STAND WITH DONNYFL – AIRGUNNERS WILL NOT BE SILENCED
DonnyFL's Letter to the Airgun Community, the Shooting Community, and Every American Who Cares About Freedom
My name is Donny Du, founder of DonnyFL, an airgun moderator manufacturing company. I’m writing to you today not just as an American business owner, but as a fellow airgunner and someone who believes in standing up for the community of airgunners we serve.
In November 2022, we made the incredibly difficult decision to temporarily stop production of our airgun moderators—not due to a product issue or business problem, but because the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) told us that our moderators could possibly be classified as firearm silencers.
Out of caution and responsibility, we temporarily paused manufacturing while our legal team evaluated the situation. We understand there were questions, rumors, and uncertainty during that time. Now, we’re telling our side of the story—and we’re fighting back.
To the Airgun Community — Thank You
Even during this uncertainty, you continued to support us. You used our products responsibly, sent encouragement, and helped keep our company going.
Through your continued support and through working with our legal counsel, we have moved forward with a lawsuit against the Federal Government. This action is our attempt to stand up for common sense freedoms for airgunners. This lawsuit is not just for us—it’s for every responsible airgunner who wants to keep enjoying the sport without fear or confusion about the law.
This is where we draw the line.
Why We're Suing the Federal Government
In 2023, the BATFE issued a determination classifying our DonnyFL Ronin airgun moderator as a firearm silencer. Their reasoning was that it could potentially suppress a .22LR—but only when used with an adapter on a .22 pistol. After our legal counsel, James Reeves, informed the ATF that courts have already found that using a thread adapter is an illegal modification to a legal design, the ATF went silent for nearly a year.
Apparently, the ATF used this time to find two obscure .22LR firearms that use the pitch that has been universally adopted by the airgun industry for most airgun muzzle devices across many different brands and manufacturers. One of those firearms was discontinued years before the DonnyFL Ronin existed, and the other is a European hunting rifle that wasn’t released until long after our product was on the market.
To be clear: our airgun moderators are designed exclusively for airguns. They are built with non-standard threads and materials that aren’t suitable for firearms.
Despite the fact that similar products exist across the airgun market from many different manufacturers, this determination was directed at us. We were singled out by the ATF. So we’re challenging it in federal court.
This Lawsuit Is About More Than Just Us
This case has implications for every airgunner, airgun company, and anyone who values clear, consistent rules. This even concerns the firearm silencer community. If allowed to stand, the ATF’s reasoning could eventually apply to airgun shrouds, airsoft mock suppressors, and other recreational products that were never meant to be regulated as firearm accessories.
Moreover, there are implications for the firearm silencer community as well: In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Chevron deference, which was a rule that once allowed agencies broad power to interpret unclear laws, and the courts would have to defer to them. With this deference no longer in play, this lawsuit could determine who gets to define what a firearm silencer is: The ATF, the courts, the legislature, or the people? There will be consequences for the airgun and firearms community based on that answer.
Our case is grounded in established precedent—most notably U.S. v. Crooker, where a federal court held that an airgun moderator does not become a silencer just because it could be adapted to fit a firearm with a thread adapter. Intent is what matters.
How You Can Help
So far, we’ve handled this entirely out of pocket. But this fight is bigger than one company—it affects the entire community.
We’re asking for your help to raise $60,000 to support our legal efforts. Funds will help cover legal fees, expert support, protection of our customer data, and the cost of pursuing this challenge. While this might not be enough to get us through trial, our attorney, Mr. Reeves, has reduced his billable hour rate to two-thirds his normal rate to help us in this fight. Thus, this $60,000 will get us much further as a result.
If you can support the cause, we’re incredibly grateful. If you can’t, simply sharing this with your friends, clubs, forums, and social media will make a huge difference!
If you want to follow the lawsuit, this is the docket number for the U.S. Federal District Court, Middle District of Florida: 6:25-cv-00506-GAP-LHP.
Thank you for standing with us,
Thank you for standing with the airgun community,
And thank you for standing for clarity and fairness in the law.
— Donny Du
Founder, DonnyFL
