California’s new ban on Glock handguns takes effect on July 1. It is a new tactic for gun control advocates. Instead of trying to ban all handguns, a growing number of Democratic-led states are targeting one of the most commonly owned handguns in America – Glocks – on the grounds that criminals can easily convert them into machine guns. But even gangs rarely use these conversions, for a simple reason: They are extremely difficult to control and can be just as likely to injure the shooter as the intended target.
In May, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont joined California in signing laws that prohibit the manufacture, sale, purchase, and transfer of firearms containing a cruciform trigger bar. The cruciform trigger bar is a critical internal component in semi-automatic pistols, particularly Glock and Glock-style firearms. Named for its cross-shaped design, it links the trigger to the firing mechanism and plays an essential role in the firearm’s safety and firing sequence.
Lawmakers in Illinois and New York are also actively considering similar bans. Meanwhile, New Jersey has entered the discovery phase of litigation seeking to subpoena Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) across the state for records involving Glock pistol sales to New Jersey residents.
Almost immediately, lawsuits were filed challenging these laws. Beginning with District of Columbia v. Heller, the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly held that the Second Amendment protects “bearable arms” that law-abiding citizens commonly possess for lawful purposes. The court distinguished those firearms from “dangerous and unusual” weapons and ruled that governments cannot ban firearms in common use, such as handguns.
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