Bump stocks: What are they and how do they work?

(KMSP) - The Las Vegas gunman modified several of his semi-automatic weapons using what are called bump stocks, basically turning them into fully automatic guns.

A bump stock is a device that allows the gun to fire at a rate of 400 to 800 rounds per minute, and they’ve attracted a lot of attention over the past several years. However, most gun owners will tell you the 'bump stock' has no real practical purpose.

It increases the fire rate while sacrificing most other functions of the gun. But in the case of the Las Vegas shooting, it was used to deadly effect, taking 58 innocent lives.

In the days since, new questions arise about the device that made that automatic gunfire possible.

“The recoil of the gun after each shot is causing their finger to pull the trigger,” explained gun expert Kory Krause. “They are not actually pulling it.”

And that is what allows a bump stock to be legal.

The recoil itself allows a bump stock-altered rifle to mimic a fully automatic.

And after the Vegas shooting, demand for bump stocks is on the rise.

“We’ve probably had 20 calls so far today, looking for them,” he said.

Krause himself said he’s not a fan, believing the device makes a gun less accurate. And when it comes to hunting or target-shooting, he said it has no real use.

“There is no practical use for any of this stuff other than a YouTube video - shoot off a bunch of rounds - but that’s the only use for this stuff,” he said.

Now, some are calling for a 'bump stock' ban. But Krause said there are a number of other similar options that do the same thing, making any potential ban very complicated.