The VSO Gun Channel recently examined forced reset triggers (FRTs), a class of aftermarket devices that increase a semi-automatic firearm’s rate of fire without converting it into a machine gun. Host commentary, delivered after extensive hands-on testing of every major product—including new “Super Safety” variants at Gun Con—concludes that the devices are functionally and legally distinct from traditional auto-sears yet deliver comparable speed advantages to end users.
Pros
- Significant increase in cyclic rate while remaining within the statutory definition of a semi-automatic firearm.
- Political leverage: widespread ownership undercuts regulatory narratives and pressures the NRA’s credibility on the issue.
- Legal clarity for Rare Breed products following last year’s settlement with the Department of Justice, shielding distributors and retailers from enforcement actions.
Cons and Cautions
- ATF Director Robert Sketa clarified that the settlement applies narrowly to Rare Breed’s FRT-15; other designs remain subject to case-by-case review and could still be classified as machine guns.
- Installing an FRT in a pistol is explicitly discouraged by the settlement terms and could expose users to federal enforcement if discovered during unrelated investigations.
- Competing “fast pew” products lack the same legal safe harbor, creating a lose-lose scenario for manufacturers seeking ATF clarification.
Key Quotes
- “The only product that I recommend that you use is the Rare Breed product.”
- “The rate of fire, unfortunately, is not what the statute defines the machine gun by.”
- “Someone at some point in the time in the future… somebody’s going to jail over one of those pistols with the FRT thing.”
While the host acknowledges the long-term strategic value of civil disobedience, he stresses that not every act comes without personal cost and urges viewers to weigh legal exposure before purchasing or modifying firearms with forced reset technology.
