OK, after looking into it more I found some stuff which does seem to indicate the federal excise tax could (possibly) go away because of the $0. But its a shaky loop hole ‘interpretation’ thing that can be easily closed by a court.

https://thefederalist.com/2025/07/10/trump-admin-ends-taxpayer-subsidies-for-illegal-aliens/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPs9LEVSU2U

Lefties Losing It.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-kEcQm4QJ0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXwi5GAb_wo

Fortunately, with the passage of the BBB, the tax under Section 5811 will soon be set to $0 (January 1, 2026). As a result, short barreled rifles (and shotguns) will not be subject to the Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax levied on rifle manufacturers, nor will they be subject to the $200 transfer tax previously levied on purchasers.”

hmmmm,,,, a levied tax rate of 0$ is still a levied tax rate even if its $0. It does not mean the tax has been paid and just means it isn’t paid or collected because its $0. Any tax amount set, $0 or anything greater, is still a ‘levy’ by congress.

26 U.S.C. § 5811 – U.S. Code – uses the term ‘levied’ as in ‘levied tax rate’ context. The BBB did not do away with that term ‘levied’

In other words, there is still a LEVIED TAX RATE and its $0. They did not say in the BBB there would be NO LEVIED TAX RATE, they still say ‘LEVIED’.

so…26 U.S.C. § 4181 – U.S. Code – Unannotated Title 26. Internal Revenue Code § 4181 still applies on 1 Jan 2026 because 26 U.S.C. § 5811 would still say ‘levied’, or in other words there is still a LEVIED TAX RATE even if it is $0 – thus imposition of federal excise tax still applies as long as there is a LEVIED TAX RATE and 4181 makes no distinction.

For this to go away it would take the lawsuits being successful or congress to amend the law to say a ‘NO LEVIED TAX RATE’ thing.

But whatever that is in the photo stirs a certain desire in me.