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Supreme Court Debates Bump Stock Classification Amid Gun Control Tensions

The case, stemming from a Trump-era ban, could redefine the legal status of bump stocks and impact future gun control efforts.

Image
A bump fire stock, seen right, that attaches to a semi-automatic rifle to increase the firing rate is seen at Good Guys Gun Shop in Orem, Utah, in October 2017.
In this Feb. 1, 2013, file photo, an employee of North Raleigh Guns demonstrates how a "bump" stock works at the Raleigh, N.C., shop.
A bump stock and handguns collected during a buyback event in the Wilmington neighborhood of Los Angeles on March 4, 2023.

Overview

  • The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Garland v. Cargill, debating whether a semiautomatic rifle with a bump stock qualifies as a machine gun.
  • The ATF had previously classified non-mechanical bump stocks as not being machine guns, a stance challenged in court.
  • The case stems from a Trump administration ban on bump stocks following the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting, which killed 60 people.
  • Critics argue that re-legalizing bump stocks could undermine modest gun control efforts and pose a threat to public safety.
  • The legal battle reflects broader tensions between gun control advocates and the conservative push against administrative regulation.