Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/23pdf/22-976_e29g.pdf
Page Number: 29.0

Cite as:  602 U. S. ____ (2024) 

5 

SOTOMAYOR, J., dissenting 

Tr. of Oral Arg. 39.  A professional sport shooter can use the 
AR–15 to fire at a rate of up to 180 rounds per minute, pull-
ing the trigger three times per second.  Giffords Brief 14. 
  A  shooter  can  also  manually  “bump”  an  AR–15  to  in-
crease the rate of fire by using a belt loop or rubber band to 
hold his trigger finger in place and harness the recoil from 
the first shot to fire the rifle continuously.  See 83 Fed. Reg. 
66532–66533 (2018).  To use a belt loop, he must hold the 
rifle low against his hip, put his finger in the trigger guard, 
and then loop his finger through a belt loop on his pants to 
lock the finger in place.  See id., at 66533.  With his other 
hand, he then pushes the rifle forward until his stationary 
finger  engages  the  trigger  to  fire  the  first  shot.    See  ibid.  
The  recoil  from  that  shot  pushes  the  rifle  violently  back-
ward.  See ibid.  If the shooter keeps pressing the rifle for-
ward against the finger in his belt loop, the repeated back-
ward jump of the recoil combined with his forward pressure 
allows  the  rifle  to  fire  continuously.    See  ibid.    A  shooter 
using  this  method,  however,  cannot  shoot  very  precisely.  
He  has  neither  the  advantage  of  the  sights  to  line  up  his 
shot, nor his shoulder to stabilize the recoil.  A shooter can 
also use a rubber band or zip tie to tie a finger close to the 
trigger.    See  id.,  at  66532.    If  the  shooter  is  strong  and 
skilled enough physically to control the distance and direc-
tion of the rifle’s significant recoil, the rifle will fire contin-
uously. 
  A bump stock automates and stabilizes the bump firing 
process.    It  replaces  a  rifle’s  standard  stock,  which  is  the 
part held against the shoulder.  See id., at 66516.  A bump 
stock, unlike a standard stock, allows the rifle’s upper as-
sembly to slide back and forth in the stock.  See ibid.  It also 
typically  includes  a  finger  rest  on  which  the  shooter  can 
place his finger while shooting, and a “receiver module” that 
guides  and  regulates  the  weapon’s  recoil.    Ibid.    To  fire  a 
semiautomatic  rifle  equipped  with  a  bump  stock,  the 
shooter either pulls the trigger, see ibid., or slides the gun