Missouri could ban bump stocks

The national debate on bump stocks is now playing out in Missouri as one lawmaker is looking to further restrict the types of gun accessories that can be sold.

"There is really no reason to have such an apparatus except to shoot a large number of bullets in a short amount of time, or in other words, to kill a lot of people in a short amount of time," state Rep. Richard Brown said.

The Kansas City legislator has prefiled House Bill 1242 which would add bump stocks and trigger cranks to the list of banned weapons. State Rep. Brown said he is in favor of the second amendment but thinks the issue of bump stocks is not about the right to bear arms but about public safety.

Nick Newman, the owner of Cherokee Firearms, says he does not sell bump stocks at his store but understands why people may be against this potential regulation.

"It is kind of like if I walked into [O'Reilly Auto Parts] and got one of those LED lights that went under my car because they look really cool. They have no practical application, but who is to say I shouldn't be able to have that. Bump stocks are kind of the same way. It's not something we do over here very much, but who am I to say that no you can't have that or yes you should have that," Newman said.

State Representative Brown says he does not want to take away people's guns, he just wants to keep them safe.

"You know, I'm all for responsible gun ownership. I believe in the second amendment, I'm just concerned about this being a safety issue," he said.

Multiple gun shops in Springfield said they are still selling bump stocks but do not plan to refill their inventory after they are sold.

The 2018 Missouri Legislative Session begins on January 4.