Rule Expanding ‘Machinegun’ Definition Struck by Texas Judge (2)

A Biden administration rule classifying firearms with added “forced reset triggers” as machine guns—effectively banning the rapid-fire accessory—was vacated by a federal trial court.

Judge Reed O’Connor, of the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas, said Tuesday that the ATF exceeded its authority in crafting the classification.

O’Connor said the ruling flowed from the June 2024 US Supreme Court decision tossing the federal ban on bump stocks, Garland v. Cargill.Like bump stocks, forced reset triggers enable semiautomatic weapons to fire rounds faster.

Cargill underscores that the definition of a machine gun “is solely ...