Automatic weaponsĪutomatic weapons are legal to own as long if they were made before May 1986 and are registered with the federal government. Seven states have placed some restrictions on types of semi-automatic weapons, but Ohio and Kentucky are not among them. Officials told the Associated Press the Las Vegas shooter was found with 'bump stocks,' which can be used to modify a semi-automatic weapon to perform similarly to an automatic one. Recoil from the device causes the gun to buck back and forth, “bumping” the trigger. Technically, the person is pulling the trigger for each round, so the firearm maintains its legal status as a semi-automatic weapon.īefore Trump's action this week, neither state law in Ohio or Kentucky banned this type of modification. Because federal law banned automatic weapons made after May 1986 in most situations, they are much rarer and expensive. The Las Vegas shooter had rigged 12 semi-automatic weapons with devices that allowed the guns to function like an automatic weapon, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms told 'CBS This Morning.'Īutomatic weapons are designed to fire continuously with a single pull of the trigger.

In Sandy Hook, the shooter used a Bushmaster semi-automatic rifle. In Florida, officials say the shooter wielded an AR-15-style rifle. They fire a single bullet with each pull of the trigger, but they automatically reload as long as there are rounds in the magazine. School shooters in Florida this month and in Sandy Hook in 2012 used semi-automatic rifles. The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence, which grades state gun control laws, gave Ohio a 'D' and Kentucky an 'F.' Florida also received an 'F,' but Nevada received a 'C-.' Connecticut now has an 'A-' from the center.

Like most states, Ohio and Kentucky don't require state-specific permits or licenses to purchase a handgun, rifle or shotgun.

Types of guns used in gun violence