Supreme Court Forces ATF to Un-Machine-Gun the Bump Stock Ban
Published Date: 5/6/2026
Rule
Summary
The ATF is updating its rules to fix the definition of "machine gun" after the Supreme Court said bump stocks don’t count as machine guns. This change affects gun owners and dealers by removing bump stocks from the machine gun category, effective May 6, 2026. No new fees or costs are involved, just clearer rules that follow the law.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Bump Stocks No Longer 'Machine Guns'
On May 6, 2026, ATF removed the sentences in 27 CFR parts 447, 478, and 479 that had classified bump-stock-type devices as "machine guns." If you own or buy bump stocks, they are no longer listed as machine guns under these regulatory definitions, and the rule states there are no new fees or costs from this change.
Market Production and Sales Restored
ATF estimates bump stock production of 62,084 units per year and used an average retail price of $330 (2025 dollars) to calculate a minimum annualized benefit of $20,487,720 and $204,877,200 over ten years from restoring bump stocks to the accessories market.
Surrendered Bump Stocks Eligible for Retrieval
Approximately 965 bump stocks were turned into ATF after the 2018 rule; the agency states those who turned them in have been provided the opportunity to retrieve them, allowing owners to recover property.
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Key Dates
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