Full auto pistol gadget in the news

[Ichiban]

Looks like they are popular (and prevalent) with Chicago high schoolers. SMH

https://twitter.com/i/status/1569151954332286977

[HCM]

Seeing this stuff more and more.

[Caballoflaco]

@HCM it’s all lies, everybody knows criminals are too stupid to figure out the secret gun knowledge that military pattern rifles and full auto fire can be very useful tools for killing folks.

[Lex Luthier]

I forgot to mention that I got my first actual earful of one while at the daughter's house in the Lake Phalen district of St Paul.

We were all out in the backyard one evening around a firepit in early November, and somebody emptied a 'stendo within a half mile or so. It's a pretty unmistakable sound.
The grandkids didn't really take notice, but my daughter and son-in-law sure did.
No idea if it led to any arrests or what.

[jh9]

So actually prosecuting someone for possession here is usually federal not state because it's an NFA violation? And (until recently?) the USAO wouldn't prosecute someone caught with a small number of switches because they usually deal with Bigger Issues? Personnel/staffing shortages? Other?

The text there says "possession of a criminal instrument or security instrument" which is... TX state law? And the arrest here looks like city and county LE. (Nice job, btw.)

So putting that all together is this a case of state law being used because federal charges aren't on the table?

[RevolverRob]

So actually prosecuting someone for possession here is usually federal not state because it's an NFA violation? And (until recently?) the USAO wouldn't prosecute someone caught with a small number of switches because they usually deal with Bigger Issues? Personnel/staffing shortages? Other?

The text there says "possession of a criminal instrument or security instrument" which is... TX state law? And the arrest here looks like city and county LE. (Nice job, btw.)

So putting that all together is this a case of state law being used because federal charges aren't on the table?

A lot of states have laws on the books which criminalize possession of NFA items without those items being registered with the NFA. In other words, you can't have a machine gun in Texas unless it is NFA registered. That's a violation of state law, having an unregistered machine gun is violation of Federal law. Both could be prosecuted.

[jh9]

A lot of states have laws on the books which criminalize possession of NFA items without those items being registered with the NFA. In other words, you can't have a machine gun in Texas unless it is NFA registered. That's a violation of state law, having an unregistered machine gun is violation of Federal law. Both could be prosecuted.

Right. I think AL has similar wording somewhere (whereas AZ doesn't?) It seems to be a mixed bag depending on the state.

The whole "possession of a criminal instrument or security instrument" for selling switches is what sounds odd. That law sounds like something that would normally apply to what I think AL state law would call burglary tools. I'm wondering if those specific charges are an expediency because the bar for getting federal charges is too high and there is no other appropriate state law to use instead? Or if I'm just misreading what "possession of a criminal instrument or security instrument" actually means.