NRA Files Federal Lawsuit to End Florida’s Mandatory Firearm Waiting Periods
Florida Gun Buyers Fight Back: Inside the Lawsuit That Could Change Firearm Wait Times Forever
Published by On Target Guns | Hudson, FL
Imagine this: you walk into your local gun store, you’ve done your homework, passed the background check, paid in full, and… you're told you can’t take your firearm home. Not today. Not tomorrow. You’ll need to wait three more business days—even though the system confirms you're clear within minutes.
Now, imagine knowing that delay has nothing to do with safety checks. It’s just there to make you “cool off.”
That’s exactly what happened to three Florida men—and they’ve had enough.
🧍♂️ Meet the Men Behind the Lawsuit
On a hot August afternoon in Jacksonville, Mitchell James Dunn walked into Sentry Firearms with excitement. He had his eye on a classic: the Colt Gold Cup National Match 1911—a timeless piece for any collector or self-defense-minded citizen. He passed his background check, paid for the pistol, and reached out to take it home.
But the clerk stopped him.
“You’ll have to come back in three business days,” the employee explained. “It’s Florida law.”
No criminal record. No red flags. Just an automatic, state-mandated pause—what lawmakers call a “cooling-off period.”
The same story played out in Newberry and Casselberry, where Josiah Burnham and Jeremy Hesson faced identical roadblocks. They weren’t denied because of risk, but because of a blanket law applied to everyone—regardless of circumstances or urgency.
💼 The Laws in Question
Florida enforces two main rules causing this holdup:
A state constitutional provision from 1998 mandating a three-day waiting period for handgun purchases.
A state statute from 2018 that extends the wait to all firearms—handguns, rifles, and shotguns alike.
These delays apply even when background checks come back instantly and clean. And unless you’re a concealed carry permit holder, certified hunter, or law enforcement officer, the clock starts ticking the moment you swipe your card.
🔥 What This Lawsuit Is Really About
Backed by the National Rifle Association (NRA), Dunn, Burnham, and Hesson—along with 2nd Amendment Armory, a firearms dealer in Brandon—filed a federal lawsuit on August 25, 2025. Their mission? To strike down these waiting period laws.
The core of their argument is this: the right to keep and bear arms is guaranteed by the Constitution. When the government forces law-abiding citizens to wait arbitrarily—even after clearing all checks—they're not just inconveniencing people. They're violating fundamental rights.
The lawsuit draws heavily from recent landmark decisions like District of Columbia v. Heller and NYSRPA v. Bruen, which affirm that any gun regulation must be deeply rooted in American history. And guess what? Waiting periods like these didn’t exist at the time of the Founding.
📉 The Impact on Real People and Local Shops
Aside from the legal theory, the human and economic costs are very real.
At 2nd Amendment Armory, owner Ted Martin says his shop loses sales because of the delay. Customers who need a firearm immediately—perhaps for protection—walk away empty-handed. Worse, his staff risks felony charges if they accidentally miscalculate a waiting period by even a day.
It’s not just inconvenient. It’s risky business—for retailers and for everyday Floridians.
⚖️ What the Plaintiffs Want
The lawsuit asks the court to:
Declare the waiting period laws unconstitutional.
Permanently block their enforcement statewide.
Award damages to those affected.
If successful, this case could restore the ability for law-abiding Floridians to immediately take possession of firearms once they’ve cleared the legal requirements—just as the Second Amendment intended.
🎯 Our Take at On Target Guns
Here at On Target Guns, we see what these plaintiffs are talking about every day. Good people walk into our store, eager to protect their families, enjoy a day at the range, or invest in a piece of American craftsmanship. When they pass their checks, they expect to walk out with what they came for.
We support smart, responsible gun ownership—and that starts with respecting the Constitution. This lawsuit may be the spark that reignites a much-needed conversation about what truly keeps our communities safe, and what simply gets in the way.
📍 Visit us at: 18401 US Hwy 19, Hudson, FL
📞 Call: (352) 696-4867
🌐 Explore more: OnTargetGunsFL.com
