A simple trip to the gun range turned into a federal case after a man installed a forced reset trigger (FRT) in a rented rifle. Within days, he was in handcuffs, his home raided, and facing machine gun charges.
According to court documents, the man brought his own FRT to a public indoor range and swapped it into a rental AR-style rifle.
When staff discovered the modification, they immediately revoked his range privileges and reported the incident. That tip launched a full federal investigation, leading to a search warrant for his residence.
Agents say they found several 3D-printed FRTs on a workbench near his bed and additional triggers nearby. From there, investigators obtained an addendum warrant to seize his electronics, suspecting more evidence of manufacturing or distribution.
The story escalated quickly — and that’s the point Colion Noir drives home. In the gray legal world of forced reset triggers, the line between lawful and felony is paper-thin.
For years, FRTs have lived in legal limbo. The ATF has repeatedly changed its stance on what counts as a “machine gun,” often without changing the statute itself.
Rare Breed Triggers’ FRT-15 became the centerpiece of this fight after the ATF declared it an illegal conversion device in 2021. Rare Breed fought back, and by 2025, the DOJ dropped its appeal, officially recognizing the FRT-15 as not a machine gun under the National Firearms Act.
But that victory applied only to that one trigger and that one company. It didn’t rewrite federal law. Any design outside that settlement — 3D-printed or not — remains in dangerous legal territory.
Noir warns that one misunderstood part can turn a day at the range into a federal investigation. “Know exactly what you’re installing,” he says. “Don’t assume someone else’s court win protects you.”
Rare Breed’s win didn’t set a national precedent. It carved out an exception. The ATF can still prosecute others for nearly identical parts. That’s the reality of how murky firearm regulation has become — and why awareness matters more than ever.
This story isn’t about fear. It’s about understanding that freedom doesn’t defend itself. As Noir put it, “The moment you stop defending your rights, someone else will start redefining them for you.”
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