‘Most people are frustrated:’ CO gun range and firearm shop react with concern to Oregon’s new ban on ‘ghost guns’

(Update: adding video, comments by AG's office, Liberation Firearms Training, Hammer Down Firearms)

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Oregon Department of Justice is reminding Oregonians that the state’s new ban on “ghost guns” goes into effect on Sunday noting, "Ghost guns have created real and serious risks to public safety." But some Central Oregonians don't think it's a positive move.

Ghost guns are firearms that do not include a serial number. They're home-built or assembled using parts purchased separately that don't need a background check.

"The use of unserialized firearms in crimes has spiked between 2017 and 2021," Oregon Attorney General Special Counsel Michael Kron said Friday. "The federal ATF recorded a ten fold increase, 1,000% more ghost guns, unserialized firearms recovered at crime scenes, and an unserialized firearm is just harder to trace."

"There's no reason that a lack of a serial number makes your firearm any better for self-defense," Kron added. "The only thing it does is it allows you to potentially evade police investigations."

Kron argues that ghost guns create hurdles to law enforcement and obstruct investigation of crimes, while others think the focus should be elsewhere.

Brandon Wessels, an instructor at Liberation Firearm Training in Redmond, said, "What I'm looking for, for safety is I want to see more resources allocated to mental health, to education, especially education around firearms."

Wessels said he believes this ghost guns ban is not proactive enough in promoting safety.

"It might help in certain specific scenarios with investigating after the fact, but that's reactionary, and everyone knows when this is a serious issue. I'd rather be proactive. I'd rather be action-orientated," he said.

The ban requires owners of ghost guns to add a serial number to their firearms or an unfinished frame or receiver. 

David Shores, the manager at Hammer Down Firearms in Bend, said, "It doesn't affect safety. Just because a firearm is serialized doesn't mean it's not going to be used in a crime."

This week alone, Shores said the store has taken 35 to 40 calls from all over the state regarding serializing the numbers, according to Shores. He also said it's expensive to serialize a gun.

"Most people are frustrated with it," Shores said. "We've seen people would rather destroy their gun that doesn't have a serial number on it and and buy one that's already serialized."

"I would love to see more people from the left and the right get together and actually talk about like, how can we execute as effectively as possible, actually doing things that lower the statistics that matter," he added.

First offenses of the new state ghost guns ban can result in a Class B violation and a $1,000 fine. Second offenses carry over $6,000 in fines, possible prison time or both.

In 2023, the Oregon Legislature passed HB 2005 banning “ghost guns” – firearms that do not include a serial number and are home-built or assembled using parts purchased separately. Often obtained online, ghost gun parts can be assembled privately using components that do not require a background check.

Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said “Responsible gun ownership means respecting the gun laws of our state, and that now includes a ban on unserialized and undetectable ‘ghost guns.’ Oregonians who own guns lacking serial numbers will be in violation of the law after September 1. For the safety of your families and communities, please make sure you understand our new law and that you are in compliance.”

To help gun owners understand their responsibilities, the Oregon Department of Justice says it has issued an easy-to-follow fact sheet that explains the key points of the new law and provides a link to a list of federally licensed gun dealers in Oregon that are authorized to serialize firearms.