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California gun owners just got another curveball from Sacramento. Assembly Bill 1127, better known as the “Glock ban bill,” has passed the legislature and is heading to the governor’s desk.
Don Hammond, attorney and firearms instructor, broke it down in the latest California Gun Law episode—and the details aren’t pretty.
So what does this bill actually do? Starting July 1, 2026, California will prohibit the sale of “machine gun convertible pistols.”
Translation: if your pistol can take a Glock switch or similar backplate device to run full-auto, it’s off the table. Lawmakers basically wrote the definition to describe how Glock switches function, and yes, that includes Glock Gen 3 handguns still on the state roster.
The irony? Hammond says most lawful shooters will never even see one of these switches in the wild. He calls it a “solution without a problem.” But Sacramento has a habit of turning rare edge cases into sweeping bans.
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There are a few wrinkles and exemptions baked into the law.
- If a firearm is delivered to an FFL before January 1, 2026, it can still be sold after the ban kicks in.
- Private party transfers through an FFL remain legal, meaning used Glocks may spike in value once the cutoff hits.
- Law enforcement, as always, gets an exemption.
Hammond points out that the legislature may really be trying to force Glock’s hand. If Glock redesigns its trigger system so switches no longer work, California carved out an exemption that would let those new models back onto the roster.
Whether Glock bothers playing ball is another story.
Of course, litigation is guaranteed. Courts will need to wrestle with whether banning America’s most popular handgun—clearly “in common use”—passes constitutional muster.
Hammond notes the decision may hinge on upcoming Ninth Circuit rulings in Miller v. Bonta and related cases.
So what should California shooters do? If you’ve been holding off on buying a Glock, the clock is ticking. Unless this gets blocked in court, the window closes in 2026.
As always, stay informed, stay legal, and stay ready—because in California, the rules can change overnight.
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is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who’d rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he’s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he’s deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there’s a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry’s got an opinion—and it’s probably backed up with both facts and field experience.
Experience:
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Read “The rise of Americas gun” for a real insight into Glock and how they operate. There is likely some long term future advantage for them
Are you allowed to own a gun in the Peoples Republic of Kalifornistan? Wow, I might even consider moving out there … after careful consideration … NAH, I’ll pass.
It is a double edged sword ! IF glock “redesigned” the trigger system, it kicks the gun off the Roster and it has to be re certified ! The only reason that Glock still makes that model is so they dont have to go through the whole process to get a new Gen model certified for sale ! SO, THEIR POLICIES with the roster is to blame in the first place ! I can not see how a gun that can be sold in at least 45 US States , needs SPECIAL APPROVAL from the other 5 states , that costs THOUSANDS FOR EVERY UPC CODE. Any deviation, to include COLOR on the frame is a different UPC code or “model” . How is this NOT a violation of our rights ?
I wish all firearms manufacturers would stop selling ANY guns or ammunition to government agencies/all law enforcement agencies in California. Make these agencies and the governmental entities all suffer as much as you make law-abiding citizens suffer. And make the magazine capacities for LEO’s limited the same as everybody else. NO MORE THAN 10 ROUNDS IN YOUR MAGS!
Make criminal misuse a crime, What, it already is nationally, well then ban the device its self what……………………………..
Yet ANOTHER good reason to not live in, or visit the Peoples Democratic Socialist Republic of Californication…
With a modicum of skills, tools, and parts, just about any semi automatic firearm can be converted into a fully automatic machine gun. So perhaps Commiefornia’s ultimate play is to ban all semis.
Beretta 92’s, FN hi-powers, 1911’s can all be converted, too
This has the same grandstanding knee jerk flavor as the bills banning the “evil” TEC9 after legislators saw them in rap videos. Several states ban pistols with the magazine ahead of the trigger guard. This did affect a handful of scary guns but mostly screwed over target shooters and collectors because Pardini Olympic rapid fire pistols and Mauser C96 pistols have a magazine ahead of the trigger.
There’s no way a prosecuting attorney from Atlanta is every going to charge this black woman with anything.
Wrong article, I thing you’re talking about the previously article on the dad with his kids that was involved in a hit-and-run. 👍
Of course all the gang bangers will have a good laugh over the new law because of the “Iron PipeLine” which is well known to Law Enforcement as well as the ATF. States with lax gun laws have illegal gun runners who transport thousands of second hand guns into states like California that have tough gun laws making those laws totally meaningless. It’s only the law abiding citizen that has to obey these unenforceable laws.
Which states and which “lax gun laws” are you referring to?
kommiefornia has no crime so get rid of guns and see who they blame next (hint it won’t be the criminals)