Article Info
NRA Sues Maryland Over Glock Ban
| Scope | |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | Maryland |
| Impact | state |
| Key Entities | |
| Lead plaintiff in federal lawsuit | National Rifle Association |
| Co-plaintiff | Firearms Policy Coalition |
| Co-plaintiff | Second Amendment Foundation |
| Maryland Governor; signed the legislation; named defendant | Wes Moore |
| Local gun rights group; filing separate challenge | Maryland Shall Issue |
| Legal Issues | |
| |
| What It Means | |
| |
| Timeline | |
| May 27, 2026 | Governor Moore signs ban; NRA files federal lawsuit same day |
| January 1, 2027 | Law takes effect if not enjoined |
NRA Sues Maryland Over Glock Ban
A new state law banning 'machine-gun-convertible pistols' effectively outlaws Glock sales — and a federal lawsuit landed the same day the governor signed it.
From The Boise Gun Club Handbook
The NRA filed a federal lawsuit against Maryland officials Tuesday, hours after Governor Wes Moore signed a law that bans the sale of Glock and similar pistols statewide.
State of play: Maryland's new law prohibits the manufacture, sale, purchase, receipt, or transfer of any semiautomatic pistol with a cruciform trigger bar — the design feature that makes a firearm susceptible to a "Glock switch" auto-conversion device. State Police must publish a list of banned models before the law takes effect January 1, 2027. Violations carry up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Catch up quick:
- The NRA is joined by the Firearms Policy Coalition and Second Amendment Foundation in the federal complaint
- Named defendants: Governor Moore, Attorney General Anthony Brown, and State Police Superintendent Michael Jackson
- Maryland Shall Issue, a local gun rights group, announced it will file a separate challenge "shortly"
The legal question: The complaint rests primarily on D.C. v. Heller (2008), arguing Glocks are among the most commonly owned handguns in America — which puts them squarely in the category of arms protected by the Second Amendment's plain text. The NRA's filing also notes that the underlying problem — pistol converters — is already illegal under both federal and state law.
"Instead of going after criminals and enforcing existing laws, [Moore] has chosen to disarm law-abiding Marylanders and strip them of their constitutional rights." — John Commerford, Executive Director, NRA Institute for Legislative Action
Reality check: Maryland framed the law as a response to "DIY machine guns" showing up at crime scenes. That's a real problem. But the mechanism they chose — banning the base firearm because a third-party illegal device can be attached to it — is legally shaky ground. By that logic, as Second Amendment Foundation's Adam Kraut put it, you'd ban hops and barley to stop drunk driving.
What to watch: The lawsuit is in U.S. District Court for Maryland, represented by Cooper & Kirk, PLLC. With Maryland Shall Issue filing a parallel complaint, there could be two active challenges running simultaneously. Courts will have to weigh whether a firearm's susceptibility to illegal modification is enough to strip it of Second Amendment protection — a question with implications well beyond Maryland.
- Phils Custom Handloads(Swartz Creek, MI)
- Gls Guns(Sumner, IA)
- J & L Gunsmithing(Chesapeake, VA)
- Oliver Firearms(Spartanburg, SC)
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