The National Rifle Association said its position on “bump stocks,” which modify semi-automatic guns to fire bullets more rapidly, has not changed, and the group will wait until the Trump administration has devised a rule that would ban the device before casting judgement.
“The NRA cannot comment until an actual rule is published with specifics that we can review. The NRA’s stance on this issue has not changed,” said Jennifer Baker, director of public affairs for the NRA-Institute for Legislative Action.
Baker’s statement came in response to President Trump instructing Attorney General Jeff Sessions to outline regulations that would outlaw bump stock devices that modify semi-automatic guns to fire at a higher rate akin to automatic firearms.
The order came after the deadly shooting at a high school in Parkland, Fla., last week which left 17 people dead. Authorities say the shooter used an AR-15-style gun in the attack, but there has been no indication that he used a bump stock.
A bump stock takes the place of the gun’s shoulder rest with a “support step,” which covers the trigger opening. When the shooter pulls the trigger, the recoil causes the gun to “bump” the trigger again.
The NRA previously put out a statement on bump stocks in October 2017, following the deadly shooting in Las Vegas in which a bump stock was used. The NRA said it wanted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to review whether “bump stocks” comply with federal law, and the organization indicated that it believed the devices should be subject to further regulations.
In the aftermath of the Florida shooting, calls for stricter gun controls have once again swept the nation, including a massive student protest planned for next month in Washington, D.C., which has received support from top Hollywood figures.
But in it’s statement Tuesday, reported by CBS News, the NRA said that outright banning semi-automatic rifles and accessories have failed to prevent criminal acts.
“Fully-automatic weapons have been heavily regulated since the 1930s, but banning semi-automatic firearms and accessories has been shown time and again to not prevent criminal activity and simply punishes the law-abiding for the criminal acts of others,” the NRA said.
Trump and Wayne LaPierre, the NRA’s executive vice president and CEO, are expected to address the Conservative Political Action Conference later this week.
