Yes certain forced reset triggers (FRTs) are legal to own in Texas, because the federal government has formally stopped classifying specific models as machine guns. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the ATF entered a settlement agreement in May 2025 that vacates the “machine gun” classification for the Rare Breed FRT-15 and Wide-Open Trigger (WOT). This reversal forces Texas to treat these specific triggers as legal, because Texas law relies on the same functional definition previously applied by federal regulators.
However, the legality is not universal. Texas still bans devices intended to convert a firearm into a true machine gun, and the state’s 2025 law SB 808 explicitly defines and criminalizes “machine gun conversion devices.” So while some FRTs are legal, others may still be illegal depending on their design or function. The settlement protects only named products and does not legalize unregulated knockoffs built to mimic full-auto conversion.
Why the DOJ–ATF Settlement Changed Everything
Before 2025, the ATF aggressively seized forced reset triggers and treated them as unregistered machine guns. The 2025 settlement changed this directly:
Settlement Outcome
- The DOJ and ATF agreed not to classify the FRT-15 or WOT as machine guns
- The government stopped enforcement and seizure of these models
- ATF began returning lawfully owned triggers to eligible owners
- The settlement applies nationwide, including Texas
This matters because Texas has never independently outlawed FRTs by name. Texas only banned “conversion devices” if they make a gun fire more than one round per single trigger function — the same test used by federal law.
When the federal government concedes that certain forced reset triggers do not meet that definition, Texas loses the basis for charging possession of those specific devices.
Texas State Law After the Settlement
Texas Penal Code §46.05 bans:
“a machine gun or machine gun conversion device.”
Texas SB 808 (effective Sept. 1, 2025) reinforces this definition and focuses on the part’s intent and function, not its name.
What This Means in Practice
| Device | Texas Status Post-Settlement |
| Rare Breed FRT-15 | ✔ Legal to own |
| WOT (Wide-Open Trigger) | ✔ Legal to own |
| ATF-seized FRT returned to you | ✔ Legal, if you can legally own a firearm |
| Copycat triggers designed to bypass ruling | ⚠ Possibly illegal depending on function |
| Full-auto conversion parts/switches | ❌ Illegal |
| Drop-in auto sears | ❌ Illegal |
Texas prosecutors can still charge someone if the trigger is proven to enable multiple shots per true trigger function or if it is modified beyond factory design.
Can Police Still Arrest You?
Yes, if:
- you own a non-named FRT variant that mimics a machine gun
- the trigger has been modified to mimic full auto
- the firearm fires multiple rounds per single function
- you are prohibited from owning firearms
No, if:
- you legally possess an FRT-15 or WOT currently protected by settlement
- the device functions as designed and has not been modified
- you are not otherwise barred from firearm ownership
Police are not expected to memorize the ruling, so misunderstandings remain possible, especially during traffic stops or raids. Documentation proving the trigger model may become crucial.
What About 3D-Printed FRTs?
The settlement does NOT legalize:
- self-made FRT replicas
- unlicensed 3D-printed copies
- counterfeit versions marketed to avoid regulation
If they behave like a machine gun, they can still be prosecuted.
The settlement protects only the named lawful devices, not clones.
Final Answer
Some forced reset triggers are legal in Texas. Because federal regulators abandoned their machine-gun classification for the FRT-15 and WOT, Texas must treat those specific triggers as lawful firearm accessories. However, this does not legalize all FRTs, and Texas continues to ban actual automatic conversion devices under Penal Code §46.05 and SB 808.
