Sacramento, California – California lawmakers are moving forward with a bill that would ban the sale of one of the most popular handguns in the state: the Glock. Assembly Bill 1127, authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel and backed by a dozen Democratic co-sponsors, targets Glock-style handguns due to their compatibility with illegal “Glock switches”—small devices that can convert semi-automatic pistols into fully automatic weapons. These switches, often made on 3D printers, have been found in increasing numbers at crime scenes, including the 2022 mass shooting near the State Capitol that killed six people.
The legislation has passed the Assembly and is expected to advance through the Democratic-controlled Senate. If signed into law, it would make California the first state to ban the sale of Glock-style handguns based not on how they’re sold, but on how easily they can be illegally modified. Supporters say the bill is narrowly focused on a specific design flaw that has long been exploited by criminals. Critics, however, argue that it opens the door to broader bans on semi-automatic handguns and could set a precedent for restricting other common firearms.
Under AB 1127, Californians who already own Glocks would be allowed to keep them and transfer them in private sales. Police would be exempt from the restrictions. Gun manufacturers could still sell Glock-style handguns in the state—provided they redesign the weapons to make them more resistant to conversion. Opponents say that Glock has already done this in newer models, but the state has not updated its list of approved handguns to reflect those changes…