North Texas company destroys 60,000 bump stocks
FORT WORTH, Texas - One of the country’s largest bump stock retailers turned over its entire inventory to the government Tuesday to be destroyed.
RW Arms, which is based in Fort Worth, said it transferred about 60,000 bump stocks to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They were taken to a local facility to be shredded and recycled.
“As of March 26, all bump stocks are officially banned. Any remaining bump stocks must be destroyed and are illegal. Our remaining inventory is being crushed, but we’re not all down about it. We still have several top-name brand products available,” the company said on Facebook.
The Justice Department, on orders from President Donald Trump, banned the gun accessories that were used in a massacre in Las Vegas two years. Bump stocks make semi-automatic weapons fire rapidly, almost like a fully automatic.
“After Las Vegas, it is undeniable what they can do,” said Ed Scruggs, the vice chair of Texas Gun Sense. “It's undeniable the destructive power they had, so they had to act.”
But some Texas gun owners disagree.
“I'm going to comply, but I'm going to fight for everyone in the state of Texas and this country,” said Michael Cargill, a gun rights activist.
Cargill owns Central Texas Gun Works in Austin and is suing the ATF, the U.S. Attorney General and the Department of Justice. He says the decision to ban the bump stocks should be up to Congress. Other activists are appealing to members of the U.S Supreme Court.
“If you step on the rights of people who believe in the Second Amendment, then my job is to put my foot on your throat,” Cargill said.
Bryan Proctor is a retired Cleburne police investigator who now does firearms and active shooter training. He says enforcing the ban will be a legal nightmare and doesn't believe bump stocks are the problem.
“It's a novelty. It's not even a tool. The firearm itself is the tool,” he said. “When you're talking about the enforcement aspect, it's going to be virtually impossible. One thing you have an issue is you don't have a Texas law, for instance, that you're able to charge with something like that.”
Chief Justice John Roberts declined a request for the court to get involved Tuesday. A second request is pending in front of Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
All owners are being told to turn them in or destroy them. Those who don’t could face up to 10 years in federal prison or $250,000 in fines.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.