault Weapons Excise Tax Act,” would tax the sale of any semi-automatic rifle or pistol that has a detachable magazine and two or more features such as a pistol grip, a folding stock, or a barrel shroud. It would also tax the sale of any magazine that holds more than 10 rounds of ammunition.

The bill’s sponsors argue that the tax would make it more expensive for people to purchase assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, which they say are disproportionately used in mass shootings.

“This tax will make it harder for people to buy these weapons of war,” said Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., one of the bill’s sponsors. “It’s time to take action to end the gun violence epidemic in our country.”

It’s Probably Not Going to Happen

The bill is unlikely to pass the Senate, where Republicans have a majority. Because they tried exactly the same thing last year and didn’t get traction when the Democrats controlled the house.

However, the sponsors say they hope proposing exactly the same bill will put pressure on Congress to take action on gun violence.

The bill’s introduction comes as the United States is facing a wave of gun violence.

The gun control debate is a highly contentious one in the United States. Republicans generally oppose stricter gun control laws, while Democrats generally support them.

They Keep Using Those Words ‘Assault Weapons’…

The Assault Weapons Excise Tax Act is one of several gun control measures that Democrats have proposed in recent weeks. Other measures include universal background checks and an assault weapons ban.

Of course Assault Weapons doesn’t mean what they think it means and we can see that the Democrats are going to go after the AR-15 again. Basically any black rifle with a collapsible stock, a detachable magazine and a handguard is in their sights, so to speak.

It remains to be seen whether Congress will take action on any of these measures. However, the introduction of the Assault Weapons Excise Tax Act is a sign that Democrats are not giving up on the fight for gun control.