As written, SB 492 will ban the manufacture, sale, ownership and use of:
” A manual or power-driven trigger activating device constructed and designed so that when attached to a semiautomatic firearm it increases the rate of fire of that firearm.“
So what is this? Well, first of all you need to know that a semi-automatic firearm only fires one cartridge for a single pull of the trigger. The trigger must be released and pressed again to discharge another cartridge. Unlike machineguns, semi-automatic firearms do NOT have a stated cyclic rate. That is, they do not have a rounds per minute specification. The speed with which a so called “bump stock” equipped firearm can be fired will differ between different shooters who have different skill levels. This is precisely because the firearm is only discharging one cartridge per single pull of the trigger. This is the textbook definition of a SEMI-automatic. These firearms hating legislators are focusing on banning something, anything, especially in an election year. We are counting on you, the grassroots gun owner to help us stop them!
However, banning a “… trigger activating device constructed and designed so that when attached to a semiautomatic firearm it increases the rate of fire of that firearm“ will ban all sorts of firearms parts and accessories.
Consider that a match grade trigger reduces the amount of pressure that is required to discharge a semi-automatic firearm. Could that reduced weight be considered to increase the rate of fire? Or what about one of the aftermarket AR 15 bolt carriers that are intended to increase reliability by ensuring that the rifle properly goes into battery after each and every shot; could that part be considered to increase the rate of fire? What would be a prosecutors position if you installed a heavier than normal spring in a 1911 style pistol? Could that be considered to increase the rate of fire? We don’t know. What we do know is that law abiding citizens should not be considered criminals in waiting for merely possessing one of these parts. We must stop SB 492.
SB 492 allows Senator Woodburn and his gun banning friends to ban all semi-automatic firearms and accesories without actually saying so, because saying he is banning guns would probably lead to widespread opposition within Senate District 1.
One of the key principles that NHFC has always maintained is that gun control (including controls on parts and accessories) is worthless for stopping, or even lowering, crime (just look at Chicago). Gun control only infringes on the rights, safety, and security of good people, while handing a major tactical advantage to criminals or empowering political tyrants who wish to dominate a society. I ask, when did a criminal ever say “Oh I can’t use that gun to go commit a crime, the trigger is modified and that is illegal”? Senator Woodburn and his cabel of cosponsors probably know this but they hate firearms and the people who own them so much that they are attempting a backdoor ban on semi-autos.
In short, Senator Woodburn is perfectly happy to put you in jail for a possessory only offense. No other action needs to occur for a person to be charged under the Woodburn semi-auto ban. That’s right, no assault, no one needs to be shot, the only crime created by SB 492 is a possessory only offense. I fail to understand how that will make anyone safer.
SB 492 has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee but a hearing has not yet been scheduled. The purpose of this email is to let you know what is happening in Concord and to remind you to watch your inbox and please take action when we request it.
Thanks for your support!
In liberty,
President – NHFC, Inc.
