Let’s Talk About “Bump Stocks”

After the horrific shooting and loss of life in Las Vegas, bump stocks have been cast into the National spotlight. The shooter reportedly had 12 weapons that had bump stocks installed. There are many people that have never even heard about bump stocks. I will go over bump stocks and what they do and how they do it.

What is a “bump stock”? It is a gun stock that uses the simple recoil action of a semi-automatic rifle to simulate fully automatic firing.
How does a “bump stock” operate? The stock is a fairly simple design. It is essentially a 2 piece stock that allows your weapon to slide back and forth inside of a channel much like a set of train tracks. When the gun goes off, the weapon recoils back and the shooter pushes the gun forward which makes another round go off and the gun goes back forward bumping the trigger. This is where the term “bump stock” comes to play. The gun simply rides freely inside of the sliding stock.
Why own a “bump stock”? It is purely for fun. It is cool to shoot a semi-automatic weapon and add this stock to it and it will feel as though you are shooting a fully automatic weapon. It is not something I would want on a home security weapon, as they are extremely inaccurate.
Are “bump stocks” legal? The simple answer is YES. They can be purchased from $50-$125 or so. Your typical AR platform is capable of fully automatic fire right out of the box with just a few minor modifications. However the law forbids this and they are built semi auto instead of fully auto. This little gadget will make your weapon seem to be just that- fully auto. I have heard that in some states you have to have the piece of paper that come with the stocks everywhere you have the weapon. I am not sure about all of that. But they are currently legal.
Who can install a “bump stock”? Just about anyone who tinkers with guns can install a bump stock. It is a fairly simple process that should only take 15-30 minutes. You don’t have to take your weapon to a specialty shop to have it installed.
Will they outlaw “bump stocks”? I really don’t know about this one. I can see where some lawmakers are already calling for them to be outlawed, but there are many hurdles to overcome before this takes place.

In my opinion the bump stock was designed as a novelty to go shoot cans or paper and listen to the brass fly and send rounds down range in a fully automatic fashion. Who would have thought that some lunatic would utilize them to fire upon hundreds of innocent concert goers?

I am sure there will be many debates to come in the near future regarding the subject. I don’t really know where to stand on the issue, but no law is going to stop people like this man who was hell bent on mass carnage and loss of life. This was and is a senseless tragedy with horrific images being shown on TV and the internet. Let’s just not rush to judge, jury and convict a bolt on stock device for the actions of a mad man.

Fortuna Paratus Remunerat= Fortune Favors the Prepared.

Shane Smith