Forced reset triggers are legal to own, buy, and sell in Texas. A federal district court in Texas struck down the ATF’s machine gun classification of these devices in 2024, and the Department of Justice settled the related litigation with Rare Breed Triggers in May 2025. Because Texas defines a machine gun almost exactly the way federal law does, removing the federal classification cleared the state-level barrier at the same time. So if you’re asking whether FRT triggers are legal in Texas, the short answer is yes, with a few conditions worth knowing before you buy one or travel with one.
Why Texas Law Reaches the Same Result as Federal Law
Texas defines a machine gun as any firearm capable of shooting more than two shots automatically, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger.1State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 46.01 – Definitions That tracks the federal definition in 26 U.S.C. § 5845, which turns on the same “single function of the trigger” phrase.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 U.S. Code 5845 – Definitions
A forced reset trigger speeds up the reset step after a shot, but the shooter still has to press the trigger again for every round. In National Association for Gun Rights v. Garland, Judge Reed O’Connor of the Northern District of Texas applied the Supreme Court’s reasoning in Garland v. Cargill to FRTs and held they don’t meet the single-function threshold, vacating the ATF’s machine gun classification.3United States Department of Justice. Department of Justice Announces Settlement of Litigation Between the Federal Government and Rare Breed Triggers5Congressional Research Service. Forced-Reset Triggers: Recent Executive Action and Issues for Congress
Under Texas Penal Code § 46.05, possession of an unregistered machine gun is a prohibited weapons offense,4State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 46.05 – Prohibited Weapons a third-degree felony carrying two to ten years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.6State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 12.34 – Third Degree Felony Punishment Because FRTs no longer carry a machine gun classification, that prohibition doesn’t reach them. They’re treated as ordinary semi-automatic firearm components.
Who Still Can’t Own an FRT in Texas
The device is legal, but the person has to be legally allowed to have firearms. Texas prohibits firearm possession by convicted felons for at least five years after release from confinement, parole, or supervision, and even after that period, possession is restricted to the person’s own home.7State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 46.04 – Unlawful Possession of Firearm
A Class A misdemeanor assault conviction involving a family or household member also triggers a five-year firearm ban running from release from confinement or community supervision, whichever is later. Anyone under an active protective order issued under the Family Code or Code of Criminal Procedure is barred from possessing a firearm while that order is in effect.7State of Texas. Texas Penal Code 46.04 – Unlawful Possession of Firearm Federal prohibited-person categories apply on top of state law: anyone convicted of a felony in any jurisdiction, anyone currently under indictment, and unlawful users of controlled substances, among others.
Buying and Transferring an FRT in Texas
A forced reset trigger is a component, not a firearm, so a standalone purchase doesn’t go through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. NICS runs when someone buys a firearm, not an accessory.8Federal Bureau of Investigation. Firearms Checks (NICS) Buying a complete rifle with an FRT already installed is a different story: the standard background check process applies the same as it would for any firearm purchase.
Texas permits private sales of firearm accessories without a federally licensed dealer in the middle, so person-to-person transfers of trigger components are legal. Both parties still have to be eligible to possess firearms. Retailers that stock FRTs run their own compliance checks, and online orders usually ship directly to the buyer rather than to an FFL, since the component isn’t itself a firearm.
Traveling Out of State With an FRT
This is where Texas owners get into trouble. A forced reset trigger that’s legal in Texas can be a serious crime in another state the moment you cross the line. Roughly fifteen states have enacted laws banning or restricting rate-of-fire-enhancing devices, and many are written broadly enough to cover FRTs without naming them. California, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, and Washington are among those with restrictions.
The 2025 DOJ settlement expressly does not prevent state regulators from enforcing their own laws.9Congressional Research Service. Forced-Reset Triggers: Recent Executive Action and Issues for Congress Federal non-enforcement doesn’t help you against a state charge. Texas law lets residents buy firearms, ammunition, and accessories in other states as long as the purchase complies with applicable law, but the risk runs the other direction: taking a Texas-legal FRT into a state that bans it. If you travel with firearms, check every state on your route before you cross the border with an FRT-equipped rifle.
What Could Change
The current legal footing rests on a district court ruling, a settlement agreement, and the current administration’s enforcement posture. Each of those can shift. A future administration could reopen enforcement or attempt new rulemaking. Congress could pass legislation that explicitly classifies rate-of-fire-enhancing devices as machine guns, overriding the court and settlement outcomes. Bills along those lines have been introduced in recent sessions without passing.
The settlement itself only covers Rare Breed’s specific products that meet the technical criteria in the agreement. The hammer must release from the sear surface for every round, and the trigger must reset after every round, for a device to fall within the settlement’s protection. The agreement also excludes FRTs designed for handguns where the magazine loads into the grip. FRTs from other manufacturers, or designs that fall outside those parameters, could still face federal enforcement.9Congressional Research Service. Forced-Reset Triggers: Recent Executive Action and Issues for Congress
Garland v. Cargill, the Supreme Court decision underlying this whole shift, addressed bump stocks rather than FRTs.10Supreme Court of the United States. Garland v. Cargill The lower court rulings that applied Cargill’s reasoning to FRTs are persuasive, but the Supreme Court has not ruled on FRTs directly. Treat the current status in Texas as favorable but not permanently settled, and keep an eye on legislation and any renewed federal action before making long-term decisions about ownership.