ATF Tries To Ban Forced Reset Triggers As People Begin To 3D Print At Home

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) has been coming after the Orlando-based Rare Breed Triggers (RBT), the manufacturer of a drop-in AR-15 forced reset trigger since last summer. 

Everyone in the gun-rights world has been following the ATF’s attack on RBT. The Feds say RBT’s FRT-15 (forced reset trigger for an AR-15 platform) is classified as a “machine gun,” but the company claims otherwise. 

Less than two weeks ago, Gun Owners of America, one of the most prominent pro-gun organizations, published an alleged leaked internal ATF email documenting plans to start seizing lawfully-owned FRT-15s from manufacturers and resellers. RBT’s president Lawrence Demonico responded to the leaked memo and said while he couldn’t confirm it, “I can tell you we’ve received word from one dealer in Illinois late yesterday afternoon stating that the ATF visited him and handed him a cease and desist order and seized FRT-15 triggers.” 

The ATF under the Biden administration is getting bolder and could rule by executive fiat on new guidelines for gun braces, serialized uppers, and 80% lowers as early as spring. The Feds are also pursuing the ban of forced reset triggers. Many in the gun community have a bad feeling about an overreaching ATF ahead of midterms as President Biden must appease his anti-gun base. 

With that aside, we enter the world of 3D printing and how the gun community has embraced this technology over recent years to stay one step ahead of the ATF. This brings us to one YouTuber named “Hoffman Tactical,” who released a video days ago explaining how he 3D-printed a forced reset trigger. 

Parts for the drop-in trigger can easily be printed at home. 

The video starts with an individual shooting an AR-15 with a custom 3D printed “FRT” trigger. One can noticeably tell the forced reset trigger speeds up the rate of fire. The remainder of the video explains the design and printing of the trigger. 

Our point is no matter how much effort the Biden administration puts into banning guns and accessories through executive fiat. There is a rapidly growing community of law-abiding citizens 3D printing and evolving gun designs in their basements with 3D printers found on Amazon and free CAD software online, along with countless forums for discussion among other enthusiasts. Technology is far outpacing the ATF and is a countermeasure to make sure government doesn’t overstep its boundaries. 

“The interesting thing about the design of this 3D Forced Reset Trigger is that there are only three small 3d printed components that integrate with a regular or “mil-spec” trigger group. If you looked at the 3D printed components, you’d have no idea they’re even gun parts. This is why the ATF has their new rule changes they will be trying to implement in the spring, trying to cast the widest regulatory net possible. With 3d printing and home builds, who’s to say what is, and isn’t a gun? Will the ATF regulate blocks of aluminum as 0% receivers, or will they make a push to regulate source code or books on 3d printing and CAD files. Ultimately the ATF is fighting a battle that it cannot win without a major increase in its power over taxpayers, which the Biden administration has continuously asked for from congress, but is unlikely to receive,” said gun advocacy group The Machine Gun Nest. 

So what can the ATF do about law-abiding citizens printing guns and accessories at home? Ban printers? Regulate PLA purchases? Ban the ability to share CAD files?