Assembly Bill 1127 now awaits Governor Newsom’s signature
California Legislature Passes ‘Glock Ban’
- Jake Fogleman
- 11:50 pm
The Golden State could soon ban pistols produced by one of the country’s most popular handgun makers.
The California Legislature gave final approval to Assembly Bill 1127 on a concurrence vote Saturday. Although the measure does not refer to Glock by name, its text would ban licensed gun dealers from selling any “semiautomatic machinegun-convertible pistol,” defined specifically to cover semi-automatic handguns with the potential to be outfitted with illegal “Glock switches” and other conversion devices designed to produce automatic fire.
The measure will now go to Governor Gavin Newsom (D.). Once the bill reaches his desk, Newsom will have 30 days to decide whether to sign it, veto it, or allow it to become law without his signature.
Newsom’s office did not respond to a request for comment on his view of the bill.
The bill’s passage marks the biggest escalation to date by gun-control activists and progressive politicians in their efforts to hold Glock responsible for the rise in illegally modified handguns used in crime. While blue states and cities have attempted to sue the popular gunmaker over the criminal misuse of its products, the California legislation, if signed, would be the first to outright ban Glock handguns over the issue.
That escalation could pose a political dilemma for the man who will decide whether it becomes law. Throughout his tenure in office, Newsom has been broadly supportive of California’s strictest-in-the-nation gun laws. However, he has recently attempted a political rebrand as a moderate on transgender issues, homelessness, and other policy topics, ahead of a likely 2028 presidential run. Guns have been part of that pivot.
In a July appearance on the Shawn Ryan Show, Newsom accepted a Sig Sauer P365 handgun and praised the right to keep and bear arms.
“Brother, this is fabulous,” he said, reacting to the pistol. “The last thing people would expect is that I respect this gift.”
“Really?” Ryan asked.
“Yeah, man. I’m not anti-gun at all,” Newsom replied.
He opted to leave the pistol, which a spokesperson at the time confirmed would be his first, in Tennessee, where the show was recorded. He did so to avoid running afoul of California’s rules governing handgun transfers, according to CalMatters. His office did not respond to a request for comment on whether he has since taken possession of it.
While AB 1127 would not apply to the Sig handgun in question, the incident does highlight the Governor’s evolving relationship with firearms ownership and how banning a nearly ubiquitous handgun maker in the country’s most populous state might further complicate it.
The handgun is so popular, in fact, that former Vice President Kamala Harris (D.), arguably the state’s most well-known politician, revealed that she owns a Glock during a 60 Minutes segment while campaigning for the Presidency last October.
Those political complications, however, have not deterred prominent gun-control groups typically aligned with Newsom from celebrating the legislation and pressuring him to sign it.
“DIY machine guns are just as scary as they sound, and we applaud California legislators for taking action to prevent gun makers from selling handguns that can easily be converted to fully automatic weapons,” John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, said. “Time is of the essence, and we urge Governor Newsom to sign this bill and continue to lead the nation on gun safety.”
Should he sign the bill, the new restrictions would take effect July 1, 2026. The measure would not impact guns Californians already own, nor would it govern private sales. Police officers and military personnel would be exempt from the sales ban.
Glock pistols are already heavily restricted in California compared to most states. In fact, all Glocks are currently considered “unsafe” under the state’s handgun roster regime because the company does not produce models that include the required loaded chamber indicator or magazine disconnect safety. Only some older-generation Glock handguns are available for purchase by regular Californians because they were grandfathered onto the roster prior to the state’s mandate of those features.
AB 1127, as amended, would give Glock six months following its effective date to redesign those older generation models to prevent illegal modification with machinegun conversion devices in order to be re-grandfathered onto the roster. Newer generation 4 and 5 Glocks, which are far more common in other states, would still be excluded from the roster.
UPDATE 9/19/2025 12:08 PM: This piece has been corrected to note that Newsom will have 30 days to make a signing decision upon receiving the bill, not 12.
