The SSAR-15 MOD from Slide Fire Solutions, the inventor of the bump stocks. (Photo: Slide Fire)
I don’t own a bump stock. Quite frankly, I never saw the point. It’s a tactical toy. A convenient way to dump lead down range. Whatever joy that is gleaned from bump firing is, at least in my mind, offset by the cost of all the ammo used (Mag dumps are only fun when someone else is footing the bill).
But let me be clear. This is not about me or my personal feelings. This is about gun rights. Period. The ATF is currently seeking public comment on whether bump stocks should be regulated under the NFA as “machine guns.” This is our opportunity to tell the agency that bump stocks are NOT machine guns.
What’s funny is that the ATF already knows this. On two separate occasions, the agency determined that bump stocks do not fit the definition of machine guns. First in 2010, and then again in 2012. Basically, we are reminding the agency to uphold an almost decades-old standard.
SEE ALSO: Here’s Why ATF Approved Bump Stock But Not AutoGlove
The best explanation on why bump stocks fall outside the definition of machine guns comes courtesy of Rick Vasquez, Former Assistant Chief and Acting Chief of the ATF’s Firearms Technology Branch. In a document titled, “Slide Fire Analysis,” he wrote:
The Slide Fire does not fire automatically with a single pull/function of the trigger. It is designed to reciprocate back and forth from the inertia of the fired cartridge. When firing a weapon with a Slide Fire, the trigger finger sits on a shelf and the trigger is pulled into the trigger finger. Once the rifle fires the weapon, due to the push and pull action of the stock and rifle, the rifle will reciprocate sufficiently to recock and reset the trigger. It then reciprocates forward and the freshly cocked weapon fires again when the trigger strikes the finger on its forward travel.
After lengthy analysis, ATF could not classify the slide fire as a machinegun or a machinegun conversion device, as it did not fit the definition of a machingun as stated in the GCA and NFA.
That first sentence couldn’t be more clear. “The Slide Fire does not fire automatically with a single pull/function of the trigger.” While a user may be able to fire a rifle more quickly with a bump stock, it’s still one round per one trigger pull. There is no full auto fire. Case closed.
The deadline to weigh in is Jan. 25. Thousands of gun owners have already submitted comments. Now it’s your turn. Click here to get started. It’ll take only a few minutes.
If ATF does classify bump stocks as machine guns, this would set a dangerous precedent. Many other commonly owned and widely popular triggers and accessories would suddenly be on the chopping block. Don’t let that happen. Speak up!
My finger and any piece of solid material, wood, plastic, metal is a bump stock. Put it in front of the triger relax your wrist and 3+ rounds go down range before you blink
Wake up all>!!!!!!!!!!
I can bump fire any semi auto firearm without a bump stock. Use a piece of wood, plastic, metal or finger. So will wood, plastic, metal and fingers be outlawed? God forbid that I have to turn in every piece of wood plastic, metal or MY FINGERS to the FEDs. How much will they pay me for my FINGERS?
I for one don’t break any laws,,I pay taxes,hunting&fishing licenses,and abide by the laws of the US Constitution however there are corrupt people in gov who want to pass stupid laws to take away our freedoms,they whiddle away one right then another,it’s time we pass laws for crimminals and put the guy in jail who cold blooded kill inosent people! And people let me tell you get off your butt and vote,I don’t own a bump stock,and I see no need for the atf too ban them,what I see is law abiding citizens haveing fun shooting them,there are alot of uneducated people out there who are afraid of just seeing a gun,Please Don’t judge Me just because I have a gun,some day I might save your life,who knows,..please dont ban bump stocks,Concentrate on educating people on guns,And put the death penialty back in place for those who kill our citizens for the fun of it! That’s my opinion on this thanks garland jones
Get what you can not because our government is rigged for the rich and powerful. Once Trump leaves we are on our own.
Chamberlain, we are told, was duped into thinking Hitler a man of reason and compromise, a man who could be trusted to keep agreements. Even his slightly ridiculous appearance – wing collar and furled umbrella – seemed to sum up the hopeless imbalance between Britain\’s unpreparedness for war and the ruthless might of the Nazis.
In most minds, Chamberlain remains the \”Guilty Man\” who sought, vainly and foolishly, to quench Hitler\’s insatiable thirst through unjustified concessions, generally at the expense of other nations. The policy with which he is inextricably associated – appeasement – has become a dirty word in international diplomacy, with the supposed lessons of the 1930s trundled out with monotonous regularity to justify a hard line towards aggression.
Niemöller is perhaps best remembered for the quotation:First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
i see no need in making a semi-auto shoot any faster then it already does
Funny I see no need for you to even own a semi auto gun at all !
I love hunting and shooting, but I don’t see the need for these types of products. The NRA is wrong this time.
The Slide Fire aka: “bump-stock” does not fire automatically with a single pull/function of the trigger.” While a user may be able to fire a rifle more quickly with a bump stock, it’s still one round per one trigger pull. The same effect can be achieved without a bump stock with practice. There is no full auto fire. All you liberal idiots just want to add another law that does nothing but try and hinder the law abiding citizens of this nation, For all the additional laws in Chicago, New York, and California look at those murder and gun involved cases they have in comparison to other states,.. a criminal will be a criminal no matter HOW MANY laws you enact,.. Case closed.
well said sir
Stay on target. Make a simple comment. A stock is not a firearm. NO BAN on bump stocks. I don’t own a bump stock nor do I want one. NO BAN on bump stocks !!!
Bump Stocks do not make rifles machine guns
A bump stock dosent make a semi auto rifle a machine gun . So why ban the bump fire stocks.
I can do the same thing with just my finger on my trigger . I’ve done it with my AR15 they are not machine guns a machine gun runs on a whole different level it’s in the receiver and trigger select system to make it auto.
bump stocks are not full auto guns. besides only a few can afford to shot bum stocks at $25.00 a clip.30 round clip cost 75.00 +tax. leave it alone
Bump stock or not people have been killed before and no dought will be killed again, with fire arms at the hands of certain people. Government needsvto look at the society they have created in this country, not the tools that they use. Drunk drivers remain as the number one killers, I mean cars, cars are the problem, we could save so many more lives by having a 10 mph speed limit, will you vote it in? We could just ban those dangerous things. Much worse than bump stocks.
A liberal writes: leave the “bump stock” alone. Banning them will do nothing, except start on another slippery slope to the full and final elimination of firearms. Besides, the incredible ingenuity of humans will come up with another method of emulating a machine gun — the more the banned fruit, the sweeter the taste of successfully going round any ban.
Ban the stupid things ..They lead to trouble we don’t need !
Bump stocks do not change a rifle into a MG. Plus they are notoriously inaccurate.
Just like silencers do not make a gun silent. They only lessen the noise to a level to save our ears damage
To the BATFE, bumpstocks on a AR-15 rifle only simulate a “automatic machine gun” & for the most part are used as a novelty item. By your own definition a automatic weapon is devised by the sear pack in the trigger group & bolt carrier. Leave “bumpstocks” alone. The real question everyone should be asking is why after so many months, the American people have not been given any answers to what really happened in Las Vegas Shooting massacre. My view is that it’s a cover up by the FBI & other government agencies to sweep it under the covert government rug. It’s pathetic that those peaceful American people lives were snuff out because they were expressing their God given right to be a free people & singing “Godbless America” above all @ a Country Concert. It’s a National disgrace that those innocent lives have no justice as the their blood on the ground speaks out of their horrendous suffering. It has never been about the weapons, but the evil people behind the weapon.
Ban all liberals. Especially liberal politicians. They are the ones with the mental illness. It’s called hopolaphobia. It is an unhealthy fear of inanimate objects. I expect any day now for these idiots to tear off their clothing and start gnashing on each other with their teeth
It never ceases to amuse me that the same people who call for banning others ascribe “mental illness” to those they wish banned. Let’s look at banning people to begin with — that’s really American, isn’t it? Banning people whose politics are not the same as yours? That’s really American, isn’t it? Shows a devotion to the Constitution, right? I’ll bet you see yourself as an Uber-patriot, right?
I started this trying hard not to castigate a person(s), rather their ideas — but, people like you, aren’t even American. People like you disgust me — like dogshit on the bottom of my shoes.
The only reason we are even discussing bump stocks is because some a-hole used them to kill people. I don’t see a point in banning them myself based on one incident. No one band fertilizer after Oklahoma City. Who knows, if tomorrow someone snipes dozens of people with a Barrett .50 then the media will be talking about .50 caliber rifles and banning those. Whatever the tool used, it always becomes the target of the liberal media. Overdosing on drugs killed over 63,000 people in 2016. Yet the Liberals want to legalize some drugs. WTF aren’t we talking about that? It’s only what you hate and/or don’t have an appreciation for that you demonize.
Occams … Quit making it sound like you are Gods gift to recognizing weapons. YOU have NO clue what the full list of weapons were in that room. You have no idea what weapon the shooter was using at whatever time based on the video. So chill the F out Mr. Expert.
Your right on.It don’t matter if it’s a bump stock or not.Humans have been killing each other from the beginning of time.Humans will always find a way to get the job done.no matter what.If not a gun maybe a knife,a club,rock the list will go on.How many die from just drugs made by humans.Auto accidents.Get the picture.
The bump stock is nothing more than what it has been sold as, a stock. The federal government, (ATF) approved this as a non-weapon under the Obama era government. Let’s leave it as it is. People who would ban firearms will do whatever they can to take the 2nd Amendment from ALL AMERICANS who honor our country and who want to do the right thing.
Anyone that listened to the rate of fire during the Las Vegas incident knows that “bump stocks” do indeed violate the intent of the “machine gun” law. Duh! Don’t stand up for wrongheaded issues that will hurt 2nd Amendment rights in the long run.
Remarkable NONE of you ‘shooters’ could identify the weapon (the primary one) used in Vegas (I’m not talking about the CONFIRMED shooters INSIDE the venue, nor the ones who shot up the hotels on the strip).
Took me – and mil’ vets – about 5 seconds of the first ”release of Paddock shooting a 5.56 bumpstock” to identify – most likely, an M240B belt-fed weapon.
I’d ask; “Does ANYONE her know how much training goes into keeping a weapon like that fed and running?” – but since NONE of you even knew what you were hearing, the question is moot.
The only thing Vegas achieved is to get a vote going to ban something that wasn’t used – and it KILLED the ‘Hearing Protection Act’ – dead – that week.
YOU’RE FIGHTING A LIE – and you FIRST NEED TO CALL OUT YOUR GOVERNMENT’S LIE AND IT’S AGENDA.
The anti gun lobby constantly calls semi autos as “full auto”. A bump stock surely becomes a ripe target for their argument. I’ll have to join them on this one. Bump stocks are not a sport or target improvement. Sure, in the Arizona desert they might be fun for making a bunch of cans jump around, but most of us don’t live out there, and my fear is that the ‘gangstuhs’ catch on to their use.
If my comment is to be read by the ATF ? I would ask that they stand by the millions of law abiding citizens that have bumpstocks and are using them lawfully and responsibly.
Please ATF Grow a BackBone and side with your friends. The responsible gun citizens who have a backbone to peacefully indure the bullshit gun laws that enable criminals . I have a good friend in the ATF and as kids growing up , he wasn’t one to fight for right but , would appease those who had authority over him.
Regardless of title, status and position in life . we the honest , honnerable, and law abiding people should have respect for each other and each others rights.
Up until I listened to the audio of the shooting in Vegas I had dismissed the bump stock as a cheap range toy. Granted the device doesn’t turn an AR into a machine gun by ATF definition, but as proven in Vegas it can turn an AR into something that replicates the rate of fire of a machine gun. Im a vet, avid shooter and have about a 10 NFA stamps for SBRs and cans so I have skin in this game, but anything that can increase rate of fire over traditional trigger operation should need a stamp IMHO.
We you my friend are a fool. Where in the Constitution does it allow the banning of any weapon? People like you are a plague to the second amendment.
The bump stock is not a weapon, and the Constitution had the limits of it’s day. To keep and bear arms has been interpreted several ways, for and against a standing militia, and private citizens keeping fire arms. Pretty sure if a bump stock and enough ammo could be provided to the Continental Army Washington would have won a lot earlier. As it stands now, I side with the anti gun lobby, and say get rid of the use of bump stocks.
ok here is the thing…the bump stock WAS NOT USED. It is impossible to use the bump stock on a bipod and or laying down. the bump stock uses recoil to operate. Operates best from the hip. Like the above commentor said, it was a belt fed weapon. Every and I do mean every vet that Has heard the recording has said the same thing. SO stop with the ban this and regulate that BS. because the bill they are pushing through right now would ban any trigger work and ANY ITEM THAT INCREASES THE RATE OF FIRE. The bill would ban every semi auto gun on the market…so educate yourself before you open an ill informed mouth.
The Constitution mandates freedom to travel. Where in the Constitution does it allow the Government to force us to get drivers licenses?
and a vet to boot ..so very shameful..
Do you actually shoot? It AMAZES me how many ‘shooting websites’ with so-called ‘shooters’ CANNOT EVEN IDENTIFY DISTINCT WEAPONS!
Wakey wakey; 7.62 belt-fed weapon USED IN VEGAS – at least the primary (who knows what the other 3 or 5 shooters used?).
If you don’t know the obvious, please refrain from opening your mouth. “It’s better to be thought stupid…..”
A :39 second education:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o2qUwT7J9A
The ATF is wasting their time banning bump stocks. With a simple heavy duty rubber band anyone can alter their AR or AK to make it bump fire. What’s next? Banning heavy duty rubber bands?? I was bump firing with that LONG before the invention of the bump stock. So ATF DO YOUR WORST, for , I shall do mine. And the thing about it. Is that out of the millions of bump stocks sold it was ONE but case that raised the attention of the WORLD to them. You would think that if the people buying bump stocks were all malicious their would have been hundreds of mass shooting with them. And out of the entire time they have been on the market the mass shooting involving bump stocks would have been much sooner than now. It just goes to show you that ONE bad seed out of millions can ruin a good thing.
Bump stocks do not turn semi automatic rifles into machine guns and neither does one’s finger and a belt loop, or lighter trigger or simply a fast trigger finger.
Let’s be serious here…… if somebody wants to do do harm to somebody else, they will do just as much harm with or without a bump Stock, and a bump stock does not make a semi auto rifle or gun fully automatic, all it doesn’t is make it inaccurate as hell, and turn it into a novelty item. That Las Vegas thing doesn’t make any sense, nobody brings 35 guns or whatever the amount was , to go hunting…. that was a gun sale gone wrong. Also, it said he had bullet drop calculations on the table …. if so then why the hell was he using a bump stock, because there’s no way you will accurately hit anything with a bump stock and your bulletin drop calculations would be totally off and uncontrollable. The only thing that stops a bad guy or bad guys with a gun , is a good guy or good guys with guns.
Meant to say bullet drop* not bulletin
How did I know BlueDog would be on this post? You’re an anti troll that is constantly posting as pro-gun. So if I accomplish the same end result bump- firing without a stock, that’s cool. If I accomplish this same result with a piece of plastic that doesn’t make it much easier, that’s really horrible & circumventing laws? Ok, I got it now.
Blue, your lack of firearm knowledge is astounding. A bump stock was not designed to circumvent the 1935 National Girearms Act. Bump stocks were not designed to mimic machine guns and circumvent laws on fully automatic weapons. Bump stocks are a novelty. Yes, a person can fire faster, but it still does not meet the legal definition of making a weapon fully automatic. Not even close, you still have to pull the trigger once once for each shot fired. If you knew anything at all about bump stocks, which you don’t, you would know that they are prone to jamming. In fact, from what I have read, all of the AR-style rifles equipped with bump stocks used in the Las Vegas shooting apparently jammed. You should educate yourself about firearms before you start the gut and paste commenting.
There are two federal “codes” in the books that make each and every politician, judge or LEO that tries to or succeeds in depriving any U.S. citizen of any rights, privileges, or immunities that are secured by the U.S. Constitution. Whoever does so is guilty of a felony punishable by ten years to life in prison, or the death penalty if anyone is injured due to their actions. The first is: Title 18, USC, Sec. 241, which protects ’The People” from politicians that “conspire” to deprive them of their constitutional liberties. Wouldn’t writing, co-sponsoring, voting for and enacting a statute that strips us or a constitutional right be a “conspiracy” to deprive us of a “secured liberty”? And wouldn’t that be a felony according to Title 18? Then there’s Title 18, USC, Sec. 242. This “code” states that: ‘Whoever, under the color of law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom, willfully subjects any person in any State, etc., to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States, … is guilty of a felony.’
The only purpose for a bump stock is to simulate fully automatic fire. That is all that that replacement part does! It is a not-so-clever way for citizens to circumvent the law and counterfeit machine guns. The only reason these bump stocks exist is to evade the law, the National Firearms Act of 1935, so of course they should fall under the purview of that act and be regulated as firearms under the NFA in the same way other replacement parts that allow automatic fire are regulated under the NFA.
While it is possible to bump-fire using different techniques involving things like belt loops, those are techniques rather than modifications on the firearm itself or specialised off-firearm accessories like that AutoGlove of last year and are not a valid comparison to replacement parts like bump stocks.
At least pistol braces have a purpose other than making a short-barreled rifle out of a pistol. Every time some joker shoulders that brace like a stock and shoots his pistol like an SBR, that is another reason for pistol braces to be regulated as firearms under the NFA just like bump stocks should be. Binary triggers could go either way, though.
This device does not make a semi-automatic firearm a machinegun. The definition of a machinegun is: “The term “machinegun” means any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.”
“Single function of trigger” is the key element. The trigger is still pulled for every round fired with a “bump stock.”
Blue. Your Obama approved them. Another loss to his legacy if ATF does a rewright.
I agree with the author, “a convenient way to dump lead down range.” Or put another way “to shoot as many people as possible.” I think we have more firearm freedoms now than ever and to repeal this Obama approved piece would not send us down a slippery slope.
Blue Dog… Your friend Barrraccck Hueesinn Obammma and his Trolls approved the Bump Stock. No one like yourself said anything negative back then? Why the sudden change.
The National Firearms Act of 1935 did not ban machine guns, the $200 tax stamp just made sure only the rich could afford them. People are generally ignorant that the purpose of the 2nd Amendment is to prevent government tyranny.
“What country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance. Let them take arms.”
– Thomas Jefferson, letter to James Madison, December 20, 1787