FRT Legal? (Read 2977 times)

Frog

FRT Legal?
« on: May 16, 2025, 12:01:39 PM »
So are forced reset triggers legal now?

Flapp_Jackson

Re: FRT Legal?
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2025, 12:49:08 PM »
So are forced reset triggers legal now?
The technical answer is no, but the effective answer at the national level is yes.  The ATF will not be enforcing their opinion that an FRT is classified as a "machine gun," making it legal for FRTs to be made, bought, sold, possessed and installed.

However, the ATF did get a partial win in that FRTs cannot be designed to be used in handguns.

That settlement only applies to certain groups of people including the National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR) members and members of Texas Gun Rights (TXGR) plus anyone that is part of Rare Breed Triggers (RBT).  More details in the video.

Even if not a member of any named claimant, the ATF must return ALL FRTs they confiscated.  Anyone wanting their FRTs back must contact the ATF to request it.

The Hawaii-specific answer is "still probably not legal here."  Even though the ATF is not enforcing the "machine gun" laws that banned FRTs, they are not changing their opinion or classification.  So, by deductive trickery, if the ATF says FRTs are machine guns, and Hawaii bans machine guns, then it's still illegal here.  Hawaii bans all NFA-controlled items such as machine guns, suppressors, SBRs, and so on with certain exceptions for LE/Military.

I browsed the HRS §134-8.5 definitions, and it looks like that specific section doesn't apply to FRTs.  The prohibited items they describe don't function like an FRT.

Quote
  [§134-8.5]  Bump fire stock, multiburst trigger activator, or trigger crank; prohibition.  (a)  Any person in this State who manufactures or causes to be manufactured, imports into the State, keeps for sale, or offers or exposes for sale, or who gives, lends, or possesses any bump fire stock, multiburst trigger activator, or trigger crank shall be guilty of a class C felony.

     (b)  As used in this section:

     "Bump fire stock" means a butt stock designed to be attached to a semiautomatic firearm and designed, made, or altered to increase the rate of fire achievable with such firearm by using energy from the recoil of the firearm to generate a reciprocating action that facilitates repeated activation of the trigger.

     "Multiburst trigger activator" means:

     (1)  A device that simulates automatic gunfire by allowing standard function of a semiautomatic firearm with a static positioned trigger finger or a device that fires multiple shots with the pull and release of the trigger; or

     (2)  A manual or power-driven trigger activating device constructed and designed so that when attached to a semiautomatic firearm it simulates automatic gunfire.

     "Trigger crank" means any device to be attached to a semiautomatic firearm that repeatedly activates the trigger of the firearm through the use of a lever or other part that is turned in a circular motion, but does not include any firearm initially designed and manufactured to fire through the use of a crank or lever. [L 2018, c 157, §1]
https://data.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol03_Ch0121-0200D/HRS0134/HRS_0134-0008_0005.htm

An FRT requires a trigger press with each round fired.  That doesn't conform to a "multiburst" operation, and the only device that includes an increased rate of fire description is the bump stock.

So, ATF still calls an FRT a machine gun, but it's not something the ATF will be enforcing.

I'm not a lawyer, but I know of one ...

The reasonable man adapts himself to the world;
the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.
Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.
-- George Bernard Shaw

BriannaHuffx

Re: FRT Legal?
« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2025, 12:45:04 AM »
I ended up going with the WOT version after reading more about it. The frt trigger runs great as long as you stay on top of cleaning and use decent ammo. Mine’s gone through a few hundred rounds without hiccups. Just make sure you’re using it where it's legal—some folks forget that part and get into trouble.
« Last Edit: September 02, 2025, 01:35:16 AM by BriannaHuffx »

Flapp_Jackson

Re: FRT Legal?
« Reply #3 on: August 27, 2025, 11:36:44 AM »
I ordered mine on a Monday and got it the following Tuesday, so just about a week. Shipping was through USPS, and tracking worked fine the whole way.
Did you have it delivered to a PO Box registered under a fake name?

 :geekdanc:
The reasonable man adapts himself to the world;
the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.
Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man.
-- George Bernard Shaw

notMYguns

Re: FRT Legal?
« Reply #4 on: August 27, 2025, 08:38:14 PM »
From my interpretation of the Hawaii law, they are illegal but the way its written leaves some gray area around FRTs.  If someone knows otherwise please let me know so i can order one asap lol

Begle1

Re: FRT Legal?
« Reply #5 on: September 02, 2025, 11:25:05 AM »
So what about super safeties? Are they in the same boat as FRT's?