In February of 2026, a man from Texas was arrested in Florida for selling FRTs. This news story somehow flew past me. It’s seemingly the first time a person has been prosecuted under Florida’s bump stock ban. Yep, FRTs are bump stocks in Florida.
Florida Enforces Bump Stock Ban
One of the parting gifts from Florida’s Governor-turned-Senator Rick Scott was a wide range of gun control bills. He signed legislation that created waiting periods on all firearm purchases, raised the legal age to purchase a firearm to 21 for all guns, and banned bump stocks. The bump stock ban was more than a bump stock ban, thanks to how the legislation defines a bump stock.
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“As used in this section, the term “bump-fire stock” means a conversion kit, a tool, an accessory, or a device used to alter the rate of fire of a firearm to mimic automatic weapon fire or which is used to increase the rate of fire to a faster rate than is possible for a person to fire such semiautomatic firearm unassisted by a kit, a tool, an accessory of a device.”
With that being Florida’s legal definition of a bump stock, you can assume hand cranked devices are included, but more importantly, the entire gamut of Super Safeties, Binary Triggers, and Forced Reset Triggers is included. My first experience with an FRT was this year in Wyoming, and it made me despise what my state has become.
The Case Against FRTs
What’s even more disturbing is how the man was arrested. He was at a gun show in Palm Beach County, where two Deputies were working undercover. Yep, undercover cops at a perfectly legal event prowling as if they infiltrated a Hells Angels clubhouse.
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The vendor wasn’t making any attempt to hide what he was selling. This wasn’t a dude in a trench coat opening it to reveal FRTs. He had a booth, a table, and videos showcasing what he was selling. He even claimed to have documents showing the devices were legal.
My assumption is that he had the ATF decision letters mark the end of the FRT controversy. His big mistake was seemingly acknowledging that they were illegal in Florida, or at least that he couldn’t install them into a firearm in Florida.
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To be completely clear, an FRT does not make a machine gun. Much like how a bump stock does not make a machine gun. These devices simply make it easier to shoot faster. They forcefully reset the trigger of a semi-auto firearm.
Rare Breed Triggers, which was the first to produce FRTs, is a Florida company. They still operate in Florida as far as I know, but they can’t sell their products in their home state.
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My hope would be that he fights the charge and takes it to a court that recognizes it as a 2nd Amendment violation and overturns Florida’s stupid law. However, I doubt the guy has the time or money to make that happen. More than likely, he’ll take a plea because that’s the best thing for him to do.
Florida and FRTs
Most of Rick Scott’s disastrous legislation has been eliminated, but the bump stock ban remains. There is a bill to wipe it from the law, but it’s stuck in committee, where pro-gun bills go to die in Florida. Like most Florida gun owners, I’m hoping Ron DeSantis’ parting gift will be to wipe Rick Scott’s traitorous legislation from our great state, but I won’t hold my breath.
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