Social Media Goes Scorched Earth on ATF Stabilizing Brace Rule Tweet

by F Riehl, Editor in Chief
@ATFHQ Options to comply w/ ATF final rule 2021R-08F May 30th 2023
@ATFHQ Options to comply w/ ATF final rule 2021R-08F May 30th 2023

U.S.A. — As AmmoLand News has extensively reported, on January 13, 2023, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) issued a new policy regarding firearms equipped with stabilizing braces. This new rule, dubbed 2021R-08F, which was signed into action by the Attorney General, is now under legal and social media fire for glaring inconsistencies and bureaucratic overreach and just being an unconstitutional violation of the Second Amendment.

According to the ATF, the rule is intended to provide clarity on the classification of rifles designed to be fired from the shoulder. The bureau’s recent social media post on the final day of compliance details several ways in which gun owners could choose to submit to the rule, such as removing the short barrel and attaching a 16″ or longer rifled barrel, disposing of the brace, or registering the firearm tax-free, an option that expired on May 31, 2023.

Patriots on Twitter had different suggestions on how to comply and what ATF could do with their preferred methods.

Critics argue that the implications of these changes are far from straightforward. Some social media users, including @MaddHobbit, have voiced concerns about the ATF allegedly misrepresenting the rule’s requirements:

“So your director lied? ‘All you have to do is remove it.’Good luck with the lawsuits.”

Comments continue to pour in as the pistol brace controversy drags on. Rightfully critics continue to question the sketchy legality of the ATF’s recommendations.

@DoxMeIfYouCan to ATF
@DoxMeIfYouCan to ATF

User @DoxMeIfYouCan stating, “Did you just suggest I violate state law converting a pistol into a rifle?” This response reflects widespread concerns that the ATF’s guidelines could lead gun owners to inadvertently break state laws like those in Massachusetts by converting a registered pistol into a rifle.

The ATF has been accused of disregarding federal court rulings. For example, @Truthhurts69693 commented, “So we are just blatantly ignoring federal courts now… talk about tyrannical behavior.” Such reactions point to an ongoing debate over the ATF’s overreach on jurisdiction and regulatory powers.

Other comments challenged the practical impact of the rule, as @jimboRespecter argued, “What’s the point of having an armbrace when the penalty is the same as a full-blown stock? BACKWARDS LOGIC.”

@rorythegreat asks, “How can we trust an organization that continually changes the rules?” This question signifies a level of distrust and frustration with the ATF due to the agency’s continual policy changes.

@f_gantry response to ATF May 30 2023
@f_gantry response to ATF May 30 2023

User @MarineEcho26, echoing the sentiment of defiance among some gun owners, quoted a line from Thomas Jefferson, saying;

“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” He then identified the ATF as “the Tyrants in that quote!” adding an air of defiance to the discourse.

But amidst the criticisms, there are also calls for the ATF to acknowledge its past mistakes, such as @GattsbySucks’s demand to “Apologize for Waco,” referencing the ATF’s botched siege on the Branch Davidians in 1993.

The controversy surrounding the ATF’s rule on stabilizing braces has sparked a significant conversation online and legal action. However, despite the debate, the ATF has yet to respond to the many questions, concerns, and criticisms that have arisen.

As AmmoLand News has reported, Congress has been cornered into a vote on the resolution to disapprove the pistol brace rule.

By Fred Riehl and AI tools. Note: This article was generated using AI technology and may contain some automated content aggregation and analysis.

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