The federal bump stock ban has been in place since December and the extension period to turn them in by the end of March has now come and gone. If you still own a bump stock, you are now a felon in possession of a piece of plastic that is classified as a “machine gun.” The new illegality of this firearms part has created some interesting juxtapositions.
In states where there is no buy-back program for bump stocks, no one is turning the devices in. States doing buy-backs have pretty good participation rates. Here’s the thing that gun owners need to understand: A bump stock buy-back creates a de facto AR-15 registry. You are on a list of AR-15 owners if you sell a bump stock to the police in your state. The only question now is who has their hands on that list.
In Washington state, the legislature allocated $150,000 for a bump stock buy-back program, which was administered by the Washington State Patrol (WSP). The state purchased bump stocks from owners for $150 apiece, and the money ran out very quickly. At least 1,000 bump stock owners took advantage of the buy-back earlier this year.
However, someone has now submitted a “public records request” to the WSP. The request, sent by someone using a pseudonym, states an intention to create a searchable database and map, showing Washington residents exactly where these ‘dangerous items’ were owned and who owned them.
The WSP sent notices out to everyone who took part in the buyback to alert them that they must comply with the public records request under Washington state law.
Oh, and, oops, your name and address are going to be turned over to an unknown entity and posted on a public anti-gun database. And since you sold a bump stock to the state it’s obvious that you own a semiautomatic rifle.
The WSP was nice enough to send the notice out to bump stock owners to let them know they would comply with the public records request, “absent a superior court order enjoining disclosure.” (Hint, hint.) But whether anyone will file suit to stop the disclosure before the April 26 deadline is unclear.
One thing does seem pretty clear: Don’t participate in a bump stock buy-back program. Federal law prohibits a gun registry from being created, and for good reason. But no law exists to prevent the creation of a bump stock registry, and therein lies the problem.
You automatically know that if someone owns a bump stock, they own at least one corresponding semiautomatic rifle. Since Washington state doled out money to buy the bump stocks, they were required to create a paper trail for accounting purposes. That paper trail leads right back to gun owners.
A reporter in Ohio wanted to check on bump stock turn-in compliance rates for a newspaper story. He called a ton of rural and urban police departments, sheriff’s departments, the state police and the ATF to see how many bump stocks have been surrendered to law enforcement. Ohio has not done a buy-back program, and every law enforcement agency gave him one of two answers: Either zero, or “no comment.” Everyone lost their bump stocks in a big canoe accident!
There’s always a sneaky catch that gun-grabbers will use to trap gun owners. For example, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has now said that his “highest priority” before the 2020 election is to raise the tobacco purchasing age to 21. What? Well, it’s not like there are any other problems that should be high priority for Congress, like repealing Obamacare or dealing with the southern border.
Why smoking? Just you wait: Once the age limit for purchasing tobacco products is raised to 21, it will be turned into a moral equivalence argument for gun control. Dianne Feinstein will then argue, “We don’t allow kids to purchase tobacco until they’re 21, so why do we allow them to purchase dangerous military-grade high-capacity grenade launcher AK-87 machine gun nukes that cause global warming?”
The bump stock ban will probably be overturned at some point in the future. It amounts to nothing more than an illegal taking without compensation, at the federal level. For gun owners at the state level, be sure that you don’t participate in a buy-back program unless the law includes a proviso that all records of the transaction be destroyed. Otherwise, your name is going on a list.
Frankenstein shows she doesn’t know jack shit. There are absolutely no grenade launchers in circulation they’re illegal for citizens to possess. This woman shows daily she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.
GODDAMN Dumbbocrud–they are the most vile enemy law abiding Americans have, right up there with border jumpers, terrorist scum bags from the Middle East. They are lower than whale shit as far as I can see,
The liberal fanatic gun control people will stop at nothing to take away all of our rights. That is what Socialists do.
The same occurs with the NICS check, which is unconstitutional. The gov’s job is to protect the constitution, and shall not be infringed. Why should one have to fill out a NICS check for each gun purchased at the same time ? Did one become a prohibited person within 5 minutes ? No it is to get money and control. To justify the system, and to register each weapon with an individual, and you can bet they don’t get lost in the computers like Killary’s emails. HELLO !!!!!!!
The scariest 10 words you will ever hear put into a sentence is ::: I’M FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND I’M HERE TO HELP YOU….!!!
Munge: You really need to “tune up” your sarcasm detector. 😉
I SAW THEM ON YOUTUBE. IT TAKES A LOT OF PRACTICE TO GET THE BUMP STOSK TO GO FULL AUTO. IF YOU HOLD IT TO HARD AGINST YOUR SHOUDER IT WON’T WORK I SAW THAT YOU HAVE TO HOLD THE FOREARM GRIP ONLY AND THEN KEEP YOUR FINGER ON THE BUMPSTOCK AND THEN AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR OF PRACTICE YOU GET IT. NOT ALL THE TIME. SO A BAN ON SOMETHING THAT IS NOT INTERNAL, ACCORDING THE NFA 1968 LAW, IT IS NOT MAKING YOU AR, OR AK INTO A MACHINE GUN!
on buy backs they dont take names or any info down as its a no questions asked,
cash only policy…
how can a register be made from bump stocks when your personal info isnt given?
Im not in favor of any law that restricts or changes something,
I didnt turn in or modified my standard 15 round magazines when CaliFOREIGNia banned them and removed the grandfather clause….
MOLON LABE!!!
Why does the form ask what TYPE (rifle, shotgun, handgun) of weapon is being purchased? Secondly, how do the states (NY, CA, IL) get away with laws more restrictive than the feds? Can they restrict your other freedoms more so? No!