Trump administration moves to ban bump stocks

[The Legion]

https://apnews.com/6c1af80fb290472c89fb930e223505af

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration moved Tuesday to officially ban bump stocks, which allow semi-automatic weapons to fire rapidly like automatic firearms, and has made them illegal to possess beginning in late March.

The devices will be banned under a federal law that prohibits machine guns, according to a senior Justice Department official.

Bump stocks became a focal point of the national gun control debate after they were used in October 2017 when a man opened fired from his Las Vegas hotel suite into a crowd at a country music concert below, killing 58 people and injuring hundreds more in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

The regulation, which was signed by Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker on Tuesday morning, will go into effect 90 days after it is formally published in the Federal Register, which is expected to happen on Friday, the Justice Department official said.

The official wasn’t authorized to discuss the matter publicly ahead of the regulation’s formal publication and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

In March, President Donald Trump said his administration would “ban” the devices, which he said “turn legal weapons into illegal machines.”

Shortly after the president’s comments, the Justice Department announced that it had started the process to amend federal firearms regulations to define bump stocks as machine guns. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives sought public comment on the proposal, drawing more than 35,000 comments.

The amended regulations reverse a 2010 ATF decision that found bump stocks did not amount to machine guns and could not be regulated unless Congress changed existing firearms law or passed a new one. In the aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting, there was a growing push by some members of Congress to ban bump stocks, but no legislation was passed. At least 10 states have sought their own restrictions on the devices.

People who own bump stocks will be required to either surrender them to the ATF or destroy them by late March, the official said. The change has undergone a legal review and the Justice Department and ATF are ready to fight any legal challenge that may be brought, the official added.

The amended rule was met almost immediately with resistance from gun rights advocates, including Gun Owners of America, which said it would file a lawsuit against the Justice Department and ATF in order to protect gun owners from the “unconstitutional regulations.”

“These regulations implicate Second Amendment rights, and courts should be highly suspect when an agency changes its ‘interpretation’ of a statute in order to impair the exercise of enumerated constitutional rights,” the organization’s executive director, Erich Pratt, said.

Police said the gunman in the Las Vegas massacre, Stephen Paddock, fired for more than 10 minutes using multiple weapons outfitted with target scopes and bump stocks. Paddock fatally shot himself after the shooting and there were 23 assault-style weapons, including 14 fitted with rapid-fire “bump stock” devices, strewn about the room near his body on the floor of his 32nd-floor hotel suite at the Mandalay Bay casino-hotel.

The largest manufacturer of bump stocks, Slide Fire Solutions, announced in April that it was going to stop taking orders and shutting down its website. The remaining stock of the devices is now being sold by another company, RW Arms, based in Fort Worth, Texas.

[bersaguy]

Quote

 

I don't think this comes as much of a surprise to gun owners after the maniac in Las Vegas killed and injured so many people using Bump Stocks to enable him to do what he did........JMHO 

[Raoul]

 

[Whisper]

Not much of a surprise here.  Trump was a gun-banning Democrat before he decided it would be more advantageous to pretend to be a Republican.  He sees a chance for personal advantage in banning bump stocks.  If he perceives personal advantage in infringing on the RKBA in other ways, he will do it eagerly.   But if it's clear more gun-grabbing will cost him, he won't.   Our job is to make sure he understands that it will cost him big.

[TripleGGG]

1 hour ago, Whisper said:

Not much of a surprise here.  Trump was a gun-banning Democrat before he decided it would be more advantageous to pretend to be a Republican.  He sees a chance for personal advantage in banning bump stocks.  If he perceives personal advantage in infringing on the RKBA in other ways, he will do it eagerly.   But if it's clear more gun-grabbing will cost him, he won't.   Our job is to make sure he understands that it will cost him big.

I think this can be said for almost all politicians. Very very few are 100% pro 2nd amendment. They speak to what will get them in / or keep them in office. 

[Erik88]

So what is the penalty for possession? In a few months formerly law abiding citizens will now be criminals. All for what?

Does anyone think the NRA would have remined silent if a Democrat had done this? HELL NO!

At least the GOA is going to fight it. They will get my money from now on. 

https://thehill.com/regulation/421928-gun-rights-group-says-it-will-sue-over-bump-stock-ban

[hipower]

3 hours ago, Erik88 said:

So what is the penalty for possession? In a few months formerly law abiding citizens will now be criminals. All for what?

Does anyone think the NRA would have remined silent if a Democrat had done this? HELL NO!

At least the GOA is going to fight it. They will get my money from now on. 

https://thehill.com/regulation/421928-gun-rights-group-says-it-will-sue-over-bump-stock-ban

GOA has been getting a yearly donation/membership from me. It's a stretch with some of my charitable donations, but worth it. I just cannot seem inclined to send anything more to NRA recently. Been an NRA member for over 25 years, and a Life Member for 5.

But the constant mailings to upgrade and I just can't do it.

[Fourtyfive]

9 hours ago, Erik88 said:

So what is the penalty for possession? In a few months formerly law abiding citizens will now be criminals. All for what?

Does anyone think the NRA would have remined silent if a Democrat had done this? HELL NO!

At least the GOA is going to fight it. They will get my money from now on. 

https://thehill.com/regulation/421928-gun-rights-group-says-it-will-sue-over-bump-stock-ban

I’m going to assume the penalty to be the same if caught with any non-stamped NFA item....

[Erik88]

19 hours ago, Whisper said:

Not much of a surprise here.  Trump was a gun-banning Democrat before he decided it would be more advantageous to pretend to be a Republican.  He sees a chance for personal advantage in banning bump stocks.  If he perceives personal advantage in infringing on the RKBA in other ways, he will do it eagerly.   But if it's clear more gun-grabbing will cost him, he won't.   Our job is to make sure he understands that it will cost him big.

The thing that gets me is that Trump didn't have to do this.  The Vegas shooting happened over a year ago. People aren't even whining about bump stocks like they were. In fact, the only person that kept talking about them was Trump and the only people that were complaining about them are never going to vote for Trump anyways. This makes zero sense for him politically. Trump did this because he wanted to. Why?

I'm done with the NRA. I'd rather give money to a group that doesn't Negotiate Rights Away. This is what happens when the NRA becomes an extension of the republican party rather than a non-partisan advocacy group. They did a damn fine job when Obama was around and now they work with Trump to ban an item that really isn't a problem. It's also pretty scary that they can do this without a buy-back. So for those of you that don't care about Bump Stocks I want you to keep this in mind the next time they come for an item you do care about. 

 

[TripleGGG]

3 minutes ago, Erik88 said:

The thing that gets me is that Trump didn't have to do this.  The Vegas shooting happened over a year ago. People aren't even whining about bump stocks like they were. In fact, the only person that kept talking about them was Trump and the only people that were complaining about them are never going to vote for Trump anyways. This makes zero sense for him politically. Trump did this because he wanted to. Why?

I'm done with the NRA. I'd rather give money to a group that doesn't Negotiate Rights Away. This is what happens when the NRA becomes an extension of the republican party rather than a non-partisan advocacy group. They did a damn fine job when Obama was around and now they work with Trump to ban an item that really isn't a problem. It's also pretty scary that they can do this without a buy-back. So for those of you that don't care about Bump Stocks I want you to keep this in mind the next time they come for an item you do care about. 

 

I'm a lifetime NRA member but haven't donated in awhile. I reply to their solicitations with letters asking for their reasoning on some of their decisions. I have also sent letters direct. Have yet to get a reply. 

There is no room to negotiate on the 2nd amendment. I get tired of people saying well we had to give up something.  For something like this to pass is the slippery slope so many people fear and is the very reason the 2nd amendment was put in place. 

 

[Whisper]

27 minutes ago, Erik88 said:

It's also pretty scary that they can do this without a buy-back. So for those of you that don't care about Bump Stocks I want you to keep this in mind the next time they come for an item you do care about. 

I can't see how anyone who has ever read a law book would think this doesn't violate the takings clause of the Fifth Amendment, which prohibits theft of personal property by the government.  I don't give two hoots in hell for bump stocks, but I look forward to the lawsuits over this foolish action.

Remember when Trump was elected and people were predicting we'd get silencers removed from the NFA?  Instead, an all-Republican administration goes for almost two years doing absolutely nothing to strengthen RKBA, but as they hand the House over to the Dems, they give us this.

[Raoul]

I can't figure out why anyone is surprised by the actions of politicians, much less the actions of our current resident in the White House.

How do you know when a politician is lying.........

[Chucktshoes]

2 minutes ago, Raoul said:

I can't figure out why anyone is surprised by the actions of politicians, much less the actions of our current resident in the White House.

How do you know when a politician is lying.........

*raises hand and jumps up and down*

Ooh! Ooh! I know this one! Pick me! Pick me!

[Chucktshoes]

8 minutes ago, Whisper said:

 

Remember when Trump was elected and people were predicting we'd get silencers removed from the NFA?  Instead, an all-Republican administration goes for almost two years doing absolutely nothing to strengthen RKBA, but as they hand the House over to the Dems, they give us this.

Remember when Billy Haslam got elected and we thought we’d get constitutional carry?

[TripleGGG]

8 minutes ago, Raoul said:

I can't figure out why anyone is surprised by the actions of politicians, much less the actions of our current resident in the White House.

How do you know when a politician is lying.........

Oo oo oo I know too!

[Whisper]

Liars gonna lie....

The best thing that could come out of this would be if the NRA were to decide it would support candidates solely on the basis of their willingness to support RKBA, and with no regard for party affiliation.  Tying the NRA to the Republican Party of today, which seems undecided on whether it wants to destroy the nation or just the party itself, is not a winning plan for the future.

[Erik88]

35 minutes ago, Raoul said:

I can't figure out why anyone is surprised by the actions of politicians, much less the actions of our current resident in the White House.

It's also not surprising that our most vocal Trump supporters are suddenly silent in this thread. 

Someone recently pointed out that during Obama's first 2 years we got the right to carry in National Parks. During Trump's first 2 years we get this #### sandwich. 

That isn't a compliment to Obama, just a fact. It was the GOP that snuck that into the bill he wanted to sign. I'll say it again, the GOP does a much better job when they aren't in power. 

[mikegideon]

Trump stepped on his pecker. He doesn’t realize it yet. No, I’m not wishing for Hillary or the pothead. Let’s see what happens when he figures out that he screwed up. 

As Ben Shapiro would say, bad Trump. 

[MemHeli]

If you have a bump stock, you have 90 days to turn it in or destroy it or you will be a felon. Trump is showing his true colors…. He is NOT a 2nd Amendment supporter, he played on to win, but he is not a friend. 
He is a traitor. He has not done anything in support of the 2nd and he has actually been WORSE than Obama on the 2nd.   I feared this exactly. 

Magazine Bans are next...

[Erik88]

6 minutes ago, mikegideon said:

Let’s see what happens when he figures out that he screwed up. 

Nothing will happen. The NRA has agreed to bend over and take it. His base isn't going to vote for someone else as you alluded to in your post. 

[Omega]

While I do NOT support this, and have voiced my concern to my Reps, it's not as bad as you make it out to be.  While he may have initiated this, and arguably it maybe was the lesser of two evils, this is not quite over, lawsuits have been filed, and more are in the wings.  And though he may not be as much a supporter of the 2A as he should be, I don't think Obama can be held as the standard bearer for the 2A.

[mikegideon]

2 hours ago, Erik88 said:

Nothing will happen. The NRA has agreed to bend over and take it. His base isn't going to vote for someone else as you alluded to in your post. 

Nothing?

https://www.firearmspolicy.org/lawsuit-challenging-trump-bump-stock-ban?fbclid=IwAR0OMQ2yHDQ53w-mB-b3pYU3aFxcU4Qqmkc3tidmNekaY638BfsEnwjv42c

[mikegideon]

1 hour ago, Omega said:

While I do NOT support this, and have voiced my concern to my Reps, it's not as bad as you make it out to be.  While he may have initiated this, and arguably it maybe was the lesser of two evils, this is not quite over, lawsuits have been filed, and more are in the wings.  And though he may not be as much a supporter of the 2A as he should be, I don't think Obama can be held as the standard bearer for the 2A.

I don't give a #### about bump  stocks. I care about them stealing private property with no compensation. THAT is where Trump went really wrong, and that is what is going to give him a case of achy testicles. What remains to be seen... how he deals with it.

[Chucktshoes]

[mikegideon]

36 minutes ago, Chucktshoes said:

I hope he takes the response better than Feinstein did. Made her downright crabby. At least half the judges in this country will violate every oath they have taken just to stick their finger in Trump's eye.

Edited December 19, 2018 by mikegideon