Could a Little-Known Federal Case Against a YouTube Celebrity Result in the Overturn of the 1934 National Firearms Act?...

by Harold Finch at UnCover DC

On January 28^th, 2022, Matt Hoover of the CRS Firearms YouTube channel was taken into custody by U.S. Marshalls after the ATF sought and obtained an indictment against him. He is charged with helping to sell and distribute machine guns illegally by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. This case is little-known outside of the Second Amendment community, but its result will have big repercussions. Let’s get into the weeds and explore just what is happening.

Prior to being arrested, Matt Hoover entered into a business deal with Kristopher Ervin, the owner of a business called ‘Auto Key Card.’ Auto Key Card produced credit card-sized stamped pieces of aluminum with the shapes of an Auto Sear etched into them. They were not machined, they were not completed, nor did they come with instructions on how to use them. When cut out, assembled, and added to specific AR-15s, these devices allowed for fully automatic fire with the firearms.

Right now, you’re like, wait wait wait… This all seems pretty cut and dried; what’s the big deal? But that’s only the beginning of the story. Matt Hoover, who runs the popular YouTube gun review channel ‘CRS Firearms,’ wasn’t actually selling or distributing the product. He wasn’t filling orders, he wasn’t warehousing product or producing the auto key cards, and he wasn’t shipping/distributing them. Matt was simply paid to ADVERTISE them. Under this agreement, the ATF has charged Matt with knowingly distributing and selling machine guns.

So, this sounds crazy, right?…