Washington DC - The Supreme Court recently declined to hear two high-profile challenges against bans on assault rifles and high-capacity magazines.

In an order filed on Monday, the court ruled against hearing arguments for a case that challenged the state of Maryland's Firearm Safety Act of 2013, and another challenge to restrictions in Rhode Island on the use and sale of large-capacity magazines.

Conservative Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, and Clarence Thomas all said they voted to hear both cases, but the court needed four out of nine votes to move forward.

At the center of the Maryland case is the AR-15 assault rifle, which has been used to carry out a significant number of mass shootings in the US in recent years.

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Gun rights advocates in the case have argued that the weapon should not be banned because it is incredibly popular with gun owners.

In his dissenting opinion, Justice Thomas similarly argued, "I would not wait to decide whether the government can ban the most popular rifle in America. That question is of critical importance to tens of millions of law-abiding AR-15 owners throughout the country."

Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who voted against hearing the cases, called Maryland's ruling "questionable" but noted that ongoing cases in lower courts may "assist this Court's ultimate decision-making" on the issue.

Justice Kavanaugh went on to say he believes the court "should and presumably will address the AR–15 issue soon, in the next Term or two."