A federal appeals court has struck down New Jersey's ban on semiautomatic rifles, including AR-15s, and on magazines holding more than 10 rounds, ruling the restrictions unconstitutional under the Second Amendment. The decision, delivered by the full bench of the Philadelphia-based 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals, marks a significant setback for one of the strictest state gun-control regimes in the country and has been hailed by gun-rights advocates as a landmark victory.

The ruling came in a case the National Rifle Association had been fighting since 2018, with the organisation describing the outcome as a "historic victory". Lawyers involved in the litigation said the decision reinforces the principle that states cannot treat the Second Amendment as a lesser constitutional right compared with other protections. The en banc ruling is expected to have wider implications for similar assault weapons and magazine restrictions in other states facing legal challenges.