LOUISVILLE (WHAS11) – The federal ban on gun bump stocks takes effect on March 26.
It's now illegal to buy, sell, own or transfer the device that can essentially change a semi-automatic gun into an automatic, allowing multiple shots to be unleashed in a matter of seconds.
The Justice Department issued the ruling in December of 2018, but appeals are still fighting it.
What you need to know as the ban takes effect
The ban came when President Donald Trump vowed to outlaw them in early 2018, resulting in a regulatory change that classifies bump stocks as "machine guns."
The devices came under scrutiny after the October 2017 massacre in Las Vegas when a shooter used rifles fitted with bump stocks. Fifty-eight people were killed and hundreds of others were wounded.
How do the devices work?
The bump stock replaces the gun's shoulder rest and is attached to the back of rifles. When it fires the trigger is bumped so the user doesn't need to manually pull down on the firearm's trigger every time.
The bump allows semi-automatic guns to mimic automatic firearms by unleashing several shots in a matter of seconds with just one pull of the trigger.
Who does it affect?
Those who make, own or sell them. The Justice Department estimates at least 52,000 people own bump stocks.
When the ban initiated, owners were given 90 days to turn in or destroy them and that period ends today.
The Justice Department said owners should destroy the devices.
The ATF suggests cutting, crushing, melting or shredding it. You can also drop the devices off at an ATF field office which is in downtown Louisville.
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