So, bump stocks are now forbidden, and those who own them are ordered to turn them in or destroy them.\u00a0 Period. The ninety-day countdown is already underway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many thousands of law-abiding Americans criminalized with the proverbial stroke of the pen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not even an amnesty period in which to declare the oh-so-recently legal goods..<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No compensation that I can see, for many, many millions of dollars\u2019 worth of product. Owners are ordered to destroy them or turn them in to authorities.\u00a0 No other options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In theinterest of perspective: bump stocks were used in exactly ONE atrocity, the Las Vegas massacre of 2017.\u00a0 I do not own one and never saw a need to.\u00a0 I see the bump stock as a novelty product in the firearms world, a range toy as it were.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But it\u2019s not about the bump stocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s about the precedent this order sets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The bumpstocks had been approved by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives during the Obama administration.\u00a0People bought them in good faith because the United States Government said they could.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Quite apart from the Second Amendment, I think there should be other succor to be found in the Bill of Rights, because this action is about confiscation without compensation of property legally purchased and responsibly owned.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s next? Only a naif <\/em>would ignore the likelihood of the same action being taken against arm braces for AR15-style handguns. Or for shotshell-using firearms of the Mossberg Shockwave persuasion, probably more sooner than later if the bump stock ban stands. And, of course, the semiautomatics\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Predictably the other side in this culture war will say, \u201cScrew you gun nuts, we hate you and you shouldn\u2019t have guns anyway.\u201d And to Slippery slope. Unintended consequences. Insert additional clich\u00e9s as necessary. The We\u2019re seeing something similar in New Jersey with its new, complete ban on any magazine holding over ten rounds, and we\u2019ll discuss that next time.<\/p>