The firearm industry is drawing a line in the sand over a new Maryland proposal that could ban a wide swath of commonly owned handguns. And a lawsuit may be coming next.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is vowing legal action if Gov. Wes Moore signs Senate Bill 334 and House Bill 557 into law, arguing the legislation would effectively ban some of the most popular striker-fired pistols in the country.
At issue is how the bills define so-called “machine gun convertible pistols.”
Under the proposed language, certain semiautomatic handguns (particularly those with a cruciform trigger bar design aka Glocks) could be prohibited based on the claim that they can be modified with an illegal machinegun conversion device (MCD). Those devices, often referred to as “switches,” are already banned under federal law.
That’s where the NSSF says lawmakers are missing the mark.
“To borrow on a line from James Carville… ‘it’s the criminal, stupid,’” said Lawrence G. Keane. “These bills… punish law-abiding citizens by infringing on their Second Amendment rights… instead of enforcing the law and holding criminals accountable.”
The concern isn’t just theoretical.
If enacted, the law would prohibit the manufacture, sale, transfer, and possession of certain striker-fired pistols, with the Maryland State Police tasked with publishing a list of banned models. Notably, many of those same firearms are currently used by law enforcement agencies across the state, who would be exempt under the proposal.
For critics, that carveout only adds fuel to the argument that the law targets citizens rather than criminals.
NSSF also pointed to the constitutional implications, citing the District of Columbia v. Heller decision, which held that commonly owned firearms are protected under the Second Amendment.
Keane made it clear that if the governor signs the bills, the fight will move to the courts.
“NSSF intends to have Maryland’s Attorney General… explain in court why Maryland willfully violates the rights of her citizens,” he said.
The proposed ban would take effect January 1, 2027, giving the state time to define exactly which models fall under the restriction.
In the meantime, NSSF is also reminding gun owners that modifying a firearm with an illegal conversion device is already a serious federal crime. Under the National Firearms Act, possession of such a device can carry up to 10 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.
The broader question now is whether Maryland’s approach, banning the firearm rather than prosecuting illegal modifications, can survive legal scrutiny.
If signed, that answer may come sooner rather than later.
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