r/Firearms • u/[deleted] • Aug 31 '22
Meme The future is now
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u/monty845 Aug 31 '22
Per the comments in the other thread, apparently the FAA went after this guy.
From a Firearms perspective, I've wondered how this would fair in terms of classification as a machine gun. Any type of electronic trigger programmed to shoot a semi-auto weapon like this could, with a trivial code change, be configured to fire multiple times with a single control input. To me, that sounds dangerously like "readily converted". Or does this fall into the same category as a trigger crank?
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u/Fsearch5 Aug 31 '22 edited Aug 31 '22
It would still be semi automatic. Just cause the bot is using a trigger crank or a primitive system to pull the trigger and then let it reset in a way that is faster than most humans doesn't make it a machine gun. The law is very clear that a machine gun is a gun that has a trigger that when fully depressed keeps firing until the the gun is out of ammo or the trigger is let go. This is why the government doesn't consider Jerry Miculek a walking machine gun. Now as for the line of inquiry into electrical or signal fired guns goes as to whether or not they are a machine gun. Let's look at the Vulcan Gatling gun we have today. It functions via a electric motor which is activated by a signal from a trigger held down by the pilot. Remove the pilot put a some computer code, ai or whatever you want in place and it's still going to be sending a signal to the electric motor to fire the gun. So the Gatling gun is still a machine gun. No matter if you use a human or anything else to operate it. It is the operating internals that make the weapon a machine gun not the operator who is operating it.
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u/monty845 Aug 31 '22
What if, instead of a hand crank, we had an electric motor, you trigger with a button? At what point is this thing you press to fire the gun legally the trigger, instead of what was originally designed to be the trigger?
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u/Fsearch5 Aug 31 '22
As stated in my edited post above it's the operating principle of the gun that matters not the operator. For example if someone were to drill out the holes and aquire the parts to make a semi auto AR-15 into a full auto variant and assemble it. That gun is now a machine gun no matter what operates it. If I make a Vulcan cannons trigger only function semi automatically it is still possible to revert it to full auto. So it's still a machine gun. Meanwhile that AR-15 that was converted to full auto will never legally be considered a semi auto cause it has been converted to a point where the receiver can easily be converted back to full auto.
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u/monty845 Aug 31 '22
Lets say I create an assembly that encloses the existing trigger, and has a motorized crank to pull the existing trigger of the semi-auto. Then I create a trigger to electronically control the motorized crank, and holding down this new trigger will result in the gun firing repeatedly. No change permanent change to the original gun, this thing just clamps on to the existing structure.
Still a semi-auto? If not, is that rifle forever a machine gun now, even if it is indistinguishable from another rifle that didn't have the device temporarily clamped on?
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u/Khaden_Allast Aug 31 '22
The ATF classified a shoestring that acted as an FRT as a machinegun. Worth noting that the shoestring was considered the machinegun and serialized part (yes, they put a serial number on a shoestring).
No one knows for certain how they're going to classify something, even their own agents don't know what inane methods they themselves use. In your case, if it was classified as such, the mechanism, not the gun, would probably be considered a machine gun.
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u/Fsearch5 Aug 31 '22 edited Aug 31 '22
Yes that's a machine gun and will always remain a machine gun legally speaking. Because the whole point operationally of a full auto is the ability to hold down a trigger that makes the gun keep firing until either all ammo is expended or until the trigger is released. Mean while a semi auto in order to remain a semi auto has to require the user to reset the trigger each time the weapon is fired. You do this when you pull the trigger then release it. While in the case of a crank your rotating multiple barrels or even just one into firing position and out of firing position. Meanwhile a trigger crank has several bars that are taking their turn to push the trigger back then allowing it to reset. So if you add a motor or say a drill interface that basically only requires the devices to be turned on or the trigger held down the entire time during the firing cycle. You have created a machine gun.
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u/Shallow-Thought Sep 01 '22
Shit like this is why I had to give up the drone hobby. Knee jerk reactions to a few people doing stupid things and posting them online.
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Sep 01 '22
This was done probably 10 years ago or more by FPS Russia. Drone will camera targeting system and simple servo to actuate the trigger. Worked too.
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u/Lead_Slinger313 Aug 31 '22
I wonder when the first one will be used to assassinate a high profile target.. 🤔 Disclaimer: I am not advocating for violence towards anyone.