Key Takeaways
- Maryland lawmakers passed Senate Bill 334, banning the manufacture and sale of ‘machine gun convertible pistols’ starting January 1, 2027.
- The bill targets semiautomatic pistols that can be converted into machine guns with basic tools, further restricting them beyond federal law.
- Exemptions include law enforcement officers and licensed dealers, while individuals may transfer these pistols only to family members.
- Violations lead to a misdemeanor with penalties up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
- The bill awaits action from Governor Moore, and the Maryland State Police will regulate and publish a list of prohibited pistols before the law takes effect.
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ANNAPOLIS, MD – Maryland lawmakers have passed Senate Bill 334, legislation that will ban the manufacture, sale, purchase, and transfer of so-called “machine gun convertible pistols” in the state beginning January 1, 2027. The House gave final approval on April 8, 2026, passing the bill 92-39. The Senate had approved it 28-16 in March. The bill now heads to Governor Wes Moore’s desk.
The bill targets semiautomatic pistols with a cruciform trigger bar that can be converted into a machine gun by attaching a pistol converter to the rear of the slide without any additional machining or engineering. These devices, sometimes called “switches,” are already illegal under federal law, but Maryland’s bill goes further by restricting the pistols themselves if they are designed in a way that makes such conversion readily possible.
Under the legislation, any pistol that can be converted using common household tools would be classified as a “machine gun convertible pistol” and prohibited. The bill specifically includes pistols where a blocking tab on the frame can be removed with basic tools. Standard hammer-fired and striker-fired pistols without a cruciform trigger bar are explicitly excluded from the definition.
The law does carve out several exceptions. Law enforcement officers, active and retired, are exempt. Licensed dealers may still handle these firearms for servicing or transfer to out-of-state buyers. Individuals who already legally own one of these pistols may transfer it to an immediate family member. The Maryland Department of State Police will be required to adopt regulations implementing the law, including publishing a list of specifically prohibited pistols.
Violations carry a misdemeanor penalty of up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine. The law takes effect October 1, 2026, with the sales and transfer ban kicking in January 1, 2027.
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What’s Next
The bill now awaits action from Governor Moore. He has not publicly announced a position on SB 334. If signed, the Maryland State Police will be tasked with developing regulations and publishing a list of prohibited pistols ahead of the January 1, 2027 effective date for the sales and transfer ban.
The NRA-ILA has raised concerns that the bill’s language is broad enough to sweep in commonly owned semiautomatic handguns, including Gen 5 and older Glock pistols. That concern is worth watching closely as the State Police begin the process of drafting the prohibited pistols list, since the definition of what qualifies as a “machine gun convertible pistol” will ultimately be shaped by regulation, not just the statute itself.
For Maryland gun owners, the stakes are real. Law-abiding citizens who currently own pistols that fall under this definition could find themselves unable to sell or transfer their legally purchased property once the law takes effect. Anyone in Maryland who owns a Glock or similar striker-fired pistol should monitor the State Police rulemaking process carefully and consult with a Maryland firearms attorney if they have questions about their specific firearm.
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