https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/new-york-proposes-crackdown-on-major-gun-company/ar-BB1lZgVW
New York may become the first state to bar gun companies from selling pistols that can easily be converted into machine guns.
Major crackdown? I don’t know guns well but aren’t switches just an add on to allow it to automatically cycle? So it’s simply a matter of not making the switches and/or changing the pistol design to not work with switches?
The auto switches are indeed extra parts that bolt on.
The problem that has cropped up recently is numerous online sites selling third party switches. Despite claims made by some of the sites selling these, this distribution is illegal, at least based on how fast similar (but even less completed) AR-15 auto links landed people in jail. The sites selling these switches seem of the highest degree of shadiness, and I doubt any above board FFL would be willing to touch them.
New York seems to be taking this as an opportunity to go after a gun manufacturer rather than cracking down on the people actually making and selling the switches. Given the tension between NY and recent SCOTUS gun rulings, this seems like just another go around as NY looks for ways to restrict firearms.
Cheers for the explanation. The political side explains the missing link the story appeared to have for me. Seemed weird to just go after Glock like this.
It looks good when election season comes around. I can hear the audio clips now
"We are the only ones taking a stand against gun crime at the source, going after the biggest gun manufacturers that flood our streets with violence and tragedy"
FFLs are completely removed, as the switch, being illegal, is not a "regulated item" in the same sense as a lower/legal mg and cannot be sold.
(Yes yes, if you have a class III SOT you can make one and pay the tax stamp and then it's only transferrable to other SOTs. But if you're an SOT you can have a Glock 18, so why would you?!)
My meaning was that it’s illegal and no legitimate business is going to touch them. You won’t find these switches on the shelves of an above board gun store that has an FFL to lose.
The switches are being made by third parties in China and illegally imported. As for changing the design they're still stuck making gen 3 Glocks for California (current gen is 5) due to their handgun roster. And essentially their entire line of products is the same design with slightly variations.