Well, folks, we've got another doozy from Maryland. The state just passed a law that basically says law-abiding citizens can't buy Glocks anymore — not because they've done anything wrong, but because some criminals might try to convert them to automatic fire. This is exactly the kind of backwards logic that drives me crazy.
The Second Amendment Foundation, NRA, and Firearms Policy Coalition are fighting back with a preliminary injunction in Bathras v. Moore. They're asking a federal judge to block SB 334 before it kicks in on January 1, 2027. Good. Someone needs to put the brakes on this nonsense.
Here's the deal: Maryland says it's targeting those illegal Glock switches — you know, those auto-sear devices that convert a semi-auto to full-auto. Those are already banned under federal law. Violators face up to 10 years in prison and a quarter-million dollar fine. But instead of going after the criminals who actually make and use these devices, Maryland decided to ban the pistol itself. That's like banning cars because someone might install an illegal nitrous system.
SB 334 defines a "machine gun convertible pistol" as any semi-auto with a cruciform trigger bar that could theoretically be converted with a different backplate. That's a fancy way of saying "basically any Glock and a bunch of other popular handguns." We're talking about the most common self-defense pistols in America — the same guns carried by police departments across the country, including Baltimore PD.
Now, the anti-gun crowd will tell you not to worry because existing owners get to keep what they have. That's garbage. After January 1, Maryland residents can't buy these guns. Can't sell them. Can't transfer them to anyone except immediate family. The government is essentially freezing gun ownership at whatever level politicians decide is acceptable, which is exactly what the Second Amendment was designed to prevent.
The plaintiffs make a strong constitutional argument. Under Heller and Bruen, arms in common lawful use are protected. Glocks are everywhere — over 500,000 sold domestically in 2021 alone. If that's not "common use," I don't know what is.
Even the Attorney General's own review acknowledged this might be a "back door ban" that could get struck down. That's not exactly a ringing endorsement.
Look, I get that criminal use of conversion devices is up. But you know what's also up? Prosecutions of the people who make and use them. Go after the actual criminals, not the millions of peaceful gun owners who've done nothing wrong. This ban won't make anyone safer — it just punishes people for exercising their constitutional rights.
The right to keep and bear arms means we get to pass these freedoms to the next generation, not just hold onto what we already have while the government slowly strangles our rights to death.