- 25 states now ban conversion devices with penalties up to 10 years
- 12K+ illegal switches seized since 2021 via 3D printing boom
- Birmingham mass shooting spurred Alabama’s new felony law
- Federal prosecutions rise 300% since 2017
- Glock faces lawsuits in 4 states over convertible pistols
The nationwide battle against improvised machine guns reached a critical milestone this month as Alabama became the 25th state to criminalize Glock switches. These coin-sized devices transform semiautomatic pistols into weapons capable of firing 1,200 rounds per minute – equivalent to military-grade armaments. Law enforcement agencies report recovering enough conversion parts since 2020 to equip three infantry battalions.
Federal law has prohibited machine guns manufactured after 1986, but the recent surge in homemade conversion kits forced states to act. Texas illustrates the crisis – authorities seized 1,800 devices in 2023 alone, primarily from Houston and Dallas trafficking rings. ATF data shows modified Glocks now account for 38% of automatic weapons used in crimes, up from 9% in 2015.
Three factors drive the epidemic: 1) Social media tutorials teaching switch installation 2) $20 plastic 3D printer blueprints sold on dark web forums 3) No serial numbers enabling untraceable distribution. New Mexico’s legislation, signed in February, specifically targets online marketplace sales by adding IP address tracking requirements.
Gun safety advocates argue manufacturers share responsibility. Baltimore’s lawsuit claims Glock knowingly designs pistols that criminals can modify in 90 seconds using basic tools. Everytown proposes requiring microstamping technology that makes converted weapons inoperable – a concept gaining traction in California’s pending legislation.
Opposition remains fierce. Aidan Johnston of Gun Owners of America contends conversion devices serve legitimate purposes: “Ranchers need sustained firepower to protect livestock from 300-pound invasive hogs.” Second Amendment purists note the NRA helped block Virginia’s proposed ban on rate-increasing triggers this April.
Prosecutors increasingly combine state and federal charges. Birmingham shooter Gerald Chaverst Jr. received 35 years under dual statutes after his modified Glock killed four in 2023. “Layered sentencing forces criminals to serve consecutive terms,” explains Alabama AG Steve Marshall. “We’re closing the revolving door.”
