The June 1 deadline for a new Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) rule banning pistol braces is looming, and gun rights groups are pressuring House Republican leadership to schedule a vote to block it, giving Democrats that represent pro-gun states a tough choice to make.
The new rule would make it a felony to own an unregistered, commonly used plastic stabilizing brace designed for use with pistols. Pistol braces were originally invented in 2012 to aid disabled veterans in shooting independently.
President Biden has called the accessory “especially dangerous” after they were used in several mass shootings
The new rule requires gun owners to register their pistol braces with the ATF, destroy them, or remove the accessories from their weapons. Those that do not comply with the regulation by May 31 will be forced to pay a fee. The consequences for those that choose not to register their firearm with a stabilizing brace and keep it include up to 10 years’…