October Term 2023 · Docket 22-976
Does a bump stock device make a rifle a machinegun?
The dispute centers on whether a bump stock device turns a semi-automatic rifle into a machinegun under federal law.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official Court opinion was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Brian Fletcher argued that firing a bump stock rifle requires pressing the front of the rifle forward.
Fletcher claimed the device does not change the trigger's single function.
Brian Mitchell argued that the statutory definition focuses on the trigger's automatic function.
Mitchell stated that Cargill's device falls outside the machinegun definition for two independent reasons.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 23-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 25-33 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 25-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 114, lines 47-53 — Transcript, file page 114, lines 47-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 49, lines 11-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 53-7 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 53-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 49-17 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 49-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 19-29 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 19-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 51-53 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 51-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 35-51 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 35-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 9-9 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 9-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-47 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 53-9 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 53-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 9-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 11-41 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 11-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 47-47 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 47-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 19-33 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 19-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 37-17 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 37-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 45-49
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The government argues that bump stocks make rifles function like machineguns. Cargill argues the device does not change the trigger mechanism. The Court must define the statutory term machinegun.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 114, lines 47-53 — Transcript, file page 114, lines 47-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 49, lines 11-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 19-29 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 19-29
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 28, 2024.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 9-13
What each side wants
The government wants the Court to classify bump stocks as machineguns.
Cargill wants the Court to rule that bump stocks are not machineguns.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 114, lines 47-53 — Transcript, file page 114, lines 47-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 49, lines 11-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 19-29 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 19-29
What each side says
The government claims bump stocks allow a rifle to fire multiple shots with one trigger pull.
Cargill claims the statutory definition requires the trigger itself to fire multiple shots automatically.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 114, lines 47-53 — Transcript, file page 114, lines 47-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 49, lines 11-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 19-29 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 19-29
What the justices asked
Justice Thomas asked what happens to the trigger when a shooter does not need a bump stock.
Justice Thomas asked what a shooter must do besides depress the trigger on a machinegun.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 23-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 25-33 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 25-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 53-7 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 53-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 49-17 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 49-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 51-53 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 51-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 35-51 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 35-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 9-9 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 9-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-47 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 53-9 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 53-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 9-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 11-41 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 11-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 47-47 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 47-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 19-33 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 19-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 37-17 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 37-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 45-49
Why it matters
The outcome determines whether owners can legally possess bump stocks. It defines the legal boundary between semi-automatic and automatic firearms. It impacts federal gun control enforcement nationwide.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 114, lines 47-53 — Transcript, file page 114, lines 47-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 49, lines 11-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 19-29 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 19-29
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 23-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 25-33 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 25-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 53-7 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 53-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 49-17 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 49-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 51-53 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 51-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 35-51 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 35-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 9-9 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 9-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-47 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 53-9 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 53-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 9-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 11-41 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 11-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 47-47 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 47-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 19-33 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 19-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 37-17 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 37-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 45-49 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 45-49
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Verified official opinions and orders
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 114, lines 47-53 — Transcript, file page 114, lines 47-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 49, lines 11-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 19-29 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 19-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 114, lines 47-53 — Transcript, file page 114, lines 47-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 49, lines 11-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 19-29 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 19-29
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Post Opinion ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Post Opinion ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.