Bump-Stock-Type Devices A Proposed Rule by the ATF

[MechAg94]

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/03/29/2018-06292/bump-stock-type-devices
I saw this link this morning.  The note said it was the new proposed rule by the ATF.  I am not sure if this is much different than what they had proposed previously.  It does appear different than what I heard they were talking about. 

Looking at the summary and a couple of other parts, it appears the ruling is pretty well focused on bump stocks and lumps them in with the Akins Accelerator.  There doesn't appear to be anything that could be expanded to include other AR upgrades/parts.  I could be wrong on that.  I am curious if any of you see it differently. 

I does look like they will be illegal to possess once the rule goes into effect. 

SUMMARY:
The Department of Justice (Department) proposes to amend the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives regulations to clarify that “bump fire” stocks, slide-fire devices, and devices with certain similar characteristics (bump-stock-type devices) are “machineguns” as defined by the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA) and the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA), because such devices allow a shooter of a semiautomatic firearm to initiate a continuous firing cycle with a single pull of the trigger. Specifically, these devices convert an otherwise semiautomatic firearm into a machinegun by functioning as a self-acting or self-regulating mechanism that harnesses the recoil energy of the semiautomatic firearm in a manner that allows the trigger to reset and continue firing without additional physical manipulation of the trigger by the shooter. Hence, a semiautomatic firearm to which a bump-stock-type device is attached is able to produce automatic fire with a single pull of the trigger. With limited exceptions, primarily as to government agencies, the GCA makes it unlawful for any person to transfer or possess a machinegun unless it was lawfully possessed prior to the effective date of the statute. The bump-stock-type devices covered by this proposed rule were not in existence prior to the GCA's effective date, and therefore would fall within the prohibition on machineguns if this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) is implemented. Consequently, current possessors of these devices would be required to surrender them, destroy them, or otherwise render them permanently inoperable upon the effective date of the final rule.

[dogmush]

Also looks like Binary triggers would get really popular.

[MechAg94]

Also looks like Binary triggers would get really popular.

Yeah, the rule doesn't seem to affect that at least the way I am reading it.

[zxcvbob]

Trigger cranks are still okay?  (I would love to have a M1919 with a crank.  Would not love to pay for ammo for it tho' 

[K Frame]

Huh.

I was betting it would say something along the lines of "If it has a stock, you can bump it. It's now illegal."

[MechAg94]

I didn't notice any language on "rate increasing devices" as they put in the Florida law.  Maybe someone at ATF or somewhere in the administration was smart enough to remove that language. 

I have been dragging my feet on getting a binary style trigger to play with.  I might have to go ahead and do that. 

[Brad Johnson]

From a brief review of the proposal it appears the BATFEIEIO is aiming at reclassifying any mechanical device which, when attached, activated, or otherwise initiated by a single movement of the operator's finger, creates a continuous fire condition from an otherwise semi-automatic weapon. From what I'm reading the biggest change is the proposed revision of what is considered an initiating action - from "pull of the trigger" to "movement of the shooter's finger". Existing determinations hinged on that technicality so the minor wording change would mean a wholesale shift in analytical context. They specifically mention bump stocks but the overall language is more inclusive, essentially covering any device which can create the condition.

In short, what I'm seeing is a proposal to re-classify any device that can be attached to a weapon for the express purpose of allowing a single finger movement to initiate a constant-fire condition. This would apply even if the weapon the device is attached to remains intact and unmodified.

Brad

[230RN]

....

[freakazoid]

such devices allow a shooter of a semiautomatic firearm to initiate a continuous firing cycle with a single pull of the trigger. Specifically, these devices convert an otherwise semiautomatic firearm into a machinegun by functioning as a self-acting or self-regulating mechanism that harnesses the recoil energy of the semiautomatic firearm in a manner that allows the trigger to reset and continue firing without additional physical manipulation of the trigger by the shooter. Hence, a semiautomatic firearm to which a bump-stock-type device is attached is able to produce automatic fire with a single pull of the trigger..

Good thing that's not how they work since the trigger has to be pressed every single time to fire it. "allows the trigger to reset AND CONTINUE firing" Now they are just making *expletive deleted*it up.

[230RN]

Funny how things work out, how things morph into "New Normals."

How "natural" things like GCA'68, etc, feel nowadays, despite the bitter objections to that and other "new" laws at their times of adoption.

So here we are calmly discussing the "options" regarding a legal mechanical device or technique which the anti-gunners had not happened to think of back in the mid-nineteen-thirties.

Yes, this is a much calmer statement of what I withdrew back in Reply # 7.

[French G.]

Why is everyone hot for binary triggers? Seem awfully irresponsible to me and not something I'd want to explain in court. You want to increase the rate of effective fire for an AR? Put a bipod and a low magnification optic like an Acog on. I did, had to take the bipod off, couldn't afford the ammo bill. But boy was it fun.

[dogmush]

Why is everyone hot for binary triggers? Seem awfully irresponsible to me and not something I'd want to explain in court. You want to increase the rate of effective fire for an AR? Put a bipod and a low magnification optic like an Acog on. I did, had to take the bipod off, couldn't afford the ammo bill. But boy was it fun.

Folks like doing mag dumps and simulating full auto.  Turning money into noise is fun.

I, personally, don't own either a binary trigger or a bump-stock, but I can see the attraction. (Full disclosure:  I did have a Hellfire trigger thing for my Mini-14 back in the 90's, but it never worked right.)

Perhaps if I had less rounds behind real belt-feds I would be more about the legal work-arounds that the US market has invented.  We should probably check our full-auto privilege.  That said, "It's fun" is a perfectly reasonable reason to own something.  Not every firearm needs to be a tool for self defense.  Some really are toys.

[Perd Hapley]

Folks like doing mag dumps and simulating full auto.  Turning money into noise is fun.

I, personally, don't own either a binary trigger or a bump-stock, but I can see the attraction. (Full disclosure:  I did have a Hellfire trigger thing for my Mini-14 back in the 90's, but it never worked right.)

Perhaps if I had less rounds behind real belt-feds I would be more about the legal work-arounds that the US market has invented.  We should probably check our full-auto privilege.  That said, "It's fun" is a perfectly reasonable reason to own something.  Not every firearm needs to be a tool for self defense.  Some really are toys.

I resemble these remarks.

[MechAg94]

Why is everyone hot for binary triggers? Seem awfully irresponsible to me and not something I'd want to explain in court. You want to increase the rate of effective fire for an AR? Put a bipod and a low magnification optic like an Acog on. I did, had to take the bipod off, couldn't afford the ammo bill. But boy was it fun.

As said above, it is fun.  I wouldn't put one on my home defense rifle, but maybe set up a separate lower with it.  I guess a lower with a binary trigger and a bump stock would cycle a bit too fast. 

[TommyGunn]

As said above, it is fun.  I wouldn't put one on my home defense rifle, but maybe set up a separate lower with it.  I guess a lower with a binary trigger and a bump stock would cycle a bit too fast. 

Maybe .... but deliciously EVIL!!

[Perd Hapley]

As said above, it is fun.  I wouldn't put one on my home defense rifle, but maybe set up a separate lower with it.  I guess a lower with a binary trigger and a bump stock would cycle a bit too fast. 

I once tried that. Several elementary schools exploded. Kimmel cried.