Are Forced Reset Triggers Legal in Tennessee?

Tennessee Public Chapter 513 (2025) rewrote the machine-gun definition in Code section 39-17-1301(10): a firearm capable of shooting more than two shots automatically, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger, including any part or combination of parts designed and intended solely for use in converting a firearm into a machine gun.

Tennessee does not create a separate category for triggers that increase semiautomatic cadence; the more-than-two-shots and single-function elements control.

Under the 2025 DOJ settlement with Rare Breed Triggers, an FRT fires one round per trigger function and is not an NFA machine gun federally. The settlement covers rifles and grip-forward pistols; it does not extend to grip-fed handguns (Glock, S&W M&P, Canik), whose federal FRT status remains less settled. State bans operate independently of federal law through broader state machine-gun, trigger-activator, or rate-of-fire definitions.

Federal baseline verified 2026-10-20. Scope: Forced reset triggers (Rare Breed FRT-15, Dairyland Defender, and similar) and forced-reset selectors (AR Super Safety, ARC-Fire). One round per trigger function. Binary triggers are a separate class.