Weekly Wrap: ATF Wins Bump Stock Appeal & Gun Industry Pays Record $300M in Conservation

Welcome to a weekly series here on Pew Pew Tactical dedicated to the gun news you need to know.

So, keep reading for this week’s notable news headlines…

Federal Appeals Court Rules in Favor of ATF Over Bump Stock Ban

A federal appeals court ruled in favor of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Tuesday, backing the federal agency on its stance regarding bump stocks.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit upheld a 2019 federal ban on bump stocks, ruling that guns fitted with these devices qualify as machine guns.

A bump stock is an accessory that allows the gun’s stock to move forward and back as the gun is fired – thus using a firearm’s recoil to allow the shooter’s finger to press rapidly against the trigger, firing faster.

On the other hand, the ATF previously defined a machine gun as a firearm that fires more than one bullet with a single pull of the trigger.

A bump stock does not make a gun fire more than one round at a time; it simply speeds up the shooter’s ability to pull the trigger.

Former President Donald Trump vowed to ban the devices after a bump stock was used in a shooting at a country music festival in Las Vegas in 2017.

The following year, the ATF announced it was reclassifying guns equipped with bump stocks as machine guns and placing them under the National Firearms Act and Gun Control Act – effectively banning them.

Several gun rights groups mounted a defense, suing the Agency over the bump stock ruling.

Firearms Policy Coalition said the decision to side with the ATF was disappointing but that the organization intends to continue the fight.

"We are disappointed but not surprised at the result," Erik Jaffe told Reuters. "We think the court made a number of factual and legal errors that we plan in pointing out in further appellate proceedings."

Worth noting that a U.S. military court sided in favor of bump stocks earlier this year, ruling that the devices do not meet the ATF’s definition of machine guns.

“While the ATF, like other executive agencies, is allowed to change its mind about how it interprets its governing statutes and agency rules, its dramatic about-face indicates the statute is less than crystal clear about what exactly is a machine gun,” the judges held.

Firearms Industry Doles Out Record-Setting $300M in Conservation Fees

The gun and ammo industry handed out a record-setting $300 million in conservation fees in the first quarter of 2022, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

This sum is the most-ever firearm and ammo excise tax for the first quarter of any year says the trade group.

The funds were collected under the Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act. Under the act, an 11% excise tax is placed on the wholesale price of long guns and ammunition, and a 10% tax is placed on handguns.

Fees are paid by manufacturers, producers, and importers. Including the $300 million, the firearms industry has paid a total of $15.3 billion since 1937.

“This is proof, yet again, that the firearm industry is a leader in wildlife conservation,” the NSSF said in a post on its site.

“These 10 to 11 percent excise tax dollars collected since 1937 under the Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act are designated to be used by state wildlife agencies for conservation.”

The Department of Treasury’s Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax Collection Report showed that $103.4 million in taxes was due to pistols and revolvers, $88.4 million came from long guns or other firearms, and $108.7 million was the result of ammunition.

The funds eventually reach the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for distribution. Last year, the service doled out over $1.5 billion, with $1.1 billion sourced from the gun industry for wildlife conservation.

These efforts, in turn, help the industry as they can be used to increase access to public lands for hunting and shooting.

TriggrCon Moves to Kansas (And PPT Will Be There!)

TriggrCon takes on the Midwest as it moves from Seattle, Washington, to Fall River, Kansas.

The firearms show sees an array of exhibitors convene in the Sunflower State at the Flint Oak Hunting Lodge on Oct. 7 and 8 to show off their guns and gear to the public.

Among the exhibitors set to appear:

• Aero Precision
• Angstadt Arms
• Apex Tactical
• Cobalt Kinetics
• Dead Foot Arms
• Franklin Armory
• IWI
• JP Enterprises
• Maxim Defense
• Nighthawk Custom
• POF USA
• Polymer 80
• Primary Arms
• Silencer Central
• SilencerCo
• Swampfox Optics
• Timney Triggers
• Vortex Optics

In addition to exhibitor space, the event will also host a range where attendees can try their hand at various guns, parts, and accessories.

Cost is $25 for enthusiast access, which will give attendees full access to all range and exhibitor areas on both days.

“We look forward to welcoming back our industry, media and fellow enthusiasts, we will see you at the show,” the organizers said on their website.

Though the show is a place for gun and gear makers to display their goodies, TriggrCon also welcomes gun media. And, yes, Pew Tactical will be there!

For more information, check out the TriggrCon website.  

What do you think of the headlines above? Let us know in the comments. Also, catch up on other Weekly Wraps or news in our News Category.