bump stock ban

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A Win In Garland V. Cargill

June 14, 2024 by 5 Comments

In a 6-3 decision with the majority opinion written by Justice Clarence Thomas, the Supreme Court has struck down the ban on bump stocks. Joining in the majority opinion were Chief Justice Roberts and Associate Justices Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett. Justice Alito also had a concurring opinion. Finally, in no surprise to anyone reading this, Justice Sotomayor wrote the dissenting opinion in which she was joined by Justices Kagan and Jackson.

From the opinion which affirmed the 5th Circuits en banc decision in favor of Michael Cargill:

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

Justice Thomas examined the mechanics of how a semi-automatic trigger works in an AR-15. Illustrating this with graphic diagrams, he concluded that the addition of a bump stock does not change the single “function of the trigger”. He said it merely reduces the time between the separate functions of the trigger. He goes on to add, “A bump stock does not convert a semiautomatic rifle into a machinegun any more than a shooter with a lightning-fast trigger finger does.” Too bad he didn’t mention Jerry Miculek by name! He goes on to say that the position of the ATF and Justice Sotomayor’s dissent are logically inconsistent. This is due to the acknowledgement that a person can bump fire without using a bump stock and that a semi-auto rifle without a bump stock fires only one shot with each pull of the trigger.

Justice Alito in his concurrence notes that the statutory language is clear and the Court must follow it. Taking note of the Mandalay Bay shooting, Alito says a tragic event itself does not change the law’s meaning. If there is to be a national ban on bump stocks, then it is up to Congress to amend the law.

In her dissent, Justice Sotomayor says the majority has just put bump stocks back in the civilian hands. This, of course, ignores the fact that actual machine guns reside in the hands of civilians as the National Firearms Act did not ban civilian ownership but merely taxed the possession. The rest of her dissent goes on to criticize Thomas’ opinion and its examination of the mechanics of a trigger function.

She ends with this hyperbole:

Today’s decision to reject that ordinary understanding will have deadly consequences. The majority’s artificially narrow definition hamstrings the Government’s efforts to keep machineguns from gunmen like the Las Vegas shooter.

I am sure that the gun control industry will be wailing and gnashing their teeth over this decision regardless of how faithful it is to the letter of the law. While some states have banned the possession and sale of bump stocks which is their sovereign right, there is not now a national ban on them. It does emphasize just how important the elections in November will be for our civil rights. If President Biden wins and the Democrats take both houses of Congress, I am sure a national ban will follow forthwith.

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Bumpstocks Didn’t Get Stay – What To Do Now

April 8, 2019 by 3 Comments

This past Friday the US Supreme Court denied the plaintiffs in Guedes et al v. BATFE and Codrea v. Barr a stay in the bump stock ban rule and referred the request back to the Circuit Court for the DC Circuit.

18A1019 GUEDES, DAMIEN, ET AL. V. BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, ET AL.


The application for stay, presented to The Chief Justice
and by him referred to the Court, is denied.


Applicants request that if we deny this application we
grant a limited stay of 120 hours to allow them to come into
compliance with the Final Rule. We refer the issue of such a
stay to the D.C. Circuit for its consideration.


Justice Thomas and Justice Gorsuch would grant the
application.

So where does this leave the case now?

The Firearms Policy Foundation released a statement by email along with the response of the Circuit Court on Sunday evening. If you do have a bump stock and are a member of one of the organizations such as Florida Carry or the Firearms Policy Foundation, you have until 5pm, Wednesday, April 10, 2019 to legally turn it in.

From FPF:

On Friday, the Supreme Court denied our legal team’s request
for a stay (i.e., postponement) of the ATF’s Final
Rule re-classifying “bump-stock-type” devices as illegal
machineguns while we continue to litigate the various claims we raised
in our lawsuit and in the other consolidated cases. The D.C. Circuit
subsequently ordered the following:

PER CURIAM ORDER [1781463] filed that,
based on the government’s representation that it will not enforce the
Bump-Stock Rule against the named plaintiffs or their bona fide
members before 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, 2019, the emergency
joint motion to extend stay order [1781365-2] be denied and the
administrative stay entered on March 23, 2019, and clarified on March
25, 2019, be dissolved. The Clerk is directed to issue the mandate
forthwith. Before Judges: Henderson, Srinivasan and Millett. [19-5042,
19-5044]



The Government (DOJ/ATF) has agreed to allow the individual
plaintiffs in Guedes, et al. v. BATFE, et al. and the
organizational plaintiffs’ – i.e., Firearms Policy Foundation, Florida
Carry, Inc., and Madison Society Foundation, Inc. — bona fide members
(as well as the individuals in the consolidated Codrea, et
al. action) to come into compliance with the new Final Rule by
5p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, 2019. The Government also represented
that it “will also retain the bump stocks” that are provided to them
in compliance efforts until our legal action is completely
concluded.


Friday’s Supreme Court decision to deny the stay we requested was
disappointing but not entirely unexpected. But importantly, there is
much litigation left before the cases are disposed of. Our team is
currently working on a petition for en banc rehearing by the
full D.C. Circuit. And we are prepared, if need be, to petition the
U.S. Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari (review).


We maintain that the Government’s new rule is unconstitutional and
unlawful. And we will continue to aggressively litigate this case and
work to defend American gun owners from this unlawful ban mandated
by President Donald Trump. Updates will continue to be posted to our
BumpstockCase.com
case webpage.


In an abundance of caution, we wanted to make you aware of how the
Final Rule could affect owners of affected devices. As set forth in
the Final
Rule, 83 Fed.Reg. 66530, and according
to the ATF, a bump-stock-type device owner’s options are:


1) Destroy the bump-stock device according to the ATF’s published
“Bump
Stock Destruction Instructions”; or,


2) Surrender it/them to the “nearest” ATF office. (ATF advises that
it is best to make an appointment beforehand with the nearest ATF
office.) You can find your local ATF field office and their phone
number at https://www.atf.gov/contact/local-atf-offices.


Non-compliance with the ATF’s Final Rule (i.e., continued
possession of a bump-stock-type device) could lead to serious criminal
liability. Individuals (or a company/organization) who
maintain possession of an affected device can be prosecuted for
unlawful possession of a putative machinegun, where he/she/they can be
imprisoned for up to 10 years and fined up to $250,000 (or more in
some cases) per violation.


Chief Counsel Joshua Prince of Firearms Industry Consulting Group,
a division of Civil Rights Defense Firm, P.C., who is representing
Firearms Policy Foundation and numerous other plaintiffs in
Guedes, et al. v. BATFE, et al., has suggested that
individuals who wish to comply with the ATF’s Final Rule by
surrendering their device to the ATF do so under protest.


As you may be aware, both ATF’s
website relating to bump-stock devices and the Final
Rule, 83 Fed.Reg. 66530, declare that “current possessors also
have the option to abandon bump-stock-type devices at the nearest ATF
office.” In spite of that, however, some reports
(and our own experience) suggest that not all ATF local offices are
accepting bump-stock devices. Thus, you should call the local ATF
office before you travel there to confirm that they are, indeed,
accepting affected devices.


If they are accepting such devices, then make them aware that you
intend to visit their office to surrender your bump-stock device(s)
under protest and inquire as to whether they have any specific
procedures for your entry into the building.


Before you go, you will want to take pictures of your bump-stock
device(s), in case there is ever a question as to the condition, make,
and model of it/them. And you should also consider preparing a letter,
such as the Sample Letter provided below, to advise the ATF that you
are providing them your bump-stock device(s) under protest.


When you go, provide the ATF agent handling your matter with a copy
of the letter and demand that they provide you with a property receipt
that reflects their receipt of your bump-stock device(s) and specifies
the make and model of the device(s). Be aware that they may attempt to
have you sign an ATF 3400.1 Form – Consent to Forfeiture or
Destruction of Property and Waiver of Notice – which you
should NOT sign under ANY circumstance. In the event that
they ask you to sign an ATF 3400.1, inform them that the
only ATF form you are willing to sign is an
ATF 3400.23 – Receipt of Property and Other Items. If they argue at
all with you, politely tell them to review the internal memo that ATF
circulated regarding the right of individuals to surrender
bump-stock-type devices under protest and those individual’s right to
refuse to sign an ATF 3400.1 form.


It would also be prudent to separately document your experience of
the encounter in writing – such as the date and time of your visit,
the location of the ATF office you went to, the names or other
identifying information (ID #, etc.) of all ATF agents or persons you
spoke with, the details of all discussions, and any other information
they told or provided you – and keep it in a safe place.


You can also let our team know if the ATF in any way refuses or
rejects your attempt to comply with the Final Rule. You can submit a
report of your issue to hotline@fpchq.org and/or contact
your attorney for specific legal advice.


In the event that ATF elects to institute a forfeiture action
against your property, they are required to serve you with a copy. If
that happens, you should immediately contact an attorney, preferably
one who specializes in federal firearms law, if you wish to challenge
ATF’s ability to forfeit your property. Again, you can submit a report
of your issue to hotline@fpchq.org, but always
contact your attorney for specific legal advice.


Again, we will continue to aggressively litigate this case and work
to defend American gun owners from this unlawful and unconstitutional
ban.


If you are able, please help support this important lawsuit and our
fight for your rights by making a tax-deductible donation at FightATF.com.

NOTE: This message and its contents are intended to provide
general information only. It is not intended to provide legal advice.
You should always contact your attorney if you want or need specific
legal advice. 

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DC Circuit’s April Fools Joke On The Constitution

April 1, 2019 by 3 Comments

The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia released its decision in the combined cases of Guedes et al v. BATFE et al and Codrea et al v. Barr. It was a per curiam decision with Judge Karen Henderson dissenting in part and concurring in part. The court sided with the District Court in denying the preliminary injunction of the bump stock rule.

PER
CURIAM
: In October 2017, a lone gunman armed with
bump-stock-enhanced semiautomatic weapons murdered 58
people and wounded hundreds more in a mass shooting at a
concert in Las Vegas, Nevada. In the wake of that tragedy, the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
(“Bureau”) promulgated through formal notice-and-comment
proceedings a rule that classifies bump-stock devices as
machine guns under the National Firearms Act, 26 U.S.C.
§§ 5801–5872.
See
Bump-Stock-Type Devices, 83 Fed. Reg.
66,514 (Dec. 26, 2018) (“Bump-Stock Rule”). The then-
Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker initially signed the
final Bump-Stock Rule, and Attorney General William Barr
independently ratified it shortly after taking office. Bump-
stock owners and advocates filed separate lawsuits in the
United States District Court for the District of Columbia to
prevent the Rule from taking effect. The district court denied
the plaintiffs’ motions for a preliminary injunction to halt the
Rule’s effective date.
Guedes v. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms, and Explosives
, 356 F. Supp. 3d 109 (D.D.C. 2019).
We affirm the denial of preliminary injunctive relief.

 The case was heard by Judges Karen Henderson, Sri Srinivasan, and Patricia Millett. Srinivasan and Millett were appointed to the Court of Appeals by former President Obama while Judge Henderson by President George H. W. Bush.

In reaching their decision, the court found that BATFE was entitled to Chevron deference and that the plaintiffs were unlikely to succeed in their case as a result.

Judge Henderson parted company with her colleagues and said that the bump stock rule does contradict the statutory definition of a machine gun. As such, she would have granted the injunction.
She examined the history of the National Firearms Act, rulings of BATFE, the previous rulings that the bump stock was NOT a machine gun, the slow motion video evidence submitted to the District Court, and the affidavit of Richard Vasquez who had done the technical evaluation of the bump stock.

She concluded:

If the focus is
—as it must
be—on the trigger,
a bump stock
does not qualify as a “machinegun.” A semiautomatic rifle
shoots a single round
per pull of the trigger and the bump stock
changes
only
how
the pull is accomplished. Without a bump
stock
, the shooter
pull
s the trigger with his finger for each shot.
With a bump stock, however, the shooter
—after the initial
pull
—maintains backward pressure on the trigger and puts forward pressure on the barrel with his non-
shooting hand;
these manual inputs cause the rifle to slide and result in the
shooter’s
stationary
finger pulling the trigger.
Bump
-Stock
–
Type Devices
, 83 Fed. Reg.
at 66,533 (“The constant forward
pressure with the non-
trigger hand pushes the firearm forward,
again pulling the firearm forward, engaging the trigger, and
firing a second round.”). T
he bump stock therefore
affects
whether the shooter
pull
s
his
trigger
finger or keep
s it
stationary
. It does not change the movement of the trigger
itself
, which “
must be released, reset, and fully pulled rearward
before
[a]
subsequent round can be fired.” Verified
Declaration of Richard (Rick) Vasquez, former Acting Chief
of the Firearms Tech
. Branch of ATF, at 3–4.


Like countless other Americans, I can think of
little
legitimate
use
for
a bump stock. That thought
, however
, has
nothing to do with the legality
of the Bump Stock Rule. For
the reason
s detailed
supra
, I believe the Bump Stock Rule
expands the statutory definition of “machinegun” and is
therefore
ultra vires
. In my view, the plaintiffs are likely to
succeed on
the merits of their challenge and I would grant them
preliminary injunctive relief.


Accordingly, I respectfully dissent

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They Should Have Done Like French Farmers

March 28, 2019 by 1 Comment

I was reading a press release on Monday from RW Arms of Fort Worth, Texas. They were a retailer of bump stocks. As I understand it, they had purchased the entire remaining inventory from Slide Fire last year. The press release said they were were surrendering their remaining 60,000 bump stock to BATFE for destruction.

Fort Worth based retailer, RW Arms, will turn in their entire inventory of bump stocks to the
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) on Tuesday, March 26th, to be
destroyed, in compliance with the Bump Stock Ban. RW Arms will transfer 60,000 bump stocks
to American Shredder in Fort Worth, Texas, to be shredded and recycled under the supervision
of ATF agents.

 Subsequent stories in Texas newspapers shows them being crushed at the recycling plant.

Now I’m sure they turned them over like this because they want to stay in the good graces of the BATFE and the rest of the Deep State. However, I might have taken a page from the French farmers protesting what they considered injustices.

I would have loaded them up into this.

Driven them to this building which is the headquarters of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Donned my yellow vest. And then done this like French farmers have done in Paris.

Bearing in mind that French farmers have dumped more “odiferous” offerings, I think this would have been a more gentle protest of the perversion of the rule of law by the administrative state at the behest of politician than those French farmers might have conducted. I guess we will have to wait and see if the courts can grow a spine and actually stand up for the rule of law.