Key takeaways:
- The Supreme Court agreed to hear a case concerning a Trump-era ban on so-called “bump stocks,” a firearms modification.
- The case was brought by Texas-based gun owner and licensed dealer Michael Cargill, who owned two bump stocks before the ban went into effect.
- The Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case is likely to be closely watched by gun rights activists and gun control advocates alike.
The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a case concerning a Trump-era ban on so-called “bump stocks,” a firearms modification that increases the rate of fire of semi-automatic rifles. The ban arose from a rule issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) in 2018 that expanded the definition of “machine gun” prohibited under the National Firearms Act to include bump stocks.
The case, known as Garland v. Cargill, was brought by Texas-based gun owner and licensed dealer Michael Cargill, who owned two bump stocks before the ban went into effect and later surrendered them to the government. The Biden administration and gun rights activists asked the court to take up the issue, with lower courts reaching differing conclusions on it.
The Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case comes just months after the conservative-majority high court issued a major ruling in June 2022 that expanded gun rights. The ruling struck down a New York City ordinance that had restricted the transport of handguns outside the city limits.
The Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case is likely to be closely watched by gun rights activists and gun control advocates alike. It is unclear when the court will hear the case or when it will issue a ruling. However, the court’s decision to take up the case could signal that it is ready to consider more gun rights cases in the future.
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