A former Navy serviceman and firearms expert told The Rundown that after viewing photos of the weapon used by the Dayton, Ohio nightclub shooter, the weapon was obviously illegally modified.

“A pistol/rifle hybrid is completely illegal on every level,” Jack Maxey told The Rundown. “It’s clearly illegal in its current configuration.”

Here is a photo of the weapon used, according to The New York Post.

The weapon, which was obtained legally, was modified illegally.

Any rifle that has a barrel under 16 inches is regulated under the National Firearms Act, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Clearly, the barrel on the rifle used by the shooter is less than 16 inches.

“In order to have that configuration, he would have had to file for an ATF tax stamp, either as the original owner, or as a transferrer,” Maxey said.

The ATF has strict regulations for modifying a stock firearm. The owner has to fill out a 12 page form, and oftentimes submit to a secondary background check, separate from the standard background check completed when originally purchasing a firearm. There is also a $200 fee – known as a “tax stamp” – to modify the weapon.

According to Maxey, it is extremely unlikely that the Dayton shooter when through this process. Maxey said the important question is where or how the shooter obtained the illegally modified short-barreled rifle.

“If more gun control is what they want, how does this get stopped? What’s next? We just ban parts?” Maxey said.

He has a point. Criminals, particularly those prone to mass shootings, are not exactly the types to follow intricate firearms laws. Enacting further measures will likely only burden responsible gun owners.

Editor’s Note: The Rundown does not use names or images of mass shooters.

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Peter D'Abrosca Peter D’Abrosca is the Editor-In-Chief of The Rundown. He is an investigative reporter, author, and conservative commentator. His work has appeared in conservative news publications across the web. See author's posts