Alabama Considers Ban on Glock Switches

Lawmakers in Alabama are considering a bill that would ban “Glock switches,” or devices that turn regular Glock pistols into fully automatic weapons. Although these accessories are already illegal under federal law, the bill’s backers say that it will help state-level law enforcement quickly prosecute criminals who use Glock switches while committing crimes.

“Glock switches” can turn regular Glock pistols like this one into a machine gun.

The Law

This week, Alabama’s House of Representatives passed House Bill 36, which would ban so-called “Glock switches.” These accessories replace the backplate of a Glock pistol with a button that turns the gun into a fully automatic weapon.

Under the terms of the proposed law, anyone caught with a Glock switch would be guilty of a Class C felony, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

The Impact

This is one of those situations where I think the people opposing this bill are being intentionally difficult. I’m about as pro-2A as it gets (as is everyone at Southern Defense), but let’s take a serious look at this bill.

This bill would make Glock switches illegal at the state level. However, these devices are already prohibited under federal law. Since they make it possible to fire more than one round with a single trigger pull, they turn a standard Glock into a machine gun. Machine guns are already tightly regulated under the National Firearms Act (NFA).

Proponents of the bill say that it will allow law enforcement to prosecute criminals more quickly. Those speaking out against the bill say that it infringes on the Second Amendment. If this law violates the Second Amendment then by extension the NFA must also, but we’re not going to wade into that territory right now.

Zooming out, this bill seems to have a very slim chance of passing. There are only four days left in Alabama’s legislative calendar, and this bill needs at least two more days of discussion before it can pass. To me, this looks like a piece of political theater.

The Debrief

This law is a rare instance where Alabama lawmakers are taking an ostensibly “anti-gun” stance. As I reported last month, legislators in the state are already considering a law that would make it illegal for credit card companies to track gun-related purchases. That’s a law with potentially wide-ranging effects on law-abiding gun owners, and it’s definitely something to keep an eye on.

Long story short, don’t worry. Alabama won’t be implementing any real gun control measures anytime soon.