Gotta wonder if Heller had anything to do with it ("uh, Joe, you realize that if we don't implement this change, we're gonna be the next legal target of pro-RKBA groups, and we're gonna get creamed...").
Q: Does the Supreme Court’s decision in District of Columbia v. Heller impact the Department’s rule?A: In our view, the Supreme Court’s decision in Heller does not directly impact our proposal to revise existing federal regulations to more closely conform our regulations to appropriate state laws. But we believe it is consistent with the final rule.