California’s AB 1127: A Backdoor Ban on Millions of Lawful Pistols?

On June 6, 2025, California’s State Assembly passed Assembly Bill 1127, a controversial gun control measure aimed at outlawing firearms that can be “easily converted” into machine guns. As reported by Veronica Catlin of FOX40 News, the bill cleared the chamber with a 58-17 vote, supported entirely by Democrats and opposed by nearly all Republicans. Though the bill does not name Glock pistols directly, it’s commonly referred to as the “Glock Ban Bill” for one clear reason – it targets the exact technical features that define striker-fired pistols like Glock handguns.

Gabriel Says the Bill Targets Machine Gun Conversions

AB 1127, authored by Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino), seeks to prohibit the sale of any firearm that can be “readily converted by hand or with household tools” into a fully automatic weapon. Gabriel argues this is a response to the danger posed by “Glock switches,” tiny devices that allow certain pistols to fire fully automatically. In his words, “Automatic weapons are exceptionally lethal… Unfortunately, some semi-automatic firearms feature a dangerous design flaw.” Catlin’s reporting highlights Gabriel’s position that gun manufacturers have known about this flaw “for decades” and done nothing to stop it.

Glock Isn’t Named – But It’s Clearly in the Crosshairs

Although the word “Glock” is missing from the text of the bill, Michael Schwartz, host of Gun Owners Radio, points out the obvious: AB 1127 is written in a way that specifically targets striker-fired pistols. In the June episode of the podcast, Schwartz explains that the law uses “engineering-minded” definitions, zeroing in on firearms with a “cruciform trigger bar” – a feature common to Glocks and their many clones. According to Schwartz, the bill’s language is so technical and specific that it’s no accident. The law aims to ban the most popular handguns sold in America.

“Machine Gun Convertible Pistols” – A Frightening New Term

Alisha Curtin, co-host of Gun Owners Radio, notes the bill introduces an entirely new term: “machine gun convertible pistol.” This phrase makes it sound as if the firearm was intentionally designed to be transformed into a machine gun. Curtin says that’s misleading. “You’re not just flipping a switch,” she explains. “You’re committing a felony, printing parts, and altering the gun’s mechanics.” In essence, the law makes it sound like converting a Glock to full-auto is as simple as replacing a battery, when in reality it requires a mix of illegal tools, know-how, and intent.

A Ban Through Technical Language

As Dakota Adelphia, also a co-host, put it: this isn’t a straightforward gun ban – it’s a ban cloaked in engineering language. “Instead of saying ‘We’re banning Glocks,’” Adelphia says, “they’re banning a specific piece, like the backplate or the trigger bar, that’s found in nearly every Glock-style pistol.” He calls it a strategy to avoid political backlash. “It’s still a gun ban,” he adds, “but it’s dressed up to look like a safety measure.” Gun Owners Radio accuses lawmakers of hiding behind technical jargon to implement sweeping restrictions without calling it what it is.

Support and Opposition Line Up as Expected

According to Catlin’s FOX40 report, major gun control organizations like Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action support the bill, while gun rights advocates, including the National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR) and Gun Owners of California, strongly oppose it. NAGR stated on social media, “California is pushing rapidly towards a total ban of Glock pistols… If you think there is a line they will not cross, think again.” Gun Owners of California called the bill a “blatant attack” on law-abiding citizens’ right to self-defense.

Glock Already Tried to Comply – But California Said No

One of the more frustrating aspects revealed by Schwartz and Curtin is that Glock already took steps to prevent future conversions in their newer pistol designs. But even that didn’t satisfy lawmakers. “Glock said, ‘We’ll fix this,’ and California basically said, ‘Too bad,’” Schwartz explains. That move reinforces the belief among gun rights groups that AB 1127 isn’t really about safety – it’s about shrinking the legal gun market in California, piece by piece.

The 1,200 Rounds Per Minute Talking Point

One of the most dramatic claims pushed by supporters of AB 1127 is that converted Glocks can shoot up to 1,200 rounds per minute. But Curtin and Adelphia call this misleading. As Adelphia puts it, “Sure, the gun’s slide could technically cycle that fast – but you’d need endless magazines, no malfunctions, and superhuman reload speed.” It’s a claim that sounds terrifying but doesn’t line up with real-world practicality. Most mass shootings involving converted pistols don’t come anywhere close to that volume of fire, and data shows these modifications are rarely used in such crimes.

Who’s Actually Using Converted Pistols?

Gun Owners Radio also emphasized that the individuals using Glock switches are not everyday citizens or legal gun owners. “These are mostly felons,” Curtin said, “people who already can’t legally own a gun in the first place.” According to her, converted pistols are turning up in gang-related shootings, not in the hands of CCW permit holders or trained professionals. That raises a serious question: Why restrict legal sales if the criminal element is the problem?

This Is a Gun Ban Disguised as Public Safety

Let’s be honest. The scary words and big numbers feel more like a PR campaign than smart policy. This bill isn’t targeting criminals – it’s targeting common, legally purchased handguns. And it’s doing so in a way that avoids using the word “ban” while still achieving that effect. When the state dismisses efforts by manufacturers to fix the issue and presses forward anyway, it doesn’t look like safety – it looks like control.

Slippery Slope for Semi-Automatic Ownership

If AB 1127 passes the Senate and becomes law, it could set a precedent. As Schwartz warns, it wouldn’t be long before lawmakers turn the same logic on other popular firearm types – like AR-15s, shotguns with detachable mags, or anything that can “accept parts.” That’s the danger here. The strategy is clear: don’t go after all guns at once, just reclassify them slowly until few are left standing.

The Language Is the Weapon

Catlin, Schwartz, Curtin, and Adelphia have all made one thing clear – AB 1127 is not just another regulation. It’s a clever rewrite of how the law defines guns, creating new categories like “machine gun convertible pistol” to slip past public alarm. But beneath the language is a move to ban the most popular handgun in America. It’s a big step toward disarming citizens under the mask of stopping crime. And the people most likely to obey the law, legal gun owners, are the ones being punished for criminals’ actions.

Bottom line? This bill may not use the word “ban,” but its effect is the same. And if it goes unchallenged, many more pistols could disappear from store shelves across California, while the people doing harm never cared about the law in the first place.