Four States Ban Glock Pistol Sales Over Conversion Concerns

Four states have enacted laws banning future sales of Glock pistols, citing concerns that the handguns can be converted into fully-automatic firearms. California became the first state to pass such a measure when officials signed AB1127 into law in October 2025. Maryland, Connecticut, and New York followed with similar restrictions in May 2026.

Illinois lawmakers advanced a comparable bill through a House committee on May 20, 2026, though the full chamber has not yet considered the measure. Three states and multiple cities have pursued lawsuits against the manufacturer instead of new legislation.

Minnesota and New Jersey filed suits in December 2024, while Maryland and Baltimore filed in February 2025. Chicago, Philadelphia, and Seattle have also initiated legal action.

Current federal law prohibits possession or manufacture of fully-automatic firearms unless registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives under the National Firearms Act of 1934. Violations involving machine-gun conversion devices can result in up to ten years in prison and fines of $250,000.

Research from the Crime Prevention Research Center reported that 40 people died in attacks involving illegally modified Glocks since the start of 2021, compared with 81 lightning-strike fatalities during the same period, according to National Weather Service data.

Glock pistols remain among the most widely sold handguns in the United States, with one model exceeding 100,000 units sold in its first six months after launch.