US President Donald Trump has signed a memo directing the Justice Department to propose regulations to "ban all devices" like the rapid-fire bump stocks involved in last year's Las Vegas massacre.

Key points: Donald Trump says it's time to "focus on evidence-based solutions"

Donald Trump says it's time to "focus on evidence-based solutions" Bump stocks were found on a number of the Las Vegas shooter's guns

Bump stocks were found on a number of the Las Vegas shooter's guns Device enables a rifle to shoot hundreds of rounds a minute

Seeking to show action days after a deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida, Mr Trump spoke during a White House ceremony recognising bravery by the country's public safety officers.

"We must move past cliches and tired debates and focus on evidence-based solutions and security measures that actually work," Mr Trump said.

The announcement came less than a week after the shooting deaths of 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

The device Mr Trump referred to was used in the October shooting deaths of 58 people in Las Vegas, and attached to a number of the long guns found in the shooter's hotel room.

A legislative effort to ban the device, which allows a rifle to shoot hundreds of rounds a minute, fizzled out last year.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 1 minute 29 seconds 1 m 29 s How Las Vegas attacker Stephen Paddock fired so many rounds

White House officials say the President will be meeting with students, teachers and state and local officials to discuss ways of providing more school safety and address gun violence.

Pressure has been mounting for action after the Parkland shooting.

What is a bump stock? A bump stock basically replaces a gun's shoulder rest with a "support step" that covers the trigger opening. By holding the pistol grip with one hand and pushing forward on the barrel with the other, the shooter's finger comes in contact with the trigger. The recoil causes the gun to buck back and forth, "bumping" the trigger and firing rounds much faster than if the shooter were to manually pull the trigger each time. The stock effectively turns a semi-automatic weapon into a fully automatic one that can unleash continuous rounds until the magazines are empty with a single trigger pull.

Mr Trump has also indicated he is open to a limited strengthening of federal background checks on gun purchases.

Over the weekend, the White House said the President had spoken on Friday to senator John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, about a bipartisan bill designed to strengthen the FBI database of prohibited gun buyers.

Mr Trump's spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders qualified the support, stressing that talks continue and "revisions are being considered", but said "the President is supportive of efforts to improve the federal background check system".

The main action Mr Trump has taken on guns has been to sign a resolution blocking an Obama-era rule designed to keep guns out of the hands of certain mentally disabled people.

The President has voiced strong support for gun rights and the National Rifle Association.

The bipartisan background check legislation would be aimed at ensuring that federal agencies and states accurately report relevant criminal information to the FBI.

It was introduced after the Air Force failed to report the criminal history of the gunman who killed 26 people at a Texas church.

The White House statement comes as shooting survivors and other young people press for more gun control in a rising chorus of grief and activism.

Sorry, this video has expired Students participate in a "lie-in" during a protest in favour of gun control reform in front of the White House. (Photo: AP/Evan Vucci)

Their "March for Our Lives" is planned March 24 in Washington.

Ella Fesler, a 16-year-old high school student in Alexandria, Virginia, was among the students at the "lie-in" in front of the White House.

She said it was time for change, adding: "Every day when I say 'bye' to my parents, I do acknowledge the fact that I could never see my parents again."

But previous gun tragedies have not led Congress to act.

After the Las Vegas massacre, Republicans and Democrats in Congress talked about taking a rare step to tighten the country's gun laws.

Four months later, the only gun legislation that has moved through Congress eases restrictions for gun owners.

AP/Reuters