Are forced-reset triggers illegal machine guns? ATF and gun rights advocates at odds in court fights

By DAVE COLLINS
Associated Press

Another rapid-fire gun device that is worrying federal government officials is being put to the test in lawsuits in New York City and Texas. The forced-reset trigger introduced by Rare Breed Triggers in late 2020 has been deemed an illegal machine gun by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The ATF says the trigger can make an AR-15-style rifle fire as fast as a military M-16 machine gun. The ATF is suing Rare Breed in federal court in New York City on civil fraud allegations. Rare Breed denies any wrongdoing, saying the trigger is semi-automatic. A gun rights group, meanwhile, is suing the ATF in federal court in Texas for its classification of forced-reset triggers as illegal.