A ‘door-to-door’ operation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) under the Biden administration has been gaining attention due to its controversial mission: the seizure of Rare Breed FRT-15 triggers from private citizens. The operation was brought into the public eye when two noticeably armed ATF agents, donning ballistic plate carriers, showed up at the residence of a man who claimed to be the owner of Moonlight Industries.

Moonlight Industries, a company specializing in manufacturing chest rigs for special forces operators, uploaded a video of this encounter on their YouTube channel. The conversation between the agents and the owner of Moonlight Industries has since sparked controversy and raised questions about the legality of these seizures.

An Unexpected Visit

The interaction began with the female ATF agent asking the man if he was expecting their visit. She proceeded to explain the reason behind their presence, stating that the ATF had recently classified FRT-15 as a machine gun.

Despite the owner’s expected surprise, he refrained from providing any information, stating that he would not be answering any questions or making any comments on the subject. The owner’s refusal to cooperate with the agents was met with the male ATF agent asking, “Are you refusing to give us the trigger?”

To this, the owner responded, “I’m not refusing to give anything. I just won’t be answering any questions.”  You can watch the interaction below:

The Mystery of Customer Information

One of the many questions that arose from this encounter is how the ATF managed to obtain customers’ information about who bought the triggers. There is speculation that the ATF seized Rare Breed’s customer base through payment processors and shipping companies. However, no clear evidence has been provided to support these claims. What is clear, however, is that the agents knew who had bought the triggers and where they lived.

ATF’s Battle with Rare Breed Triggers

For the past few years, the ATF’s contentious relationship with Rare Breed Triggers has been a topic of interest. Rare Breed Triggers is a gun parts company that once legally sold a drop-in trigger for an AR-15-style rifle. This particular trigger, known as the FRT-15, resets at such a high speed that it significantly increases the weapon’s fire rate.

However, the ATF has since classified the FRT-15 as a machine gun, effectively turning law-abiding citizens into criminals for possessing them. This change in classification and the subsequent ‘door-to-door’ operations have sparked numerous debates about the Second Amendment and the ATF’s overreach.

Public Response

Public response to this operation has largely been of concern and opposition. The top commenter on Moonlight’s YouTube video wrote: “You handled this soooo professionally and well. They know it’s overreaching. Rules made up, not laws voted on by Congress! 2nd Amendment violations. Share this video with everyone you know who supports our rights to keep and bear arms! Great content thank you sir.”

This isn’t the first time that the ATF has been caught on video doing warrantless door-to-door sweeps of citizens.  Just last year ATF Agents and a Delaware state officer showed up to a man’s house without a warrant demanding to see his firearms:

As the ATF continues its operation, it remains to be seen how this issue will unfold and what implications it might have for gun laws and the rights of gun owners in the United States.

 

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