NJ Secures Ban on Return and Sale of Machine Gun Conversion Devices

TRENTON, N.J. — Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced today that New Jersey has secured critical commitments from the federal government and private firearms manufacturers to prevent the return or sale of machine gun conversion devices—specifically Forced Reset Triggers (FRTs)—within the state. The resolution follows a lawsuit filed by Platkin and 15 other Attorneys General aimed at halting the redistribution of thousands of these dangerous devices, which are designed to convert semi-automatic firearms into machine guns capable of firing at extremely high speeds.

The litigation stemmed from a recent move by the Trump-era Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), which had signaled its intent to stop enforcing federal prohibitions on these devices and redistribute previously seized FRTs. The plaintiff States, led by New Jersey, challenged this approach in federal court in June 2024, citing public safety risks associated with the unregulated use of machine-gun conversion technology.

In court filings, the ATF has now formally confirmed that it will not return FRTs to recipients located in New Jersey or any of the other plaintiff jurisdictions. Additionally, Rare Breed Triggers (RBT)—the largest known U.S. seller of FRTs—has agreed in its court filings to cease sales of these devices in the 16 states and territories involved in the lawsuit.

As a result of these binding representations, the multistate coalition has withdrawn its motion for a preliminary injunction, satisfied that the ATF and RBT will comply with the plaintiffs’ core demands.

Machine gun conversion devices like FRTs dramatically increase a firearm’s rate of fire, often exceeding that of military-grade machine guns. These devices enable semi-automatic weapons to fire up to 20 rounds per second, significantly enhancing the lethality of civilian firearms. According to ATF data, the use of MCDs has surged by 1,400% from 2019 through 2021, and they have been increasingly linked to mass shootings and violent crime across the United States.

Attorney General Platkin emphasized the urgent need for strict regulation of these devices, which he characterized as a growing threat in the ongoing fight against gun violence.

“These commitments are a major victory for the residents of New Jersey and our partner states who would have been endangered by thousands of machine-gun conversion devices being put out on our streets,” said Attorney General Matt Platkin. “Our strong common-sense gun safety laws and actions have already led to years of record-low shootings, and the commitments we have secured since filing our lawsuit will protect our residents from deadly automatic weapons. I will never hesitate to stand up and fight for their safety.”

The case was handled on behalf of New Jersey by Solicitor General Jeremy Feigenbaum, Deputy Solicitor General Shankar Duraiswamy, and a team of Deputy Attorneys General, including Marie Cepeda Mekosh, Chris Ioannou, Max Lesser, Justine Longa, Amanda McElfresh, Nathaniel Rubin, and Lucy Sprague.

In addition to New Jersey, the multistate coalition includes Delaware, Maryland, Colorado, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

This outcome underscores the power of coordinated legal action by states to push back against federal deregulation when public safety is at risk and reaffirms New Jersey’s ongoing leadership role in confronting gun violence at both the state and national levels.

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