As President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) continue to dismantle bureaucratic waste, one question looms large for the pro-Second Amendment community: what happens to the ATF’s headquarters if the agency is finally disbanded? We posed this very question to AmmoLand readers, and the results did not disappoint.
A Future Without the ATF? Here’s What Gun Owners Want
By a sizable margin, the top vote-getter was converting the Ariel Rios Federal Building into a public shooting range (26.82%).
Given the ATF’s long history of overreach, entrapment schemes, and outright hostility toward gun owners, many saw poetic justice in transforming its headquarters into a space where Americans could lawfully exercise their Second Amendment rights. Imagine the irony—an indoor shooting range in the same building that once housed an agency notorious for regulating and restricting firearms.
Trailing not far behind was the idea of converting the space into a National Firearms Museum (18.74%). With the Smithsonian and other D.C. institutions notoriously hesitant to showcase the historical significance of America’s gun culture, this option would ensure that future generations have a place to appreciate the craftsmanship and innovation that have defined American firearms history.
Demolition & Green Space also found strong support (14.00%), with many respondents suggesting the building be razed and turned into a park. A few respondents added that the park should be named Waco Memorial Park, a not-so-subtle jab at the ATF’s deadly 1993 raid in Texas.
Then there was the National Dog Rescue & Adoption Center idea (11.44%). Given the ATF’s infamous track record of shooting dogs during raids, many respondents saw this as a fitting way to atone for past sins. Some suggested naming it the “Good Boy Sanctuary” in memory of all the four-legged companions lost to the agency’s heavy-handed tactics.
The Second Amendment Memorial option (10.06%) also garnered significant support. Such a memorial could honor not just those who have fought to preserve gun rights, but also those victimized by unconstitutional gun control efforts.
Another innovative idea was the Firearms Industry Business Incubation Center (5.72%). This proposal envisioned repurposing the building to support small arms manufacturers, gunsmiths, and firearms innovators in developing new technology and expanding the American firearms industry. With Biden-era restrictions stifling small gun businesses, this concept had clear appeal.
A small but vocal minority (2.37%, 12 ) insisted that they still “love the ‘AFT’” (cue Biden’s infamous mispronunciation), proving that, some AmmoLand readers, have a twisted sense of humor.
Wild Card Ideas & “Other” Comments from the Community
Beyond the multiple-choice options, we received a flood of reader comments suggesting alternative uses for the building. Among the more notable ones:
- Sell It! (13.40%) – Some readers believed the best course of action was simply to auction it off and let the free market decide its fate.
- Veterans’ Center (7.22%) – Given that our nation’s veterans have been under-served by government agencies, some suggested converting the ATF headquarters into a facility dedicated to helping those who served.
- A Training Center for Proper Firearms Handling (7.22%) – Instead of an agency focused on regulating firearms, why not a center focused on training responsible gun ownership?
Read all responses here.
What’s Next for the ATF?
Of course, all of this remains hypothetical—for now. With Kash Patel now at the helm of the ATF and Trump’s administration actively working to reform federal agencies, the agency’s future remains uncertain. Could it be dissolved entirely? Could its enforcement powers be stripped back to their original intent? And if it does shut down, will DOGE truly repurpose the building in a way that aligns with the will of the people?
One thing is clear: AmmoLand readers have spoken. Whether it becomes a shooting range, a firearms museum, a memorial, or even a dog sanctuary, the overwhelming majority agree—the ATF headquarters should have a future that reflects freedom, not federal overreach.
As this saga unfolds, keep your powder dry, stay vigilant, and watch for what’s next in the battle for Second Amendment rights.
What do you think? Should the ATF be shut down? What’s your dream repurpose plan for the building? Let us know in the comments!
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how about converting it to a residence for the homeless.
Unfortunately, we all know the ATF isn’t going anywhere. The deep state will manage to survive this administration as it’s got deep roots. Seeing as they’ve only scratched the surface (and just barely) of the corruption and the courts are already stepping in, don’t count on much getting done.
Unless they start cleaning out upper management and making arrests, things will return to normal once they manage to get another communist Democrat in office….
I’m surprised none of the answers had something to do with Peanut the squirrel.
The survey was fixed. I didn’t allow any votes for “other.”
Wow, only 507 responses. I thought Ammoland was bigger than that.
Maybe a better Admiistrator than Mrs. Brian that censors stuff because she disagrees with it would bring out more people.
What Patel does will be the determining factor as far as if Trump made the right choice for the ATF.