ATF and DOJ Potentially Move to Ban Bump Stocks

Slide Fire SSAR-15 SBS Bump Fire Stock
Slide Fire SSAR-15 SBS Bump Fire Stock

U.S.A.-(Ammoland.com)- This past Tuesday the ATF and The Department of Justice initiated a regulatory process that could potentially rule bump stocks illegal due to the prohibitions on machine guns as laid out in the National Firearms Act Of 1934 and Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986.

The advanced notice of proposed rulemaking was given over to the Office of Management and Budget by the ATF. This notice kicked off the process needed to change the rules in regards to bump stocks. The industry and the general public are allowed to submit comments during the review process.

It appears that Jeff Sessions is on board with changing the regulation in regards to bump stocks. He said in a released statement, “Possessing firearm parts that are used exclusively in converting a weapon into a machine gun is illegal, except for certain limited circumstances. Today we begin the process of determining whether or not bump stocks are covered by this prohibition.

Sessions did assure the media that they would consider all public input as well as from the gun industry. He also added, “The regulatory clarification we begin (on Tuesday) will help us to continue to protect the American people by carrying out the laws duly enacted by our representatives in Congress.”

Groups such as the Bloomberg backed group, Everytown For Gun Saftey, has pushed for regulating bump stocks. Everytown For Gun Saftey is joined in this call for action by The Major Cities Chiefs Association which stated that in their opinion only devices that aid in hunting should be legal. They view bump stocks as a way around the National Firearms Act Of 1934 which gun advocates see as infringing on the second amendment rights of the people.

The Major Cities Chiefs Association also have pushed for the passing of the Draconian “Automatic Gunfire Prevention Act of 2017” bill which has stalled in Congress. This bill would ban any device that speeds up the rate that semi-automatic weapons can fire. This bill would also include other non-bump stock devices such as binary triggers.

Dealing with the “Automatic Gunfire Prevention Act of 2017” the The Major Cities Chiefs Association stated, “The language within the proposed bill defines that line for citizens as well as exempts law enforcement and the government from this ban. With the use of the bump stock, 59 people were murdered and over 400 injured in a matter of minutes. With a ban in place, we hope to prevent another mass murder on such a horrific scale.

There is doubt even on the left that the ATF has the power to regulate bump stock as anti-gunner Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) pointed out. “The ATF lacks authority under the law to ban bump-fire stocks. Period,” she said referring to the ATF letters submitted to Congress in 2010 and then again in 2013.

Acting ATF director Thomas Brandon disagrees with Sen. Feinstein’s opinion. During a hearing in The Senate on Wednesday, He stated that regulating bump stocks was “a possibility.” In his view, the Department of Justice would never have opened the review “if that wasn’t a possibility at the end.”

Rick Vasquez was the senior analyst in the Firearms Technology Branch of the ATF in 2010 when bump stocks were ruled legal. He disagrees with Brandon on the issue at hand. He told the HBO series Vice News “We made a technical and statutory decision that was correct.” On the episode, he showed Vice reporter, Joshua Hersh how to bump fire a semi-automatic rifle without the use of a bump stock.

He gave his well thought out reasons to why the ATF cannot regulate bump stocks or other devices such as binary triggers. Instead of relying on emotion he approached bump stocks and other devices with logic and reason. He was chief author of the letter to the Senate in 2010.

Whether or not bump stocks will be banned will depend on if Congress looks at this from an analytical standpoint or an emotional standpoint. In the end, us as right gun advocates, need to let our Senators and Representatives know where we stand as well as the DOJ and ATF.


About John CrumpJohn Crump

John is a NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. He is the former CEO of Veritas Firearms, LLC and is the co-host of The Patriot News Podcast which can be found at www.blogtalkradio.com/patriotnews. John has written extensively on the patriot movement including 3%’ers, Oath Keepers, and Militias. In addition to the Patriot movement, John has written about firearms, interviewed people of all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons and is currently working on a book on the history of the patriot movement and can be followed on Twitter at @crumpyss or at www.crumpy.com.

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The other Jim

Jeff Sessions is ok with and more then happy to ignore, and even seems to express joy and relief that there is no pressure on him with respect to doing his job in investigating Hillary Clinton’s destruction of government property as computers, government cell phones, bleach bit of 33,000 e-mails on her personal private non-Department of State server, Uranium One sale of 20% of US Uranium to Russia; Hillary Clinton pay-for-play Clinton Foundation; FBI Director James Comey’s lies and leaking; Bill Clinton/Lorretta Lynch tarmac meeting; Mullers bogus investigation of Trump Collusion with Russia at a cost of $7,000,000 billed to… Read more »

Jim Macklin

Remember that the President is Donald John Trump. Even if Congress passes some law, Trump probably won’t sign it.

Also, ATF is under control and direction of POTUS Trump and he can block any administrative rule.

Gordon Matthews

These things are just gimmicks.I have fired one of these bump stocks and if you can hit what you are trying to hit it is by accident.You can’t aim and pull into your shoulder at the same time period. I for one would not want one but for fun they are a novelty..Once again the elected officials that took an oath to uphold the constitution are commiting TREASON!!!!!
Drain the swamp..
Grampa 38

Chiefton

A bump fire firearm was used one single time worldwide in a sinister manner to kill innocent persons. Trucks and cars have been used in bombings and assaults at least 5 times in the US and thousands of times worldwide in a sinister manner to kill innocent persons. So my question to Feinstein and all of these gun control nuts, why are you not as ferocious in attacking and banning cars and trucks as you are guns? Is it because you own one? It will be much easier as they are not covered in the constitution. This just shows, in… Read more »

Green Mtn. Boy

UnConstitutional as all gun control laws are.

Olds

Fienstup is trolling, this is just a camels nose to eventually ban all semi autos since they can be jury rigged to act like bumpfires!
Wake up folks this is nothing but an end run against the second amendment.

Alan Chwick

I agree, except that “jury rigged” is a bad phrase, as I can Bump Fire any semi-auto without any jury rigging. It just takes a little practice.

Unless Congress can BAN NEWTON’S LAWS OF MOTION, they cannot stop Bump Firing.

le kenobbie

Department of Justice would never have opened the review “if that (banned) wasn’t a possibility at the end. We see now the ATF I reconsidering the Bumpstock AFTER it was designated, officially, it was legal and many bump stocks purchased under the word of the ATF! Is this being done after the fact to be punitive? What I find ironic is the Clintons have never been asked by the Justice dept how conveniently many of her/his adversaries disappear immediately after offending their sensibilities, but can waste the taxpayer’s money on an issue already deemed legal. Sadly, the uninformed gun handler,… Read more »

Andyg

I agree 100% We see this knee jerk reaction To every incident. Time to get rid of all Gun laws . If your carrying a gun while Dealing drugs, holding someone up 10 Years , injure or kill while doing it life Mass shootings death no plea that’s It . It’s not about hunting time to get Rid of the unconstitutional bs of 1934 And 1968 , if the anti gun crowd spent There energy and money on the opioid Problem and mental health problems I would stand with them , guns and Parts hands off ,time to impeach this… Read more »

Peter Wall

Mr. Vasquez is correct, that devices such as bumpfire,binary triggers are not automatic weapons. The ATF technology branch does exhaustive testing to block devices from being allowed to be manufactured. The ATF technology branch is not a friend to gun ownership,if they can out law a firearm or device they will. If you accept my premise than the Bumpfire device would have been deemed unlawful if there any mechanical reason to ban the device. How than, can Congress manufacturer new law that bans such devices. because today’s Congress does not respect and follow Constitutional dictates and law? Please let your… Read more »

pjw

Mr. Vasquez is correct, that devices such as bumpfire,binary triggers are not automatic weapons. The ATF technology branch does exhaustive testing to block devices from being allowed to be manufactured. The ATF technology branch is not a friend to gun ownership,if they can out law a firearm or device they will. If you accept my premise than the Bumpfire device would have been deemed unlawful if there any mechanical reason to ban the device. How than, can Congress manufacturer new law that bans such devices. because today’s Congress does not respect and follow Constitutional dictates and law? Please let your… Read more »

kenny

banning bump stocks will have no effect on ruthless murders they dont care if there illegal killing people is illegal and their on a suicide mission anyway so why would they car

Dave

“Whether or not bump stocks will be banned will depend on if Congress looks at this from an analytical standpoint or an emotional standpoint.” Politicians only look at things from two angles, and it’s not those. They are “what will help my chances of re-election”, and “what will increase my power”. That said, what will help their re-election is to at least give lip-service to what their *constituents* “think”, and I think you can all figure out pretty well whether *that* will be emotional or analytical. 🙁