FAST Launches Full-Auto Competition Division for Rifle Shooters
Firearms Action Shooting Trials (FAST) has introduced a dedicated Auto-Rifle division within its two-gun competition series. The new category explicitly permits FRT (Forced Reset Trigger) equipped rifles and full-auto capable platforms in sanctioned matches. The announcement marks the first major competitive shooting series to formally structure events around auto-capable rifle platforms and aftermarket triggers designed for rapid fire.
Key Details
- Auto-Rifle Division opens competition to FRT-equipped rifles and full-auto firearms within the FAST two-gun series framework
- Division explicitly allows forced reset triggers, which have faced ATF legal scrutiny in recent years
- FAST positions the Auto-Rifle class as a speed-focused competitive vertical, distinct from traditional precision or tactical rifle matches
Why It Matters for Gun Owners
This move signals real market momentum behind FRT technology and full-auto competition, despite ongoing regulatory uncertainty. For AR shooters, a sanctioned competition series gives legal cover and structure for competing with hardware that remains in a gray zone federally. Competitors in states permitting machine guns—Texas, Oklahoma, and other shall-issue jurisdictions—now have a dedicated competitive outlet. Shooters building speed-focused rifles have a clear competitive pathway. The division also validates FRT triggers as legitimate competition equipment rather than fringe accessories, potentially shifting how manufacturers and consumers approach rapid-fire platform design.
DownRange Analysis
FAST's move is calculated risk-taking. The series operates within state law and doesn't require shooters to use automatic fire—FRT triggers function legally as semi-auto devices when properly configured. However, full-auto matches in states where NFA machine guns are legal creates exposure if ATF enforcement posture shifts. For gun owners, this is opportunity: a major competition series legitimizing rapid-fire hardware forces the industry and regulators to take these platforms seriously as sport equipment, not novelties. Watch whether other match series follow, and whether state-level restrictions tighten in response.
