# How many bumpstocks were sold before the ban\* **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 10, 2018, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-bumpstocks-were-sold-before-the-ban/824288 "2018-11-10T09:26:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-bumpstocks-were-sold-before-the-ban/824288/1 "2018-11-10T09:26:52Z")
In the immediate aftermath of the Vegas shooting, all the buzz was that bumpstocks should & would be banned. Then reports came out that sales had skyrocketed & gun stores couldn’t keep them in stock. I’ve been trying to find out just how many are out there, or at least how many sold after the Vegas shooter made them famous. So does anyone know? \*I’m assuming they are officially banned because I tried to find where to buy them and all the sites said ‘Orders Ceased’ or something to that effect. ---
**Author:** ![Mangosteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Mangosteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangosteen)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-bumpstocks-were-sold-before-the-ban/824288/2 "2018-11-10T22:16:09Z")
A ban on things like bumpstocks only drives sales underground and creates a black market. Legit gun shops and local tax collection are the only losers. Actual sales probably continue at a normal pace or even increase because of the ban. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2018, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-bumpstocks-were-sold-before-the-ban/824288/3 "2018-11-10T22:25:15Z")
> [@Mangosteen](#): > > A ban on things like bumpstocks only drives sales underground and creates a black market. > > Legit gun shops and local tax collection are the only losers. Actual sales probably continue at a normal pace or even increase because of the ban. **Moderator Note** The question at hand is this: > [@](#): > > \*\* I’ve been trying to find out just how many [bump stocks] are out there, or at least how many sold after the Vegas shooter made them famous. So does anyone know? \*\* Please stick strictly to the question in the OP. We don’t need a debate over the effectiveness of gun control or of gun accessories. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-bumpstocks-were-sold-before-the-ban/824288/4 "2018-11-11T02:32:38Z")
I read the thread title initially as “How Many Broomsticks Were Sold Before the Ban?” Which, of course, shocked me, since I’m looking at a nice little number, with reclined seating and afterburners, and had not realized that they were now banned. Thank goodness it’s not what I thought it was. ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-bumpstocks-were-sold-before-the-ban/824288/5 "2018-11-11T04:50:34Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > In the immediate aftermath of the Vegas shooting, all the buzz was that bumpstocks should & would be banned. Then reports came out that sales had skyrocketed & gun stores couldn’t keep them in stock. I’ve been trying to find out just how many are out there, or at least how many sold after the Vegas shooter made them famous. So does anyone know? > > \*I’m assuming they are officially banned because I tried to find where to buy them and all the sites said ‘Orders Ceased’ or something to that effect. Your assumption appears to be incorrect. There is no federal ban as yet. > **[Trump Says Federal Ban on Bump Stocks Is in Its 'Final Stages'](https://fortune.com/2018/10/01/trump-bump-stock-ban/)** > > The gun accessory is able to make a semi-automatic weapon function like a machine gun. Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-bumpstocks-were-sold-before-the-ban/824288/6 "2018-11-11T05:31:53Z")
Aren’t they actually pretty easy to make yourself? ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-bumpstocks-were-sold-before-the-ban/824288/7 "2018-11-11T05:43:32Z")
I own a small but successful gun dealership in Wisconsin. Prior to the Vegas shooting we had sold a total of 1 (not including the 2 my brother and I had bought). In the year afterwards when there was talk of a ban we sold 36 which is a large amount for a shop of our size. Like the 1994 “assault weapons” ban, telling people they may not be able to get something anymore fuels their desire for it even if they previously didn’t want it. I can testify to that first hand. As of this post there is no federal ban on bump stocks, but some cities and states individually have [banned](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bump_fire#/media/File:Bump_Stock_legality.svg) them. > [@pool](#): > > Aren’t they actually pretty easy to make yourself? With about $6 worth of wood from a lumber store. Or a quick and dirty one using rubber bands or a belt loop. Can anyone answer if the places that banned bump stocks included homemade ones in the law? And did they just ban the stocks or did they also ban the technique of bump firing? With a little practice one can shoot a semi-auto rifle like [full auto](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIC8SMttjjo&t=14s) no bump stock needed. Do those ban laws include that as well anyone know? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-bumpstocks-were-sold-before-the-ban/824288/8 "2018-11-11T08:03:30Z")
> [@Shmendrik](#): > > Your assumption appears to be incorrect. There is no federal ban as yet. > > [http://fortune.com/2018/10/01/trump-bump-stock-ban/](http://fortune.com/2018/10/01/trump-bump-stock-ban/) > > Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk They are, however, banned in several States, including California where the OP lives. He didn’t say anything about a Federal ban. His assumption was correct. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-bumpstocks-were-sold-before-the-ban/824288/9 "2018-11-11T09:26:23Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > They are, however, banned in several States, including California where the OP lives. He didn’t say anything about a Federal ban. His assumption was correct. A search of Californias exhausting, confusing, and somewhat all encompassing gun laws makes it appear that bump stocks were illegal there before the Vegas shooting. I could be wrong, but like I said, Californias laws on guns are exhausting, confusing, and somewhat all encompassing. It’s hard to determine WTF is legal and WTF is not legal there and when, and what. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-bumpstocks-were-sold-before-the-ban/824288/10 "2018-11-11T13:41:30Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > I own a small but successful gun dealership in Wisconsin. Prior to the Vegas shooting we had sold a total of 1 (not including the 2 my brother and I had bought). In the year afterwards when there was talk of a ban we sold 36 which is a large amount for a shop of our size. Ok that’s interesting, thanks! How many guns do you normally sell during this same time frame? What’s the population of the general area you serve? I heard a statistic that there is at least one gun for every man, woman, and child in America. 1:1 Anyone know the ratio of bumpstock to Americans? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-bumpstocks-were-sold-before-the-ban/824288/11 "2018-11-11T17:22:51Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > A search of Californias exhausting, confusing, and somewhat all encompassing gun laws makes it appear that bump stocks were illegal there before the Vegas shooting. > I could be wrong, but like I said, Californias laws on guns are exhausting, confusing, and somewhat all encompassing. It’s hard to determine WTF is legal and WTF is not legal there and when, and what. This article claims that they have been explicitly illegal in CA since 1990. > **[Where are bump-fire stocks illegal? Feds, states weigh bans after Las Vegas...](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/where-are-bump-fire-stocks-illegal-feds-states-weigh-bans-after-las-vegas-shooting/)** > > In the days following the shooting, lawmakers have called for a reevaluation of the rapid-fire devices like the ones found in Las Vegas ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2018, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-bumpstocks-were-sold-before-the-ban/824288/12 "2018-11-11T18:59:34Z")
> [@Enola\_Gay](#): > > Ok that’s interesting, thanks! How many guns do you normally sell during this same time frame? What’s the population of the general area you serve? I’d have to go into my bound book and do a count for that year. It can average between 100-250per year. The large variance has to do with what’s going on politically. When Obama first got elected we sold tons of so called “assault weap:rolleyes:ns”. But we also sold ammunition by the pallet loads. He was great for business and he really didn’t do anything. Sales increased when the waiting period was repealed. People were more apt to buy when they knew they could have it right then and there. The city my shop is in has a population of about 32K. But it’s in SE Wisconsin and the surrounding vicinity includes the Milwaukee metro area. We also sell at gun shows and online. as well as on premises. We also make a large amount of profit from from accessories, ammo and such than from actual gun sales. Back in the 80’s and 90’s we sold a zillion [hell fire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell-Fire_trigger) devices. They were less than a quarter of the cost of a bump stock. But they didn’t work as well.