Federal Court Denies Gun Lobby Attempt to Halt Maryland Law That Would Stop the Spread of DIY Machine Guns; Everytown for Gun Safety Responds

MARYLAND - In a victory for public safety, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland denied gun lobby plaintiffs' motion for a preliminary injunction in their reckless challenge to SB 334. Plaintiffs include the National Rifle Association of America, Firearms Policy Coalition, Inc., and Second Amendment Foundation, among others.

Had it been successful, the motion would have halted Maryland's life-saving law prohibiting gun dealers from selling firearms that can be easily converted into fully automatic weapons through the simple installation of a machine gun conversion device known as a "switch," enabling the pistols to fire at a rate of up to 1,200 rounds per minute. The law will now remain in effect as the case plays out in court.

"DIY machine guns are bad news for everyone except criminals and the gun industry," said John Feinblatt, president at Everytown for Gun Safety. "No matter how many reckless challenges the gun lobby launches in the hopes of selling more products, Everytown will always stand up for common-sense laws to keep Marylanders safe."

"The federal court's decision to keep Maryland's law in effect is a major victory for public safety. Machine guns are already illegal under Maryland law, and this ruling holds the line against illegal weapons capable of firing 20 rounds in a single second," said Monisha Henley, SVP Government Affairs at Everytown for Gun Safety. "We stand firmly with Maryland and every state courageously fighting these reckless, baseless gun lobby attacks."

In rejecting the gun lobby plaintiffs' motion, U.S. Senior District Judge Richard D. Bennett, an appointee of President George W. Bush, explained that "SB 334 is consistent with restrictions on excessively dangerous weapons which have been regulated in response to their criminal misuse and lethality"-and is "a commensurate response to [technological] advances and to today's unrelenting tide of mass shootings and gun violence."

The threat of DIY machine guns is a growing reality on Maryland streets, where certain semi-automatic pistols can be equipped with "switches," turning them into machine guns that can fire entire magazines of ammunition in seconds. Nationally, ATF data shows that recoveries of these conversion devices increased by 784% between 2019 and 2023. Police officers in Baltimore, Prince George's County, and Montgomery County have all reported incidents involving these illegally converted handguns capable of automatic fire, including the mass shooting at Morgan State University.

In an average year in Maryland, 797 people die by guns and 1,745 people are wounded. 63% of gun deaths in Maryland are by gun homicide. More information about gun violence in Maryland is available here.