Maryland lawmakers approve bill banning popular Glock handgun sales

Key Points:

• Maryland's House of Delegates approved a ban on the sale of pistols that can be easily converted into machine guns, targeting firearms with a "cruciform trigger bar" mechanism used primarily in Glock pistols and similar models.
• The legislation, pending Gov. Wes Moore's signature, would make Maryland the second state to ban "machine-gun convertible pistols," prohibiting future sales but allowing current owners to keep their firearms.
• Law enforcement agencies, including the Baltimore Police Department, supported the bill citing the use of converted pistols in crimes, such as the October 2023 Morgan State University shooting where a Glock switch was used to increase firing speed.
• Gun rights groups, including Maryland Shall Issue, plan to challenge the law in court, arguing it unfairly targets popular handguns and could significantly impact pistol sales at local gun stores.
• The bill is part of ongoing legal and legislative efforts, with Baltimore and Maryland suing Glock for allegedly contributing to illegal machine gun proliferation, while gun safety advocates praise the move as a preventive measure against "weapons of war."