Gun owners turn in bump stocks at ATF offices in North, South Carolina

NORTH CAROLINA AND SOUTH CAROLINA (WECT) - Bump stocks are now federally banned, and some gun owners have turned them over to authorities with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

“We have seen the bump stocks come in steadily over the last few weeks to our offices in North and South Carolina," Corey Ray, spokesperson for ATF Charlotte, told WECT Tuesday.

ATF has no plans to destroy the bump stocks they collect and will maintain possession in the local offices for the time being, said Ray.

There is no official count at this time of how many bump stocks have been collected locally, said Ray.

A Department of Justice ruling in December expanded an existing ban on fully-automatic weapons to bump stocks. It gave owners 90 days to turn their bump stocks in, destroy them, or face felony charges. The 90-day period ended Tuesday.

Violators face a $250,000 fine and a possible 10-year prison term.

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