SWATARA TOWNSHIP, DAUPHIN COUNTY, Pa. -- A federal ban on bump stocks is going into effect next week, leaving some gun owners in Dauphin County with mixed feelings on the move.
This comes after 58 people were killed and nearly 500 more were injured in a Las Vegas shooting last year.
"We cannot merely take actions that make us feel like we're making a difference, we must actually make a difference," said President Trump.
Bump stocks, which modifies semi-automatic weapons, are capable of firing shots at a rapid rate, similar to a fully automatic weapon.
However for one Dauphin County gun range owner, he doesn’t believe a ban is what will solve mass shootings.
“If you can educate people that’s where I think you’re going to see the most predominant curve in the change in the environment of how weapons are politicized out into the world," said Patrick Connaghan, 717 Armory owner.
At 717 Armory in Swatara Township, it’s not just about making sure people are properly trained, but also making sure any type of gun is in the right hands.
“A gun is tool you can load it up you point it at people all day long but if the human behind it does not pull the trigger it’s not going to go off and it’s not going to hurt anybody," said Connaghan.
Some gun enthusiasts say there is more to the stock ban issue at hand.
“When we are looking at things like school shootings I think we need to look elsewhere when we are trying to criminalize an inanimate object as opposed to the criminal itself," said Thomas Greg, gun owner.
“If there is any individual that wants to cause harm they are going find a means to find a weapon system," said Amado Margarito, gun owner.
However for Deborah Raber of York County who is a Las Vegas shooting survivor, she's been fighting for a change like this for the last year.
"The mass shooting in Vegas was done with automatic riffles and i think they need to be banned, there’s changes that need to be made," said Raber.
At a March for Our Lives event in Harrisburg last year, Raber shared her story with FOX43.
“It was horrific and it didn’t stop, it just seemed like the gunfire went on forever, people behind us were shot, we hit the ground and laid there for 17 long minutes," said Raber.
The bump stock ban will go into effect on Tuesday March 26.
Anyone caught with one faces felony charges.
