WASHINGTON — The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives ruled on July 2, 2026, that the BolaWrap 150 is not classified as a firearm or as an 'any other weapon' under federal law. This determination establishes the handheld device as a restraint instrument rather than a regulated weapon under current statutes.

ATF Ruling 2026-2 concluded the BolaWrap 150 is an instrument of restraint rather than a weapon. The federal determination formally supersedes previous ATF classifications regarding the device. Wrap Technologies announced the ATF ruling following the agency's final decision on the matter.

The BolaWrap 150 is a handheld restraint device that deploys a Kevlar tether designed to temporarily restrain a person from a distance. The system operates by launching this tether to limit movement without classifying the unit as a firearm under existing legal definitions.

The ruling is based in part on the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2025 decision in Bondi v. VanDerStok. This judicial precedent informed the agency's interpretation of what constitutes a weapon versus a restraint tool in federal regulations.

The ATF's Ruling 2026-2 explicitly states that the BolaWrap 150 is not a 'firearm' under 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(3) because it is not 'an instrument of offensive or defensive combat.' This legal distinction aligns with the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2025 decision in Bondi v. VanDerStok, which clarified that a 'weapon' requires a functional combat purpose. The ruling removes the device from strict firearms regulations, allowing for broader distribution and use by law enforcement and security personnel without the regulatory burdens associated with weapons.

Prior ATF classifications for the BolaWrap 150 before 2026 were not explicitly disclosed, but the 2026 ruling explicitly states it superseded 'any prior ATF classification.' This indicates previous regulatory ambiguity around its classification as a firearm or weapon has been resolved. The BolaWrap is a police restraint system created and distributed by WRAP Technologies, and this formal recognition clarifies its legal standing for agencies considering its adoption for non-lethal restraint scenarios.