As Democrats and even some Republicans test the waters on taking legislative action against bump stocks—a device that effectively turns semi-automatic rifles into firing like automatic weapons—the National Rifle Association took several days before it came up with a response. There's a reason, writes Politico:
Many firing ranges, including the one at National Rifle Association headquarters, ban the use of bump fire systems like that used by Las Vegas shooter Stephen Paddock, according to firearms experts.
While bump stocks dramatically increase the rate at which bullets are released, they also significantly decrease the accuracy of the weapon.
By Thursday afternoon, NRA leaders Wayne LaPierre and Chris Cox finally came up with a solution, calling on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to "review" whether the bump stocks comply with existing law.
In the same statement, the NRA also called on Congress to pass a so-called “reciprocity” law that would "force states to recognize concealed carry weapon permits from other states." Because of course they did.
But the NRA’s preference for regulating rather than legislating against bump stocks is notable. The ATF found in 2010 that the device was "a firearm part" and therefore "is not regulated as a firearm under the Gun Control Act or the National Firearms Act.”
Within less than an hour of the NRA statement, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders was at the podium saying the White House is "very open to" a conversation on regulating bump stocks.
If this feels orchestrated to you, it likely is. The NRA appears to want to avoid a legislative battle over a device it ban from its own firing range. But finding a regulatory fix has another advantage—it would be much easier to change the regulation in the future than it would be to overturn or repeal legislation passed by Congress.
Apparently, the NRA doesn’t think it can mount a legitimate defense of bump stocks in the aftermath of the Las Vegas massacre—or perhaps that was the word they got back from GOP lawmakers.