Great Lakes Wire

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has announced a significant legal victory following her lawsuit with a coalition of 16 attorneys general. The Trump Administration has agreed to exclude Michigan from its plans to distribute machine-gun conversion devices (MCD) across the United States. These devices, known as Forced Reset Triggers (FRTs), significantly increase a firearm's rate of fire, effectively turning it into a fully automatic weapon.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) confirmed in court that FRTs will not be returned to Michigan or other plaintiff states. Rare Breed Triggers, the largest supplier of FRTs in the country, also confirmed it would halt sales in these states. Consequently, the coalition is withdrawing its motion for a preliminary injunction based on these assurances.

"These dangerous conversion devices have no place in our communities, and I am proud that our legal efforts have ensured they are kept out of Michigan," Nessel stated. "This outcome shows that when we challenge reckless and illegal federal actions, we can protect lives."

Machine-gun conversion devices like FRTs have been linked to violent crimes and mass shootings in recent years. They allow firearms to exceed the firing rate of many military machine guns, with the capability to shoot up to 20 bullets per second. The ATF has reported a 1,400% increase in incidents involving MCDs from 2019 through 2021.

Besides Michigan, other states involved include Delaware, Maryland, Colorado, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.