My FRT Dilemma
Been talking about this on pod for a few weeks. One of our reference collection acquisitions, unbeknownst to me, showed up with a FRT style trigger in it. Specially a Hoffman Tactical Super Safety.
While I am familiar with the term FRT, Hoffman is a completely new name around here.
Not having followed the FRT arguments closely, this caused me great concern. Are these legal? Are they banned? Will they be banned? Am I on some kind of list? Are Super Safeties different legally than FRTs? Will I get a letter from the BAFTE? Will I get a visit from the BATFE? Will the BATFE shoot my dog?
While that last statement is a little facetious, it’s not entirely unwarranted or completely out of the realm of possibility. As someone who has never even dick’ed with pistol braces, the ins and outs of this FRT debate are completely foreign to me. But after talking to some folks and doing some research, here is where I am now:
-I guess the DOJ has backed off prosecuting these.
-Some lower level court has ruled they are not machine guns in a specific prosecution.
-It appears the DOJ has given letters to FRT saying their product is fine.
-It is my understanding that Hoffman and FRT are in some kind of snit with each other over designs and patents of FRTs.
So as of right now, I am going to keep the Hoffman in the gun. We will fire it and figure out how to use it. If we decide to switch out the Hoffman for a selector style FRT, we will keep the Hoffman in inventory incase one day The BATFE comes looking for it.
Final thoughts: It is my belief the NFA is unconstitutional. It is my belief the Hughes Amendment is unconstitutional. It is my hope the FRT break through, at the very least, reopens the NFA registry. But even then, as more and more of these FRTs make their way through society; the argument the feds make about machine guns being rare and dangerous is undercut by the very claim that FRTs are machine guns.
Or…let me put it in pistol brace terms: If there are 400,000 FRTs out in the wild; with more and more being sold everyday? What is the justification for the NFA when all it does is make historical and rare machine guns difficult and expensive to own?
Instead of freaking out over one showing up unexpectedly? Maybe I should run out and buy a 100 of them on principle alone.
Sincerely,
Marky
www.John1911.com
“Shooting Guns & Having Fun”
Areas of focus: Defense and National Security, Modern Light Weapons, Small Arms, Weapons Training.
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