The recent Supreme Court ruling on bump stocks has the potential to impact the regulation of lethal weapons in the United States. After the Las Vegas shooting in 2017, where 60 people were killed, bump stocks, which allow rifles to fire at a rapid rate similar to machine guns, were banned by the Trump administration. However, the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down this ban has raised concerns among gun-control groups.
The ruling not only affects bump stocks but also has wider implications for other gun accessories that enhance the rapid-fire capabilities of semiautomatic rifles. These accessories, such as forced-reset triggers or wide-open triggers, can enable shooters to fire more than 900 rounds in a minute with a single squeeze. In 2022, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives imposed restrictions on some of these trigger devices, considering them as converting semiautomatic weapons into prohibited machine guns.
With the Supreme Court overturning the ban on bump stocks, there is now a question about the definition of a machine gun. The government argues that accessories like bump stocks and forced-reset triggers essentially turn semiautomatic rifles into fully automatic ones, which are heavily regulated under federal gun laws. The 6-3 ruling by the Supreme Court has brought this issue to the forefront, potentially impacting the restrictions on trigger devices.
Gun-rights groups have already cited the bump stock decision as a new authority in their lawsuits challenging the trigger restrictions. This ruling could have far-reaching consequences for the regulation of lethal weapons in the country, with implications for President Biden’s efforts to enhance gun safety measures.
As the debate continues on defining what constitutes a machine gun and how various gun accessories contribute to the rapid-fire capabilities of firearms, the Supreme Court’s decision on bump stocks sets a precedent that could shape future gun policy in the United States. Gun-safety advocates and gun-rights groups are closely watching the developments following this ruling, as it may influence the availability and regulation of lethal weapons across the country.
