Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1127 into law, prohibiting the sale of Glock handguns in California starting July 1, 2026, due to their potential for illegal modification into automatic weapons. The legislation follows a 2022 mass shooting in Sacramento where a suspect used a modified Glock. The move has prompted Glock to update its product line for compliance.
In April 2022, Sacramento experienced its deadliest mass shooting when six people were killed and twelve injured in an incident involving multiple shooters amid gang-related violence. One suspect, Smiley Allen Martin, was arrested in possession of a Glock 19 handgun fitted with an illegal 'switch'—a device that allows semiautomatic pistols to fire rapidly like machine guns. Switches are prohibited under federal and state law but can be easily obtained or 3D-printed.
Martin had been released from prison in February 2022 after serving less than half of a 10-year sentence for felony convictions, including punching his girlfriend, dragging her by the hair, and whipping her with a belt. These offenses were classified as nonviolent under California's Proposition 57, a 2016 voter-approved measure that allows for earlier release through credits for good behavior, despite the parole board's reservations.
In response, California lawmakers introduced AB 1127, which Newsom signed recently. The bill bans licensed dealers from selling, transferring, or delivering 'semiautomatic machinegun-convertible pistols,' defined as those with a cruciform trigger bar that can be readily converted into a machine gun using a pistol converter—a device that replaces the backplate and alters the trigger mechanism for automatic fire. While not exclusively targeting Glocks, the design is common in their models, as well as some from Smith & Wesson, Shadow Systems, and FMK Firearms.
Glock, a leading handgun manufacturer, announced it is discontinuing its Gen 5 line and introducing a 'V series' to align with regulatory changes, stating: 'As part of GLOCK’s commitment to future innovations, we are making necessary updates to our product lines to align with upcoming offerings.' Dealers like Tyler Thompson at Redding Guns report having only one Glock left in stock ahead of the ban.
The law emerges amid lawsuits against Glock by entities including Seattle, Chicago, Minnesota, and New Jersey, which hold the company liable for illegal modifications. Critics argue it infringes on Second Amendment rights, while supporters cite rising popularity of such conversions among criminals. The NRA and Second Amendment Foundation have filed challenges, but broader political response remains limited.