The kinds of devices used to make bump stocks are readily available for less than $300 on the web

Some key Republicans in Congress are also showing interest in a Democratic restriction bill.

However, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said it was “premature”

Three Democratic state senators said they will introduce legislation that would ban the possession and sale of a gun accessory that authorities said was used by the shooter in the Las Vegas massacre — an idea embraced by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy and not rejected by his opponent, Republican Kim Guadagno.

The suspect in the Las Vegas shooting modified a semiautomatic weapon with cheap and legal devices that enabled him to mimic the rapid fire of an automatic weapon, authorities said.

A video taken near the Mandalay Bay Casino by a bystander that provides audio of the continuous fire produced by the gunman can be seen above.

The device — also at the center of rare bipartisan gun legislation being pushed in Congress — is called a bump stock and the bill would institute an outright prohibition on their sale and possession.

A bump stock includes an aftermarket accessory that mimics fully automatic firing and has been approved by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

State Sens. Raymond Lesniak, D-Union, and Richard Codey, D-Essex, along with Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, said they would introduce the legislation on Thursday.

“This was an open-air massacre that turned a music concert into a killing ground,” Lesniak said in a statement. “His firepower was dramatically increased by using these bump stocks to effectively convert his weapons into fully-automatic rifles. The sale and possession of these devices need to be outlawed.”

Murphy and Guadagno have argued numerous campaign issues along partisan lines, including gun control, but banning bump stocks appears to provide potential for agreement.

Murphy in a statement said that, as governor, he would sign such a bill “without hesitation,” but went on to argue that Guadagno, in a meeting with the Asbury Park Press editorial board earlier this week, had dismissed any talk of tightening gun restrictions when she said, “I won’t change the gun laws, simple as that. I won’t change the gun laws.”

This is different and merits "discussion,'' Guadagno said.

"Automatic weapons are already illegal, so we should absolutely have a discussion about bump stocks, which seem to violate the spirit of the law,'' she said. "While I would support an effort to make those illegal, New Jersey already has the third most restrictive gun laws in the country so I would not support additional restrictions on gun ownership for law-abiding citizens.”



The kinds of devices used to make bump stocks are readily available — for less than $300 on the internet — even to people who can't qualify to buy an automatic weapon.

In a statement Thursday, the National Rifle Association says the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives should immediately review whether these devices comply with federal law.

Additionally, the NRA says the devices should be "subject to additional regulations."

The statement came from NRA leaders Wayne LaPierre and Chris Cox.

Some key Republicans in Congress are also showing interest in a narrowly written gun-control bill to ban bump stocks. The sponsor is Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the Senate Judiciary Committee’s top-ranking Democrat.

Sen. David Perdue, R-Georgia, originally thought bump stocks were illegal. When a reporter told him that they are currently legal, he responded: “I’d look at (Feinstein’s bill), for sure.”

“You can’t buy a chain-fed machine gun in the United States today," he said. "There’s a reason for that, and I’d want to make sure that nobody has access to that, if that’s the law of the land."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said it was “premature” to discuss “legislative solutions, if there are any,” when asked whether he could support a ban on equipment to convert semi-automatic weapons into automatic ones.

But House Speaker Paul Ryan is open to considering a possible ban, saying in an interview with MSNBC that aired Thursday it's "clearly something we need to look into."

Bump Stocks: How cheap is it to make a gun fully automatic? Less than $300

Authorities said Stephen Paddock opened fire Sunday from a hotel room above a packed outdoor concert in Las Vegas, killing at least 58, wounding 527 more and triggering a stampede as the panicked crowd scrambled for cover amid the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

Also Thursday, Codey and Sen. Nia Gill, D-Essex, introduced legislation to ban .50 caliber weapons in New Jersey for civilian use. A similar bill was supported by Gov. Chris Christie and approved by the state Legislature in 2013, but vetoed by Christie when it reached his desk.

More: Las Vegas Strip shooting: At least 58 dead, 515 others injured

Mass shootings: Las Vegas shooting is the deadliest in U.S. history

Who is Stephen Paddock? Police say he killed 58 in Las Vegas shooting rampage

Dan Radel: 732-643-4072; dradel@gannettnj.com