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Hurley 27 for sale in United Kingdom

United Kingdom

Make & Model

MEASUREMENTS

Fresh Water Tanks

DESCRIPTION

1972 Hurley 27. Yanmar YSE12 12hp diesel engine, lying Lake Windermere.

• Number of Cabins: 2
• Number of Heads: 1
• Number of Berths: 5
• Number of Crew Berths: 0
• Keel: Long Keel
• Steering: Tiller

Cruising Speed

Engine Count

Engine Hours

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Ian Anderson

Hull Material

Displacement(kgs)

ABOUT HURLEY 27

The Hurley 27 is 27 feet long and has a 8 feet beam. The Hurley 27 is made of fiberglass.

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• Hurley in United Kingdom
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• Boat REF#  ·  234230
• Length  ·  8.22m
• Year  ·  1973
• Construction  ·  GRP
• Underwater profile  ·  Long Keel
• Sleeping berths  ·  5
• Engine  ·  1 x diesel 20hp, Betamarine BD72d (2005)
• Lying  ·  Gosport

Boatshed Portsmouth

This boat is off the market but here are some boats that are still for sale.

• Specification
• Additional Information

Extra Details

Sloop rigged Z Spars Aluminium spars (2004) with Stainless Steel standing rigging (2004)

Electrical Systems

12 volt battery, 2 batteries charged by: engine

Construction

Accommodation.

2 burner propane Stove

1 halyard winches 2 sheet winches 1 anchors (Danforth) 30.00m of chain dinghy () (Inflatable)

Nav Equipment

GPS Garmin 72 interfaces with DSC VHF

Safety Equipment

1 bilge pumps (1 manual / 0 electric)

Broker's Comments

Designed by the highly-regarded Ian Anderson, the Hurley 27's long keel and sheer bow inspire confidence in this vessel's sea-keeping and passage-making credentials. This example has had a couple of major upgrades: in-mast reefing in 2004 and a new Beta Marine engine in 2005. The cockpit is deep and business-like, with the major sail control lines led aft. Down below is a cosy interior, with a dinette layout to port and galley to starboard. Headroom is remarkably good for a boat of this length. She could use some upgrading in the electronics department, if that sort of thing is your bag, but her true strengths lie in her design, her solid construction and sea-worthy pedigree.

These boat details are subject to contract. Note: Offers on the asking price may be considered.

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• Sailboat Guide

Hurley 27 is a 27 ′ 0 ″ / 8.2 m monohull sailboat designed by Ian Anderson and built by Hurley Marine Ltd. between 1971 and 1975.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Some later boats were sold in kit form. Inboard power available as an option.

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Dockrell 27

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• Boat REF#  ·  56355
• Length  ·  8.24m
• Year  ·  1989
• Construction  ·  GRP
• Underwater profile  ·  Long Keel
• Sleeping berths  ·  5
• Engine  ·  1 x diesel 18hp, Yanmar (1989)
• Lying  ·  Chichester

Boatshed Chichester

This boat is off the market but here are some boats that are still for sale.

• Specification
• Additional Information

Extra Details

Cutter rigged Eurospars Aluminium spars (1989) with Stainless Steel standing rigging ()

Electrical Systems

12 volt battery, 2 batteries charged by: engine, shore power

Construction

Accommodation.

2 burner propane Stove

2 halyard winches 2 sheet winches 2 anchors (Danforth, Kedge) 50.00m of chain

Nav Equipment

Safety equipment.

1 bilge pumps (1 manual / 0 electric)

Broker's Comments

Dockrell built these boats after the demise of Hurley and made some slight improvements, otherwise the hull is almost the same as the Hurley 27. She is a lovely family cruiser easily handled by one person. Heavy displacement makes her quite a solid boat to handle and with her pretty Cutter rig she's quite a head turner. These boat details are subject to contract. Note: Offers on the asking price may be considered.

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The Hurley 27 is a 1970s long keel cruiser who’s ‘distinctive’ superstructure sometimes leads her to be overlooked. Jake Frith took an H-27 older than himself for a test sail to see if the years had been kind to her.

I was surprised to see that the Hurley 27 had been missed by ST used boat testers over the years. Normally the challenge is to find a boat to test where enough are available secondhand to make it relevant to a good number of readers.

The Hurley 27 was developed from the Folkboat derived Bowman 26, by raising her topsides and taking the coachroof further forward. This gave her better accommodation as more families became involved in yachting in the 1970s, though many will argue that her lines were not quite as sweet as her more cramped older sister. 91 Hurley 27s were built between August 1971 and October 1974, by Hurley Marine in Plymouth. Like the more famous Hurley 22, she was designed by Ian Anderson. Also in common with the 22, the 27 is seen by a core of faithful enthusiasts as a ‘proper little ship’ capable of undertaking ambitious passages that would create problems for some larger more modern designs.

According to Nick Vass of the Hurley Owners Association, the 27 was a fairly vice free boat that has stood the ravages of time quite well. Though they have a similar lay up to the Hurley 22 around the mast base, the position of the bulkhead directly below it in the 27 helps prevent the mast compression problems often encountered in the 22. Like any 40 year old yacht, osmosis could be an issue, though Hurley Marine’s care with lamination has ensured these boats are not commonly sufferers in this area.

Five of the last 10 boats were sold in kit form for home completion and were not issued with sail numbers or hull numbers. Budding boat spotters should note that the Hurley 27 is most easily differentiated from her long keeled peers by her external transom rudder tube moulding; a strong though some might say ungainly solution.

Accommodation

Saloon Though a fairly narrow and cramped boat by modern standards, the Hurley scores well among her traditional competitors in interior space, thanks in large part to the long, wide, some might say ungainly coachroof. Real life standing headroom of 1.95m (6ft 3in) at the mainhatch and galley, reduces to 1.69m (5ft 6in) at the forepeak. The freshwater tank, clad in a wooden box, is situated at the foot of the companionway steps, which clearly reduces the headroom there, but achieves the desirable result of placing this heavy load closer to the boat’s pitch centre. The moulded-in gelcoat finished head lining is of its era, but it’s wipe clean and won’t create the droop problems of foam backed vinyl. The U-shaped dinette to port will seat four and drops down to create a generous single or possibly a double berth for an impossibly slim couple.

Forepeak The offset chain pipe leads the anchor chain down below the vee berths, allowing the forepeak to continue right into the bow. This arrangement makes the port berth, at 2.09m (6ft 9in) the one to have for those long of limb. The starboard side, at 1.75m (5ft 8in), is reduced by the encroachment of the pipe. There’s a handy locker above the feet here plus oddments’ storage down both sides. The bulk of interior stowage in the boat is provided beneath these berths, helped by the fact that the forepeak water tank is not located here. An infill berth would be easily arranged to provide more rolling space, though Gandalf has never had one.

Aft berths The quaterberth to starboard is a record breaker, at a whopping 2.30m (7ft 6in) long, more than adequate for the tallest incumbent. The rollover room is good too. With 540mm (1ft 8in) knee room at the berth’s widest point of 650mm (2ft 1in). As usual there are lockers beneath the berth cushions, which can be awkward to get to, but handy for those items not required for ready use. To port aft, Gandalf has a generous cockpit locker where some boats may have a second quarterberth instead.

Galley Gandalf sports an ungimballed double gas burner with oven and grill to starboard. There is a distinct lack of workspace with just a small fold down fiddled tray at the head of the starboard quarterberth. A small galley sink is provided forward of the cooker. Food storage is more than adequate providing nobody is sitting on it as it’s situated mainly under the starboard saloon berth.

Navigation area On this example there is no dedicated area for chartwork or storage and navigation takes place on the saloon table, which at 880mm x 800mm (2ft 9in x 2ft 7in) is amply sized for the job. Some owners have created slide-out chart tables and storage systems above the quarterberth.

Heads Rod has replaced the boat’s Simpson Lawrence unit with a Jabsco and removed the original fold down sink moulding, so hand washing now takes place in the galley sink. There are two doors to provide privacy from heads to saloon, from heads to forecabin or from forecabin to saloon.

Cockpit The deep and secure feeling cockpit is relatively narrow at 1.50m on average, a perfect leg bracing distance when she gets some heel on and comfortable for three sailing or four motoring, before crew start tripping over one another. Though it’s quite a long cockpit at 2.25m, the long curved tiller sweeps a large part of the aft section. Winch-wise Gandalf has been treated to a pair of Antal 16 self-tailing genoa sheet winches to replace her old bottom handled Tufnel originals. There’s a good sized stern locker accessed by two separate lids in the aft part of the cockpit. It’s a shame in my view that the access is split into two lids, because this storage space would be big enough for an inflatable tender or valise liferaft if only the access were large enough to let these bulkier items in.

Side decks The consolation of having narrow 180mm (7in) wide side decks here is that at least the coachroof is knee height and has handrails for most of its length, so there’s something to hold onto, at a convenient height while moving forward. There’s a decent height moulded in toerail with hardwood capping and the genoa sheet tracks are mounted outboard on this, reducing trip hazards. On the other hand, on Gandalf, lines have been led back to the cockpit via jammers and organizers on the coachroof on the port side and her headsail roller reefing line also runs at trip height down the port side deck. This would make venturing up to the foredeck more advisable on starboard tack on this particular boat, but with roller genoa and main, the side decks would not see much traffic.

Foredeck If you approach the foredeck from the coachroof there’s quite an abrupt drop down, though the babystay provides a useful grab point, which allied to the 620mm (2ft) high double guardwires and high, steep coachroof, makes this foredeck feel quite a safe place to be. Though Gandalf carries a Danforth type anchor in chocks on deck, other 27s have been fitted with later bow fittings allowing less obtrusive anchor storage. The moulded in toerails continue to the bow, where allied to a recent coat of non-slip paint, the feeling of security is complete. The central mooring cleat looks man enough for the job and is flanked by a couple of retro-fitted aluminium mooring cleats for marina berthing.

Rig Like many Hurley yachts, the 27’s masthead rig has a babystay as extra rig insurance and to remove it would entail the serious problem of resiting the chainplates for cap shrouds and lowers. Going about with a babystay is a minor annoyance, though the effects can be mitigated with a length of plastic waste pipe over it. Most boats of this age will be rerigged with a roller genoa by now, many with a later mast, doing away with mainsail controls at the mast. Gandalf’s owners have gone one step further down the road of convenience with the addition of an in-mast roller reefing main.

Closehauled With her long deep keel and relatively heavy displacement, the Hurley 27, though not hugely closewinded, trucks upwind in a meaningful fashion. Not slammed to a shuddering halt by larger waves, unlike lighter boats of her length, she gives the impression of a boat who’s leeway figure would not deteriorate wildly as soon as the going gets tough. We had a range of wind strengths for our test sail out of Portsmouth from 5 to 12kn and achieved a respectable 4.7kn closehauled under full sail. She was far from being overpressed in these benign conditions, though I did note slight weather helm increasing as she heeled to the gusts.

Reaching We made just over 5kn on a beam reach, though Gandalf was somewhat underpowered and should achieve nearer 7kn in perfect conditions. Once again, her long keel made everything predictable and nothing happened remotely suddenly. By playing with the sails a bit in the lighter winds we had later in the day we got her to sail herself for minutes at a time. This is a useful tendency to have when sailing shortor singlehanded; in benign conditions she certainly could be set up to look after herself long enough to leave the helm to pop the kettle on.

Running With her big genoa, goosewinging the main would always be worth trying on a dead run, though Gandalf’s battenless roller main’s tight leech made this feel a little precarious. The genoa pulled well with no great need for poling out thanks to the outboard position of the genoa tracks. Gandalf also packs a cruising chute, though we were unable to get it up on the day.

Under engine Almost every Hurley 27 will have been re-engined by now and Gandalf is no exception, being on at least her third motor. This one is a Beta BD722 20 hp model, more than ample for a boat of this size. Her comfortable cruising speed was felt to be about 5kn at a tranquil 1500rpm, though Rod confessed pushing her up to 6.5kn on a few occasions to reach a tidal gate or marina berth in a hurry. With a large, fixed three bladed prop she kicked smartly to port going astern, though Rod had simply arranged to keep her in a marina berth where this tendency would present itself as a virtue.

One sailor’s ‘dated’ is another sailor’s ‘traditional’. For me there will always be something very reassuring about a long keel, heavy displacement, narrow beamed small yacht and the Hurley 27 exemplifies these values. With her narrow, deep cockpit, substantial coachroof and well supported rig, this is a boat that would look after her owner on a long trip in open water, though if drama, speed or palatial accommodation are your things, the Hurley 27 probably isn’t.

LOA 27ft 8.23m LWL 20ft 6.4m Beam 8ft 2.44m Draught 4ft 1.22m Sail area 532ft² 48.3m² Displacement 7000lb 3178kg Builder Designed by Ian Anderson Engine mostly Beta engines 14-20hp Fuel capacity 6 gal 27ltr Accommodation 5 berths in two cabins Owners’ association Price guide £4000-£12,000 Hurley Marine Ltd, Plymouth, Devon New with either a Bukh 10hp marine diesel or an outboard in a well www.hurleyownersassociation.co.uk

Can sail herself Solid build Active association Standing headroom

Not overly pretty Sedate performance A few poor examples Dated interior

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• Boat REF#  ·  4162
• Length  ·  8.20m
• Year  ·  1973
• Construction  ·  GRP
• Underwater profile  ·  Long Keel
• Sleeping berths  ·  5
• Engine  ·  1 x diesel 18hp, Volvo 2002 (1992)
• Lying  ·  Essex

Boatshed Essex

This boat is off the market but here are some boats that are still for sale.

• Specification
• Additional Information

Extra Details

Sloop rigged Aluminium spars (1973) with Stainless Steel standing rigging ()

Electrical Systems

12 volt battery, 2 batteries charged by: engine

Construction

1995 coats of gelcoat applied under anti-fouling

Accommodation

2 burner Stove

1 halyard winches 2 sheet winches 2 anchors (Ploughs) 15.00m of chain Boom tent

Nav Equipment

Safety equipment.

2 bilge pumps (2 manual / 0 electric)

Broker's Comments

Preliminary Details: awaiting confirmation by owner. In many 27 foot boats, one has to compromise on space in the saloon and/or the cockpit. This Hurley offers comfortable accommodation for 4 adults, with 2 double berths, as well as plenty of space in the cockpit. I always have a good look at the engine, as it's often an indicator of how well the boats been maintained, and I was impressed with how clean this engine is. My overall sense is that this is a well maintained boat, which will povide both comfortable and enjoyable sailing.

See "more photos" to view 36 internal and external photos of this vessel. Photographs, analysis and comments by Chris Allan of Boatshed Essex. Note: Offers on the asking price may be considered.

Please note this comments section is public . Please do not post your personal details here. To enquire about purchasing this boat, please contact the broker directly at [email protected] Please read our commenting guidelines before posting.

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• Boats for Sale

New and used Hurley boats for sale

• United Kingdom
• Hurley 24/70
• Hurley 30/90
• Hurley 38 Tailwind
• Hurley 800 Comfort

Find your dream Hurley on TheYachtMarket today. We have Hurley brokers and sellers from around the world at great prices.

History of Hurley

Founded in 1964 in Plymouth, United Kingdom, Hurley Marine was initially a humble company that soon established itself as a prominent boat manufacturer in the industry. Known for their dedication to quality and design excellence, Hurley boats were always crafted with safety, performance, and comfort in mind. Their commitment towards these values served as the foundation for their growth and success over the years.

In its early days, the company was heralded for its production of sturdy and reliable sailing boats. One of its popular models was the "Hurley 22," a compact sea-worthy cruiser that garnered significant attention. During the 1970s, Hurley Marine developed a vast range of designs suitable for both leisurely sailing and adventurous sea voyages. Unfortunately, in 1974, due to the recession and energy crisis, the company had to go through a financial decline that led to the cessation of production at their Plymouth factory.

Hurley Marine lives on, however, through the Hurley Owners Association. The association, consisting of passionate Hurley boat owners, works tirelessly to keep the heritage and values of Hurley Marine alive and relevant in today's boating world. Today, while the company no longer manufactures new boats, Hurley’s legacy models are avidly sought after in the pre-owned boat market, reflecting the timeless appeal of their design, reliability and performance.

What types of boats do Hurley build?

Hurley manufactures a range of different types of boats. The ones listed on TheYachtMarket include Sloop and Day boat .

How much does a boat from Hurley cost?

Used boats from Hurley on TheYachtMarket.com range in price from £1,750 GBP to £22,500 GBP with an average price of £12,700 GBP . A wide range of factors can affect the price of used boats from Hurley, for example the model, age and condition.

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• Boat REF#  ·  100435
• Length  ·  8.24m
• Year  ·  1989
• Construction  ·  GRP
• Underwater profile  ·  Long Keel
• Sleeping berths  ·  6
• Engine  ·  1 x diesel 18hp, Yanmar (1989)
• Lying  ·  Torbay, Devon

Boatshed Torbay

This boat is off the market but here are some boats that are still for sale.

• Specification
• Additional Information

Extra Details

New batteries April 2009

Cutter rigged Eurospars Aluminium spars (1989) with Stainless Steel standing rigging (2009)

Electrical Systems

12 volt battery, 2 batteries charged by: engine, shore power

Construction

Accommodation.

2 burner propane Stove

2 halyard winches 2 sheet winches 2 anchors (Danforth, Kedge) 50.00m of chain New spray hood and sail covers April 2009

Nav Equipment

Safety equipment.

1 bilge pumps (1 manual / 0 electric)

Broker's Comments

These boat details are subject to contract. Dockrell built these boats after the demise of Hurley and made some slight improvements, otherwise the hull is almost the same as the Hurley 27. She is a lovely family cruiser easily handled by one person. Heavy displacement makes her quite a solid boat to handle and with her pretty Cutter rig she's quite a head turner. The keel of the DOCKRELL 27 has a flared base so that, with the aid of removable beaching legs, she can be kept upright while grounding. Note: Offers on the asking price may be considered.

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Supreme Court rules ban on gun bump stocks is unlawful

WASHINGTON — In a loss for the Biden administration, the Supreme Court ruled Friday that a Trump-era federal ban on bump stocks, gun accessories that allow semiautomatic rifles to fire more quickly, is unlawful.

In a 6-3 ruling on ideological lines , with the court's conservatives in the majority, the court held that an almost 100-year-old law aimed at banning machine guns cannot legitimately be interpreted to include bump stocks.

The Trump administration imposed the prohibition after the  Las Vegas mass shooting  in 2017, in which Stephen Paddock used bump stock-equipped firearms to open fire on a country music festival, initially killing 58 people. Then-President Donald Trump personally called for the accessory to be banned.

Writing for the majority, Justice Clarence Thomas said that a firearm equipped with the accessory does not meet the definition of "machinegun" under federal law.

The ruling prompted a vigorous dissent from liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

"When I see a bird that walks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, I call that bird a duck," she wrote in reference to bump stocks enabling semiautomatic rifles to operate like machine guns. Sotomayor also took the rare step of reading a summary of her dissent in court.

Even with the federal ban out of the picture, bump stocks will still not be readily available nationwide. More than a dozen states have already banned them, according to Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit gun-control group. Congress could also act.

In a statement, President Joe Biden said he had used "every tool in my administration to stamp out gun violence" and vowed to continue to do so.

"We know thoughts and prayers are not enough," Biden said. "I call on Congress to ban bump stocks, pass an assault weapon ban, and take additional action to save lives — send me a bill and I will sign it immediately."

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., echoed the point in a statement, saying "the only way to permanently close this loophole is through legislation."

Gun control advocates decried the ruling and raised concerns that some of the state law bans could be struck down as well.

"We’ve seen bump stocks cause immense destruction and violence," said Esther Sanchez-Gomez, litigation director at Giffords Law Center. "The majority of justices today sided with the gun lobby instead of the safety of the American people. This is a shameful decision."

Although Trump imposed the ban, a spokeswoman for his campaign expressed no disappointment at the decision, saying the ruling "should be respected" and touting his support for gun rights.

The National Rifle Association, a leading gun rights group, at the time indicated it would also support a ban, although it subsequently backtracked. The group welcomed Friday's ruling, saying on X that the court had "properly restrained executive branch agencies to their role of enforcing, and not making, the law."

Sotomayor cited the Las Vegas shooting in her dissent.

"All he had to do was pull the trigger and press the gun forward. The bump stock did the rest," she wrote.

The ruling, she added, "hamstrings the government's efforts to keep machineguns from gunmen like the Las Vegas shooter."

In a concurring opinion, conservative Justice Samuel Alito, conceded that in practical terms, a weapon equipped with a bump stock is very similar to a machine gun and said Congress could act to ban the accessory.

The "horrible shooting spree" in Las Vegas showed how "a semiautomatic rifle equipped with a bump stock can have the same lethal effect as a machinegun," strengthening the case for legislative action, he added.

The Supreme Court in 2019  declined to block  the regulation. The already conservative court has tilted further to the right since then, with conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a Trump appointee, replacing liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who died in 2020.

Conservatives now have a 6-3 majority that has backed gun rights in previous cases.

The National Firearms Act was enacted in 1934 to regulate machine guns in response to Prohibition-era gangster violence.

The lawsuit was brought by Texas-based gun owner Michael Cargill, a licensed dealer who owned two bump stocks before the ban went into effect and later surrendered them to the government.

"Over five years ago I swore I would defend the Constitution of the United States, even if I was the only plaintiff in the case. I did just that," he said in a statement responding to the ruling.

Bump stocks use the recoil energy of a trigger pull to enable the user to fire up to hundreds of rounds with what the federal government calls “a single motion.”

Cargill’s lawyers say it is a difficult skill to master.

Some gun rights advocates, including the National Rifle Association, initially backed then-President Donald Trump’s move to regulate bump stocks after the Las Vegas shooting, but have since lined up in opposition to it.

The case does not implicate the scope of the right to bear arms under the Constitution’s Second Amendment. The challengers argue that the government does not have the authority to ban bump stocks under the 1934 law.

The 1968 Gun Control Act defined “machine gun” to include accessories “for use in converting a weapon” into a machine gun, and the ATF concluded that bump stocks meet that definition.

Much of the legal fight hinged on the definition of machine gun as a weapon that can automatically fire more than one shot “by a single function of the trigger.”

The government argued that the phrase refers to the actions of the shooter, with a single action required to fire multiple shots. Cargill’s lawyers argued that it refers to the action inside the firearm when the trigger is engaged. Because a bump stock still requires the trigger to be engaged for each shot, it is not a machine gun, they argued.

The Supreme Court embraced Cargill's argument, with Thomas writing that a firearm equipped with a bump stock does not become a machine gun because "it cannot fire more than one shot" with a single function of the trigger.

"ATF therefore exceeded its statutory authority by issuing a rule that classifies bump stocks as machineguns," he added.

Lower courts were divided over the issue, with both the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and the Cincinnati-based 6th Circuit ruling that the ban was unlawful.

The Biden administration appealed in both cases, while gun rights advocates contested the ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that upheld the ban.

The Supreme Court has backed gun rights in cases directly addressing the scope of the Second Amendment, including the 2022 ruling that found there is a right to carry a handgun outside the home.

But in a case  argued in November,  the court indicated it might stop short of striking down some long-standing gun laws in a case involving a ban on possessing firearms by people accused of domestic violence.

Lawrence Hurley covers the Supreme Court for NBC News.