On December 18, 2018, Donald Trump’s move to ban bump stocks was issued by the Department of Justice and subsequently published in the Federal Register on December 26th. The new ruling classified the bump stock as a “machine gun”, thereby making it illegal to possess after March 26th, 2019. 

The new ruling gave owners of bump stocks 90 days to enjoy the product in their possession, after which they would be required by law to destroy or turn over the product to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Failure to comply could result in up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each bump stock in their possession.

The client was faced with a major dilemma. Bump stocks made up approximately 40% of their sales in the months leading up to the bump stock ban. As the sole retailer of this product, they sold as much of the remaining inventory leading up to the final day the bump stock ban took effect.

We were on the ground that day as the retailer turned over to the ATF approximately 70,000 bump stocks that remained in inventory. They were destroyed at a local recycler using heavy machinery which reduced the stocks to chips. We captured the event on video and photo to document the entire experience, while simultaneously handling the backlash on social media from pro-gun supporters and anti-gun activists. We even drove a flatbed truck to their warehouse when one of the drivers failed to show up to the event.