Democratic lawmakers and officials around the country are now targeting toy guns in a move critics call an attempt to disarm law-abiding Americans. With support from the March for Our Lives Foundation and the eponymous gun-grabber activist group of former Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), California Democrat Rep. Kevin Mullin introduced legislation last week aimed at reclassifying certain air guns as firearms.
The bill, dubbed “Garrett’s Law,” would categorically label air guns that launch .177 pellets at an initial velocity of 800 feet per second, .22 caliber pellets at 500 feet per second, and .25 caliber pellets at 450 feet per second as firearms. Any air gun firing metallic pellets above .25 caliber would also be designated as a firearm under the measure.
Federal law currently defines a “firearm” as any weapon designed to expel a projectile via explosive action, including the frame or receiver of such weapons, firearm mufflers, or destructive devices. Unlike firearms that use burning gunpowder, air guns rely on compressed gas to launch projectiles.
If enacted, Mullin’s bill would require air gun purchasers to undergo background checks and mandate that the attorney general publish guidance within a year to assist manufacturers in obtaining federal firearms licenses, including compliance with serialization and record-keeping requirements.
Mullin introduced the legislation following the death of constituent Garrett Edwards, who was barred from possessing a firearm but committed suicide using an air gun. Ann Edwards stated her son experienced “late onset psychosis” and was “able to access a lethal airgun through Amazon.”
Mullin argued: “If a weapon is powerful enough to kill, it should be subject to the same commonsense safety standards as any other gun. It makes no sense that someone prohibited by law from purchasing a firearm can still walk into a store or go online and legally obtain an airgun capable of killing. This bill closes that gap and, hopefully, helps prevent another family from facing this kind of unimaginable loss.”
March for Our Lives Foundation co-founder Jaclyn Corin echoed the stance: “Lethal weapons should be treated like lethal weapons.”
The Daisy firearms company, known for producing the Red Ryder lever-action BB gun, noted that Mullin’s bill would impact toy air guns such as the Daisy 880. The company stated its goal is to eventually include all airguns under firearm regulations and added: “If passed, it will treat airguns producing ‘high velocity’ as firearms.”
Utah Sen. Mike Lee (R) criticized the initiative, calling the gun control lobby’s efforts targeting BB and pellet guns “fundamentally unserious” and highlighting that “putting dangerous criminals behind bars is the 1 way to reduce violent crime.” Young Americans for Liberty similarly remarked: “If you want to know how far gun-grabbers will go, they are now trying to reclassify BB guns as ‘firearms.’ They are literally coming for your Red Ryder.”
The National Association for Gun Rights described the legislation as part of a broader effort: “The attempted Australia-ification of the US continues. Giffords and David Hogg’s former gun control group are backing a bill to regulate air guns the same as firearms. This isn’t a shock—we’ve said for years they’ll never stop at firearms.”
