Minnesota law increases potential penalty for semi-automatic weapon converters

(St. Paul, MN) -- A new law in Minnesota has increased the penalty for anyone who modifies guns to fire automatically. 

The law is cracking down on the use of auto sears, a switch that can turn a semi-automatic gun into a machine gun. Anyone found using an auto sear in Minnesota now faces up to twenty years in prison.

The law comes following the investigation into an increase in automatic gunfire in the twin cities last year.