WASHINGTON, D.C. -(Ammoland.com)- The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has visited multiple people demanding that the individuals turn over their Rare Breed FRT-15 triggers. The gun owners acquired their triggers from Gun Broker or the Rare Breed Triggers website. It is unknown how the ATF acquired the customers’ information. It is possible the ATF received the customers’ information from credit card processors or shipping companies. The ATF previously received customer information from Authorize.net and Stamps.com surrounding Polymer80’s “Buy, Build, Shoot” kits.
Most force reset triggers are drop-in triggers for the popular AR-15 rifle. The trigger speeds up the rate of fire by forcing the trigger to reset after each pull of the trigger. Force reset triggers have two distinct functions. Only one bullet is expelled from the rifle with each pull. The ATF has ruled that force reset triggers are machine guns, even though the triggers do not meet the government’s definition of a machine gun.
The National Firearms Act, 26 U.S.C. 5845(b) defines “machine gun” to include any combination of parts designed and intended for use in converting a weapon to shoot automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.
The ATF acquired several Rare Breed FRT-15 triggers in early 2021. During a criminal examination at the ATF’s Firearms and Ammunition Technology Division (FATD), an ATF examiner used a zip tie to fix the trigger to the rear. The ATF employee stated that the rifle equipped with the FRT-15 fired five shots automatically. He ruled that the FRT-15 was a machine gun. What most likely happened with that trigger was that it was pushed forward and reset. The elasticity of the plastic zip tie caused the trigger to be pulled again. This theory points to multiple functions of the trigger.
After the ATF completed its examination, it issued a cease-and-desist to Rare Breed Triggers in July 2021. Rare Breed ignored the cease-and-desist order and kept selling the triggers to gun owners. The company believed that it was breaking no laws. The Florida-based company filed a lawsuit against the ATF in the Middle District of Florida Federal Court. The case was dismissed without prejudice for missing a filing date.
Around the same time, Big Daddy Unlimited (BDU) started selling the Wide Open Trigger (WOT). The WOT operated in a similar way to the FRT-15. This similarity put the WOT in the ATF’s crosshairs. The similarity also led to a lawsuit for patent infringement. Last February, The ATF served BDU with a cease-and-desist order and seized the company’s WOT and FRT-15 inventory. Shortly after, the ATF sent a law enforcement notice to police departments around the country stating that some forced reset triggers were machine guns. The notice had a picture of a Rare Breed FRT-15 and a WOT.
Rare Breed Triggers formed another company in North Dakota and once again sued the ATF in Federal District Court. Shortly after, the ATF raided a manufacturer of the FRT-15. After the raid, the ATF notified all Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) that “some” FRTs are considered machine guns. This notice scared many FFLs, who stopped selling the triggers. The ATF then responded to the new Rare Breed lawsuit accusing the company of court shopping and asked the District Judge to dismiss the case for lack of standing. The judge has not issued his ruling as of this writing.
Earlier this month, a man was arrested for illegally possessing machine guns. Among the items were Rare Breed FRT-15 triggers. The Department of Justice put out a press release calling force reset triggers machine guns. Now it looks like the ATF is expanding its net to end users.
AmmoLand News reached out to Gun Broker and Rare Breed Triggers for comment, but our request went unanswered. If you currently own a Force Reset Trigger, you should contact an attorney for advice on what to do if the ATF shows up at your door.
About John Crump
John is a NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. 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 can be followed on Twitter at @crumpyss, or at www.crumpy.com.
What right do the People have if the government becomes destructive?
Declaration of Independence, and the Right of the People to Alter or Abolish Destructive Government. “That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it.
OK, folks, back to square one. Elections have consequences. Even corrupt elections have consequences. The Progressive New Left told us in 1974 they intend to deconstruct incrementally and eventually destroy our Constitutional Republic. They have had fifty years to work their magic. A large part of their effort has been to infiltrate and take over federal and state bureaucracies. they have done that in spades. They are now fully empowered to enforce their primary credo of law: by any means necessary. They intend to disarm the American public by any means necessary. If it takes twists of language in administrative… Read more »
Correct the new timeline was pushed from 2021 to 2030 The diffusion of power among countries will have a dramatic impact by 2030 Moreover, the language used in Agenda 2030 has some worried it is presenting a “New World Order.” We believe that in the world of 2030 The current, largely Western dominance of global structures such as the UN Security Council, World Bank, and IMF probably will have been transformed by 2030 Implementation of Agenda 2030 Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, Central America, and the Caribbean will remain vulnerable, nevertheless, to state failure through 2030, providing safe havens for both… Read more »
If you think there’s a way to vote our way out of this, you’re sadly mistaken.
We’re past the soapbox and ballot box solutions. Only one box left.
Steady.
Perfect excuse to DO NOTHING. Demoralize folks so they don’t lift a pinkie to vote, donate, volunteer or sacrifice to save the USA PEACEFULLY, but we’re to believe you’ll be in the news soon plinking tyrants. I figure 99% of those who tell everyone to DO NOTHING never did anything, never even tried, even before The Big Steal. They can’t explain, if the enemy has it fully locked down, how Trump won in ’16, Virginia flipped, Cheney got crushed etc. 6% of Wyo Rs stayed home “because votes don’t count”, enough % to throw countless close elections across the USA.
They are giving you the illusion elections are fair & honest. That election doesn’t impact squat. Or any other State election for that matter. People have already bought the farce the Feds have all the power. Keep eating the popcorn.
Just keep praying that we nor our children and their children will never see that day.
Fentanyl is killing way more people than guns with FRT 15 triggers but these clowns don’t care about that. It’s about our rights and freedom and has absolutely nothing to do with deaths . FJB and the criminals at the ATF they are nothing more than an organized crime syndicate.
The whole federal government has been an organized crime syndicate since before 1913.
Oh they LIKE fantanyl being out there. They make money when they find it and get a bust, they make more money when they can’t or don’t find it, because then they get paid to continue “looking”. Some ten years ago,about the time they shot down that missionary’s small plane in Ecuador, DEA had an annual budget of $Bn65. If they find and confiscate all the drugs, and jail everyone producing and distributing, they are all suddenly disconnected from that $Bn65 teat. THEN they will hve to learn a real and marketable skill, and actually go and do some WORK… Read more »
SCOTUS needs to stop this illegal and unconstitutional agency. I believe it is unlawful to charge a fee or tax on a constitutional right, ie stamp tax and CCW fee. No other Amendment is taxed or charged a fee. How about an agency to charge a fee or tax on voter ballots? The right to remain silent? Just flat out wrong.
The Supreme Court should take out the ATF the same way it did to the EPA on their OVER STEPPING THEIR PASSING LAWS THAT THEY HAVE NO AUTHORITY DOING!!! Another alphabet organization that should be put out to pasture and the sooner the better!!!!!!
All, WE, The People can do is keep pushing our elected “representatives” to do just this. More often than not it appears that we need to engage them in open, town hall arenas in order to get these denands heard by more people AND whatever media that still exists?
I had that same view three decades ago. The intentional cuts on our rights and freedoms are soon to be 1000. The majority of our representatives obviously do not keep the peoples best interest ahead of their own. Exactly when will our republic die?
The matter is more fundamental than infringing upon our 2A rights. My question is, since when does the federal government confiscate private property from American citizens based on an arbitrary edict from a Deep State agency? Yes, yes… how many times have we heard the grumblings, “let them try to come and take my weapons”. What exactly are you going to do when the ATF agents show up as your door? Probably nothing. Right? We all witnessed the marauding crowds of hooligans rampaging through the streets burning buildings, assaulting citizens, and looting whatever wasn’t nailed down. Do you recall how… Read more »
Get a receipt for what they illegally confiscate. If you prevent them from violating your Rights, then you can not join the class action later.
For the time being put fake house numbers on a 1′ x 6′ about six inches long and put them in front of your real house numbers.
WB, I would just love to read the remarks left on your grade school report cards.
It is a good thing that there was a U.S. Army for me to go to!
You thought your address was 2714 Magnolia Road. Sad to say most of us are now living at 2714 Ruby Ridge Road. Same house. Different road.
I find it interesting that “ marauding crowds of hooligans rampaging through the streets burning buildings, assaulting citizens, and looting whatever wasn’t nailed down” have not made an appearance since about February of 2021.
Don’t forget to turn your shoe laces in as well, those are machine guns too
This Item frt15 was deemed to be illegal, zip tying a trigger is also illegal ? If so the ATF better raid all the Zip tie companies along with any other product that can be used in the same manner.
Another example of overreach by another government agency the system of checks and balances have eroded in the federal government while our constitution rights are violated.
THIS is precisely the end result of the three branches of government refusing to stay each in their respective lanes. CONGRESS are the only ones able to MAKE LAW. BATF are not CONGRESS. BATF are a part of the executive branch, ONLY able to enforce the laws CONGRESS enact. Of course, congress do not have the guts to bring in BATF and command them tostay in their lne, and t ONLY enforce laws Congress make. This is all third grade civics. WHEN will we require a civics test on the stucture and function of government as a precondition to anyone’s… Read more »
Yes, or a president could reign in BATFE by revoking the memo that created BATFE. Poof gone.
I learned, only recently, that the Fat Boy Institute was also created by a revokable memo. Poof gone.
That would get the entire deep state’s attention.
they jump the fence to come up my driveway they wont make it to the door
they all need to be arrested under title 18they are changing laws and are not congress …need to put this trash in jail
Supreme Court needs to CASTRATE them just like they did to the EPA as they were doing the same thing with their Emmisons standards!!!!!!!! Constant rule changes were being done with no Congressional rulings!!!!
And congress has done nothing for many, many years. They’re all too busy asking for campaign contributions and holding “hearings”!
Yes, Congress has abdicated it powers to the agencies.
It’s either a machine gun or it’s not. OBVIOUSLY it’s not. And even if it WAS, SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED is the main issue. I’d like to see a warrant. WHO is the affiant? And what about the fact that FRT’s were considered “OK” because there ARE letters to that effect from the ATF out there. Now you are dealing with Expost facto. As is with “bump stocks” and “pistol braces”. I guess with the way the ATF is going soon they will call a knife a gun and then it will be considered a machine gun because it has… Read more »
2 +2=5
So if an FRT makes firearm it is installed in a machine gun, and it can easily be installed in any AR lower – does that not make every AR lower a machine gun since it is “readily convertible”? Since almost all AR lowers were manufactured after hughes amendment, and very few are registered machine guns – doesn’t that make all of us in violation of NFA and likely GCA? OTOH – 20-30 million AR lowers in the country. If 200k stun guns are “in common use” – machine gun restriction is clearly ripe for removal by courts. I considered… Read more »
Well said. You are far more intelligent than ANY of the knuckledragging BATF goons wandering about this nation.
These triggers are far beyond a “been there, done that, sold the damn thing” because I couldn’t afford the waste of ammo. Good luck to the end users though. I mean, if these were manufactured, produced and sold on the open market, and it would appear THAT is why we have the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Protection? Just what the hell are all these bureaucracies doing that are supposed to be PROTECTING US CONSUMERS? After all, if the have a WARNING LABEL on a tube of toothpaste or bottle of shampoo??? So then, shouldn’t there be: “WARNING: MAY CAUSE… Read more »
Sir, your first paragraph is why any of us who support the 2nd Amendment had an issue with trump’s bumpstock ban, since this was the inevitable conclusion. He made it to where any gun that a bumpstock can be attached upon is now readily convertible to a machine gun, requiring to beg permission from the government to own a semiautomatic rifle. It is not like the republicans are going to be honest and admit they created a semiautomatic gun registry with the bumpstock law, like they created an all gun registry with the background checks in 97. Yes, it would… Read more »
Yeah, Trump gave us a strong indication he is really not concerned with maintaining the Second Amendment. Either that or he was too busy to study the Second Amendment and its history and background! Big mistake on his part! Or maybe he just listened to republican establishment “leaders” like McConnell!
Correct me if I am wrong, Congress made no bump stock law. BATFE made an overreaching bump stock rule.
You “forget” Trump’s bump stock betrayal that bought him zero slack from the communists and a lot of cover from Trump worshipers.
BATFE was the actor.
Trump was the CEO, and you’re the apologist.
What you have written changes nothing. BATFE is still the actor.
“What you have written changes nothing.” Trump still banned bump stocks.
The wording in the law regarding MGs is “readily restored,” not “readily convertible.” If it wasn’t an MG in the first place it cannot be restored to being one.
Redefining is there business and business is good.
That is a good point!!
if I owned one of these lawful devices I’d put it in a seale container and bury it in my backyard. Once the smoke clears and a REAL court examines the evidence presented and declares them to NOT be “machine guns” I’ll already have mine.
Stasi is here.
Stasi or Geheime Staatspolizei.
How long must we continue to suffer this Unconstitutional Authoritarian Bureau?
So that is how one spells Geheime Staatspolizei !! Thank you.
Wouldn’t it be a bit more prudent bury it someplace that isn’t YOUR yard…
more prudent pay cash no paper trail
Yep, people habitually hide things in or near their dwelling, … and the police know it.
Are ‘zip ties’ now in threat of being labeled ‘machineguns?
Do you remember In 2004 the ATF decided that a “14” inch long shoestring was considered a machine gun: Pepperidge farms remembers. They even released a letter saying so. It was two or three year latter they said only if It was used to increase the rate of fire on a semi auto riffles. So it had to be installed to become a machine gun.
So a zip tie is just a zip tie unless it is installed with a frt to increase the rate a fire. Hence then and only then is a zip tie a machine gun.
Once again, the BATF changes a definition.
So this guy purchased a RB trigger and didn’t use it for its intended purpose when tyranny showed up at his door? If that’s the case he deserves to lose it.
It’s disturbing to see the ATF turn from protecting the 2nd amendment from criminal activity to becoming the enemy of the law abiding people in this country
A drug cop doesn’t like drugs. That would mean a gun cop doesn’t like guns. The point of the 2nd Amendment is for an armed Citizen to be able to say no to the government tyranny by law and their enforcers, instantly. The government uses criminal activity to come after our guns, since our guns are a threat to government control, because an armed Citizens can say no to the enforcer. The biggest regret of the victims of democide, was to let the cuffs go on, since then they had no control over their fate. Sir, if you think that… Read more »
Sir, with all due respect, the agents of the BATFE have been enforcing an unconstitutional act of Congress against the American people since the BATFE was created.
?, how has the atf ever protected the 2nd? They have been against the 2nd since their inception unless I miss where they go door to door giving guns to the poor and unfortunate.
1) Regardless of what the letter says there is no amnesty period. i.e. handing over the described device is proof you’re in possession of a machine gun, and you may be prosecuted. 2) If you lie about receiving described device, that is enough to obtain a warrant, as they have a receipt which reasonably indicates you ordered and should have received the device. 3) Fifth is your friend. Suddenly invoking the fifth mid-conversation has been held up in court as proof of guilt in the area of questioning. Don’t answer ANY questions. 4) Other than the value of having someone… Read more »
I’m new to replacement triggers, I didn’t understand when I sold all my long guns through the past couple of years, why buyers keep asking me about the triggers. Ever gun I use to own had the trigger it came with except a 9 mm M&P – I bought that used and the trigger didn’t work well at all. Had a gunsmith put in a new one.
Some factory triggers are rough and scratchy. That affects trigger control. One can work on the factory trigger or buy a really good trigger from a company that makes really good triggers… Jewel, Timney, etc.
The trigger in the article helps to put more lead down range quicker,,and suppressive fire is an integral part of the 2nd Amendment. It lets you empty the magazine 2 seconds faster than a regular trigger, and only 2 seconds behind full auto. Think of it like a bumpstock, only with more control to land rounds on target. The bumpstock law, is what is being used here to limit suppressive fire power capabilities of us armed Citizens. Your experience was with guys who don’t want an inferior oem trigger group, and wanted a crisp clean trigger. Like a single stage… Read more »
Next they will want to confiscate any gun with a aftermarket trigger. This is just a testing grounds to see how easy confiscation can be.
Nothing but noise…just more fear porn.
Live your life…
Tell the ATF to depart the premises or else suffer the conscience. Stop licking their boots. Don’t give them nothing but hot lead. ps… crump is a ninny.
Gotta love all the Cold Dead Hands rhetoric from clowns who don’t have a damn thing to lose.
How do you know they have nothing to lose ? For one they are possibly going to lose their life. Or possibly the very little freedom allotted to you. Maybe you should think about where your line in the sand is going to be ?
I’d love to bronze your balls and your cold dead hands and place them next to your urn. “Here lies a HERO!”
I wonder if he’s happy you’re thinking about handling his balls.
After he’s dead, too.
Sir, you would be no different than George Floyd in the eyes of conservatives when you resisted arrest and got put down.
The government would go after your family, and your family would have to pay taxes for your murderer and their family to continue existing.
It doesn’t matter that you would be protecting your rights, older folks not fighting back during Nam, made it okay for a just following orders socialist to hurt you, and you can’t do anything back.