Are FRT Triggers Legal in Texas? Bump Stocks, Binary Triggers and Machine Gun Law

Last verified November 3, 2026 against current Texas law

So, are FRT triggers legal in Texas? The honest answer is that Texas has not decided. Federal agencies and courts have moved a long way toward allowing forced reset triggers since 2024, and Texas law does not mention them, but the state’s machine gun definition turns on how a trigger works. This guide also covers bump stocks, binary triggers and full auto.

Forced reset trigger (FRT)	Not named in Texas law. Federal government agreed in 2025 not to enforce machine gun laws against eligible Rare Breed FRTs
Bump stock	Not a federal machine gun after the 2024 Supreme Court ruling. Not named in Texas law
Binary trigger	Not named in Texas law. Fires once on the pull and once on the release
Auto sear, switch, “drop-in” conversion	Illegal. A gun fitted with one is a machine gun
Texas machine gun penalty	Third-degree felony: 2 to 10 years and up to a $10,000 fine
Main laws	Penal Code §§ 46.01(9), 46.05, 18 U.S.C. § 922(o)

Are FRT triggers legal in Texas?

Possibly, but it is not guaranteed. A forced reset trigger uses the energy of the firing cycle to push the trigger forward so it resets faster. The shooter still has to pull the trigger for every shot. Texas has no law that bans these devices by name, and the list of prohibited weapons in Penal Code § 46.05(a) covers explosive weapons, machine guns, short-barrel firearms, armor-piercing ammunition, chemical dispensing devices, zip guns, tire deflation devices and improvised explosive devices.

The risk sits in the definition. Penal Code § 46.01(9) says a machine gun is “any firearm that is capable of shooting more than two shots automatically, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.” Whether a rifle with an FRT meets that test depends on whether each shot needs its own pull. Gun owners say it does, while ATF once classed FRTs as machine guns. We found no Texas appellate decision that settles the question, so a local prosecutor or judge is working without a clear rule.

How federal FRT rules changed in 2024 and 2025

Federal law matters here because 18 U.S.C. § 922(o) bars most civilians from possessing machine guns made after May 19, 1986, and the National Firearms Act regulates the rest. Here is the timeline:

• June 14, 2024: In Garland v. Cargill, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a bump stock does not turn a rifle into a machine gun under federal law, because each shot after the trigger resets is a separate function of the trigger.
• July 23, 2024: A federal court in the Northern District of Texas held in National Association for Gun Rights v. Garland that Rare Breed FRT-15 and Wide Open Triggers are not machine guns under the National Firearms Act. The court vacated ATF’s classification of forced reset triggers as machine guns and enjoined enforcement against the plaintiffs, their members and certain customers.
• May 16, 2025: The Justice Department announced a settlement with Rare Breed Triggers and others. ATF published notice of the agreement on June 10, 2025.
• Under the settlement: the United States agreed not to enforce 18 U.S.C. § 922(o) or the National Firearms Act against people who possess or transfer an eligible FRT-15 or Wide Open Trigger. The deal does not cover machine gun conversion devices such as switches, drop-in auto sears or lightning links.

ATF has also warned that some states independently prohibit forced reset triggers. A federal non-enforcement agreement does not bind Texas prosecutors, which is why the state question stays open.

Are bump stocks legal in Texas?

Yes, in practice. Federal law no longer treats bump stocks as machine guns after the Cargill decision, and Texas has no statute that names them. Texas uses the same “single function of the trigger” wording as the federal definition, so the reasoning in Cargill points the same way. We found no Texas court that has applied it, so keep records of what you own.

Are binary triggers legal in Texas?

Texas does not ban binary triggers by name. A binary trigger fires one shot when you pull and another when you release, which is two shots from one full cycle of the trigger and not “more than two shots” by a single function. The legal risk rises if a device is modified or built so that it keeps firing without a new pull or release.

Is full auto legal in Texas?

Only for registered machine guns. Penal Code § 46.05(a)(1) exempts a machine gun that is registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, or that is classified as a curio or relic by the Justice Department. In practice that means a gun registered before the May 1986 federal cutoff. Anything else, including an auto sear or “switch” that converts a semi-auto pistol or rifle, is a felony under both federal and Texas law.

Penalties for a machine gun offense in Texas

Conduct	Texas offense	Punishment
Possessing, making, transporting, repairing or selling an unregistered machine gun	Third-degree felony, Penal Code § 46.05	2 to 10 years in prison, fine up to $10,000

Texas permitless carry under House Bill 1927 does not change any of this. It covers who may carry a handgun, not which weapons are prohibited. See our guides to Texas gun laws and concealed carry in Texas for the carry rules.

Myths vs. facts about FRTs in Texas

Myth	Fact
“The federal settlement makes FRTs legal everywhere.”	It is a federal non-enforcement agreement. It does not bind Texas courts or other states.
“Texas law bans bump stocks.”	No Texas statute names bump stocks, and the Supreme Court says they are not federal machine guns.
“A binary trigger is the same as full auto.”	It fires once on the pull and once on the release, so it is not a machine gun by definition.

Frequently asked questions

Is an FRT trigger legal in Texas?

Texas has no law naming forced reset triggers, and the federal government agreed in 2025 not to enforce machine gun laws against eligible Rare Breed devices. Because Texas defines a machine gun by how a trigger functions and no Texas court has ruled on FRTs, the state-level answer remains unsettled.

Is a forced reset trigger a machine gun?

A federal court in the Northern District of Texas held in July 2024 that Rare Breed FRT-15 triggers are not machine guns under the National Firearms Act, and the 2025 settlement covers eligible devices. Neither binds Texas courts reading the state definition.

Are bump stocks legal in Texas?

Yes, as far as we can find. The Supreme Court ruled in Garland v. Cargill (June 14, 2024) that bump stocks are not federal machine guns, and Texas has no statute that names them. No Texas court has applied that reasoning yet, so keep records of what you own.

Are binary triggers legal in Texas?

Texas does not prohibit binary triggers by name. They fire one shot on the pull and one on the release, which is two shots and not more than two by a single function of the trigger, so they do not meet the Texas machine gun definition as designed.

Is it a felony to own an auto sear or switch in Texas?

Yes. A gun that fires more than two shots automatically with one function of the trigger is a machine gun, and an unregistered one is a third-degree felony under Penal Code § 46.05 and a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. § 922(o).

Can I legally own a machine gun in Texas?

Only if it is registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record or classified as a curio or relic. New civilian machine guns made after May 19, 1986 cannot be registered for ordinary owners, so the legal supply is limited to older registered guns.

If this affects you: if you own or plan to buy a forced reset trigger, or you have been charged with a weapons offense, speak with a Texas-licensed criminal defense attorney who handles firearms cases. For federal registration questions, contact ATF. This guide is general legal information, not advice for your situation. Read how we research every guide in our editorial policy, or report an error. More firearms guides are in our guns and weapons hub.