Image by Jason Gillman from Pixabay 

Legislation would help address gun violence epidemic by tackling proliferation of machine gun conversion devices and seizing profits from illegal weapons trafficking

March 18, 2025 - WASHINGTON - On Monday, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Gary Peters (D-MI), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and 11 of their colleagues introduced legislation to combat the trafficking and proliferation of dangerous gun conversion devices. The Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act would help tackle the ongoing gun violence epidemic by requiring federal law enforcement to coordinate efforts to prevent the importation and trafficking of ‘auto-sears’ — illegal gun modification devices that can convert semi-automatic weapons into fully-automatic weapons — and seize all profits that come from the illegal trafficking of these devices. Companion legislation in the House of Representatives is led by Representatives Sean Casten (D-IL) and Hank Johnson (D-GA). 

“We must address the alarming prevalence of gun conversion devices that can turn ordinary hand guns into automatic weapons. These devices that can be easily 3-D printed or cheaply purchased online have devastating consequences for public safety,” said Klobuchar. “By preventing the importation and trafficking of these deadly devices and by stopping traffickers from profiting from illegal sales, this legislation will help keep our communities safe and save lives.”

“Law enforcement must do more to protect our communities from gun violence by stopping the flow of illegal gun modification devices into and throughout our country,” said Peters. “This bill will enhance coordination across law enforcement agencies to prevent these dangerous and deadly devices from being used.”

“Congress has an obligation to do everything we can to make our communities safer from gun violence,” said Rep. Casten. “This epidemic needs to be addressed head-on and that includes the proliferation of illegal gun conversion. Devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to be easily converted into fully automatic weapons should not be readily accessible. I’m proud to introduce this bill with Rep. Johnson, Sen. Klobuchar, and Sen. Peters to prevent the importation and trafficking of these dangerous modifications.”

“Auto-sears and other gun conversion devices are making the gun violence epidemic in the U.S. that much worse,” said Rep. Johnson. “The dramatic rise in the use of conversion devices and 3-D printed guns in crimes must be addressed. The Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act will give law enforcement the tools they need to crack down on and confiscate these dangerous devices. We in Congress must do what we can to keep our communities safe, and this bill helps us address this growing menace.”

The Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act is cosponsored by Senators Blumenthal (D-CT), Duckworth (D-IL), Durbin (D-IL), Heinrich (D-NM), Hirono (D-HI), Markey (D-MA), Padilla (D-CA), Shaheen (D-NH), Smith (D-MN), Whitehouse (D-RI), and Wyden (D-OR). It has been endorsed by GIFFORDS and Brady: United Against Gun Violence.

“Auto sears and other machine gun conversion devices make deadly weapons more lethal,” said Emma Brown, Executive Director at GIFFORDS. “These illegal devices, which are increasingly recovered by law enforcement at crime scenes, pose an urgent public safety risk that Congress must address. Senator Klobuchar’s bill helps to intercept these devices before they fall into the hands of those who wish to do harm, and drives attention to a developing issue for communities and law enforcement. We urge Congress to take action to help keep these dangerous weapons off the streets.”

“Conversion devices are an all too common means of illegally converting semiautomatic firearms into machine guns,” said Mark Collins, Director of Federal Policy at Brady: United Against Gun Violence. “Such firearms are being recovered by law enforcement at a staggering rate, with a nearly 570% increase between 2011 and 2021. Providing law enforcement with the resources to stem the flow of illegally trafficked machine gun conversion devices must be a top priority for Congress. The Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act will help law enforcement agencies coordinate efforts to crack down on these dangerous, and illegal devices. Brady is proud to endorse this bill and thanks Sen. Klobuchar for her dedication to protecting Americans and communities across the country from the proliferation of illegal machine guns.”

The Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act of 2025 would: 

• Direct the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of the Treasury to develop a coordinated national strategy to prevent or intercept the importation and trafficking of automatic gun conversion devices;
• Ensure that proceeds from the illegal trafficking of automatic gun devices are subject to forfeiture; and 
• Require that the Attorney General include data and information about illegal gun modification devices in the Justice Department’s annual firearms trafficking report.

Auto-sears and other gun conversion devices can be installed in about a minute, and 3-D printed or purchased online for less than $20. An investigation by The Trace and VICE News found that federal prosecutions involving gun conversion devices have increased over eight-fold from 2017-2021. Additionally the investigation reported that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) seized 1,500 weapons modified with auto sears in 2021, a five-fold increase from the year before. 
Source: Senator Amy Klobuchar