ATF Machine Gun Definition — Bump Stock Removal (Garland v. Cargill Conforming Rule)

Current understanding

ATF is amending 27 CFR to remove bump-stock-type devices from the regulatory definition of ‘machine gun,’ conforming its regulations to the Supreme Court’s decision in Garland v. Cargill (2024), which held that semiautomatic firearms equipped with bump stocks do not meet the statutory definition of a machine gun under the National Firearms Act and Gun Control Act. The action is a conforming final rule rather than a policy shift; it implements the Court’s mandate. Status: final rule; fiscal implications are limited to ATF administrative updates and removal of enforcement exposure for bump-stock possession under the machine gun framework.

Evidence log

• 2026-05-06 — Revising Machine Gun Definition in Response to Supreme Court Decision: cross-connection with atf-stabilizing-brace-rule-rescission: Both are ATF rulemakings unwinding prior firearms classifications following adverse court rulings — bump stocks per Garland v. Cargill and stabilizing braces per APA challenges to the 2023 factoring-criteria rule. (novelty: 2)

Open questions

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