WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that federal ban on “bump stocks,” gun accessories that allow semi-automatic rifles to fire more quickly, is unlawful in a loss for the Biden administration. In a 6-3 ruling, the court held that an almost 100-year-old law aimed at banning machine guns cannot legitimately be interpreted to include bump stocks. Even with the federal ban out of the picture, bump stocks will still not be readily available nationwide.
Some gun rights advocates, including the National Rifle Association, initially backed President Donald Trump’s move to regulate bump stocks after the Las Vegas shooting, but have since lined up in opposition to it. The case does not implicate the scope of the right to bear arms under the Constitution’s Second Amendment. The challengers argue that the government does not have the authority to ban bump stocks under the 1934 law.