Proposed Maryland bill would ban any firearm that can be made fully automatic

Maryland leaders want to ban a range of firearms to reduce gun violence.

Many handguns, including some Glock pistols, can be converted from semi-automatic, to fully automatic weapons by the use of an attachment called an auto-sear, or "switch."

House Bill 1287 would make it illegal to sell, purchase, receive, or transfer any semi-automatic pistol that can be converted into a machine gun solely by attaching a switch.

The bill text includes a list of the specific firearms that would be banned under the proposal, which includes the AA Arms AP-9, Bushmaster semiautomatic pistol, Claridge HI-TEC, and numerous other firearms. 

Existing prohibitions on bump stocks, binary and burst trigger systems, and other rapid-fire activators would remain under the measure. The proposed bill focuses more on the firearm and ensuring that a standard handgun cannot be converted into a machine gun.

Glock switches give semi-automatic weapons the ability to shoot fully automatically by preventing the firing pin from locking back when the trigger is pulled. The firing pin is then able to keep a free range of motion, allowing a rapid rate of fire in one trigger pull.

"Once installed, Glock switches allow pistols to fire 1,200 rounds per minute," said John Herzog, the Deputy Chief of Patrol for the Baltimore Police Department.    

The proposal comes amid an ongoing grapple with gun violence in Maryland communities.

"When you see that amount of rounds on the ground, and the devastation it can cause, it really makes you think about how much damage the weapons with the sears, the switches can do," said Anthony Barksdale, Baltimore's Deputy Mayor of Public Safety.

Glock switches and Maryland gun violence

Maryland leaders said on Wednesday that law enforcement has recovered a number of these modified semi-automatic handguns at crime scenes across the state.

Switches have been among recent discussions for Maryland leaders. In February, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott filed a lawsuit against major gun manufacturer Glock over allegations that the company violated the state's Gun Industry Accountability Act and contributed to the gun violence crisis. 

"Since 1990, Glock has manufactured a pistol that can easily be converted into a machine gun," Brown said.

Mayor Scott said Baltimore has seen an increase in Glock switches that have been used to carry out criminal activity. 

Baltimore City Police Commissioner Richard Worley said recoveries of modified Glocks nearly doubled between 2023 and 2024. 

According to data from Baltimore Police, 35 Glock switches were recovered in Baltimore and 65 were recovered in 2024. 

"In the last two years, over 100 convertible pistols with the switches have been found by the Baltimore City Police Department," said Matias Cacheiro, the Deputy Director of Government Affairs for the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office.

The Glock switch was used in a mass shooting at Morgan State University in 2023 when five people were injured during Homecoming weekend, according to police. 

"This was rapid fire, it was very quick," Morgan State student Yasmine Bryant said. 

Against the proposed bill

Those against the legislation say the bill is too broad and won't force Glock to change its designs. 

"This is not a targeted solution, it's a sweeping approach that could strip Marylanders of their constitutional rights to own some of the most common and reliable firearms," said John Weber, from the National Rifle Association.

Stats reveal gun violence reduction, but more work remains

According to data from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Maryland saw a major reduction in violent crimes, with homicides decreasing by 32% statewide since 2021, and by 41% in Baltimore City.

In Baltimore City, the Mayor credits specific crime reduction strategies, particularly the Group Violence Reduction Strategy. 

But statewide, more work remains, especially when it comes to preventing gun violence among the youth. 

On Tuesday, March 4, a 16-year-old was killed outside Lansdowne High School in Baltimore County. Officers responded around 2:37 p.m. to a shopping center in the 3900 block of Hollins Ferry Road, across from the school, where the shooting occurred. Police said the incident happened approximately 30 minutes after school had dismissed for the day.

Authorities described the attack as targeted but have not released information about potential suspects or the condition of the victim.

Meanwhile, in Howard County, school officials are increasing security measures after the murder of two students in a shooting outside the Columbia Mall on Saturday, Feb. 22. The suspect. Emmerson Zeah, 18, has been arrested and is accused of both murders. He remains at the Howard County Detention Center without bail.

The security enhancement follows similar measures in Harford County, where schools have heightened safety protocols since September, when 15-year-old Warren Grant was fatally shot inside a bathroom at Joppatowne High School in September 2024.