Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
In a 6-3 decision on Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that semiautomatic rifles with bump stocks aren’t machine guns.
The court said the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) overstepped by classifying them as such. The case, Garland v. Cargill, represents a huge win for the 2A community.
Alan M. Gottlieb, the founder and Executive Vice President of the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), praised the decision.
“This is a significant victory for gun owners because it reminds the ATF it simply cannot rewrite federal law,” said Gottlieb. “The agency has just been reminded that it can only enforce the law, not usurp the authority of Congress.”
Justice Clarence Thomas, writing for the majority, clarified:
We hold that a semiautomatic rifle equipped with a bump stock is not a ‘machinegun’ because it cannot fire more than one shot ‘by a single function of the trigger.’ And, even if it could, it would not do so ‘automatically.’ ATF therefore exceeded its statutory authority by issuing a Rule that classifies bump stocks as machineguns.
The ruling highlighted that for many years, the ATF didn’t consider bump stocks to make rifles machine guns.
SEE ALSO: Chrono Shootout! Which One Is The Best and Why You Need One
This stance changed after the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, leading the ATF to demand bump stock owners surrender or destroy their devices within 90 days.
SAF Executive Director Adam Kraut, who challenged the ATF’s rule in 2018, said, “ATF exceeded its statutory authority by issuing a rule that was logically inconsistent with the plain text of the statute and cut into the prerogative of Congress.”
“As the executive branch has continued to use ATF to implement its will and circumvent congressional authority, we are optimistic that today’s decision will send a message that such actions will not be tolerated and that the courts will strike down more regulations inconsistent with the law as Congress wrote,” he continued.
SEE ALSO: Small Caliber, Big Upsides: Force 22 TB Rimfire Pistol
Meanwhile, Everytown for Gun Safety, the gun-control organization funded by Michael Bloomberg, was irate with the ruling.
“Guns outfitted with bump stocks fire like machine guns, they kill like machine guns, and they should be banned like machine guns — but the Supreme Court just decided to put these deadly devices back on the market,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown.
“We urge Congress to right this wrong and pass bipartisan legislation banning bump stocks, which are accessories of war that have no place in our communities,” he added.
Well, there’s no doubt that anti-gun Democrats will move to ban bump stocks following SCOTUS’ decision. The question is whether they’ll have enough support across the aisle to make it law.
Do you support a federal ban on bump stocks? If so, why?
*** Buy and Sell on GunsAmerica! All Local Sales are FREE! ***
I find bump stocks to be a toy and nothing more. If you want a full auto AR or AK, it’s not too difficult to convert/make one. We all buy toys of one form or another and admit it; we’ve all bought what amounted to be, turned out to be “toys” whether we “needed” it or not. If you have a ton of steel core 556 ammo, what better way to burn some of it w/ the grandkids than a bumper and @ the same time teach them weapon control? If you have a ton of steel core ammo, most likely you’re stockpiling it for something. What someone wants to spend his/her $ on is their business and they needn’t be classified as a “fool”.
Anyone who buys a bump stock is a fool. It has no useful purpose except to energize the anti-gun crowd, trash accuracy, increase potential for collateral damage, and at today’s expense of wasted boxes of whatever ammo one runs.
Guns America censor; You’re a gutless simp and, evidently, a feelings arbiter. Because I commented to another’s post in a non-confrontational way? Stating my opinion and stating it as such? Gee hope I didn’t hurt your feelings.
Sounds like your feelings got hurt, take a midol and calm down.
Nobody jerked your chain. Crawl back under the bed.
I noticed that my previous comment did not make it through the moderation process, likely because I named the president who ordered the bump stock ban in question.
Articles you’ve written very often mention other administrations when discussing laws you don’t like but this one was very particular to leave out the fact (yes, fact) that Trump ordered the bump stock ban.
One of the responsibilities of an American is to constantly strive to make our country and government better, and one of the ways we do this is to not rewrite history or ignore inconvenient facts. Not only does it erode your credibility as a journalist but it does a are to every American who has come before you to preserve the land of the free (not the land of the free so long as what you say doesn’t offend my sensibilities).
In other words, get his orange shriveled dick out of your mouth and act like an American. If you are so thin skinned that a (very mildly) critical comment about a former president enrages you to the point of censorship then perhaps writing public articles isn’t the line of work for you. You don’t owe any politician anything. If they do something you don’t like then call them on it, even if you are a supporter. Whitewashing their transgressions will only make your support of them harder to justify when they continue down a path of unabated power grabs.
Your TDS might be eased by spending more time at the range. No offense ….
Good call by the SCOTUs
Personally, I find bump stocks to be as useful as those goofy little plugs companies sell to fill in that empty space on a Glock’s grip.
That said, I applaud the Supreme Court for this decision. President Trump (who ordered the ATF to change its stance on bump stocks) and the ATF both need to be reminded that the Founding Fathers were not fools. They purposely gave Congress sole authority to make laws expressly to prevent the whims of presidents looking for reelection and/or rogue government bureaucracies from doing whatever they please.
I agree with the SCOTUS ruling, but I personally find no legitimate use for bump stocks. They waste ammunition by just spraying with no accuracy.
When you post your personal view of legitimacy, you’re playing right into the gov’t’s hands, in my opinion. Your view of legitimacy, which we all have every right to have, means nothing. The gov’t’s view is what comes down on all of us. If I had purchased something legally(legitimately useful in your view, or not) and then the gov’t crawfished and said it’s now illegal and I have to destroy it or turn it over to them…, ah, no. Solely my opinion, of course.