On Thursday, Delaware initiated a lawsuit against Glock, accusing the company of not implementing sufficient safeguards to stop criminals from modifying their guns to fire fully-automatically, while acknowledging that Glock itself does not produce the illegal switches.
Several states have been focusing on Glock’s widely-used semiautomatic pistols, attempting either to ban future sales or pursue legal action, arguing that it’s alarmingly easy to convert these firearms into fully-automatic weapons. Delaware’s Democratic Attorney General, Kathy Jennings, labeled the company as “neutrals” regarding efforts to curb “gun violence,” despite the suit admitting that Glock did not create the illegal devices. Jennings expressed strong sentiments, stating, “Our communities, and communities across America, are being terrorized by weapons with destructive power never intended or legal for civilian use… Glock knew. They could have acted. They chose profit over people.”
In her complaint, Jennings is urging the court to bar Glock from distributing pistols categorized as “easily convertible” in Delaware, and is also seeking restitution, damages, and an “abatement of the public nuisance.”
Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings is suing gun manufacturer Glock for allowing the handguns it sells to easily be converted into automatic weapons, an unprecedented move for the state. Get the full story: https://t.co/SA4QMM1jZh https://t.co/Jzy2qeezEo
— Spotlight Delaware (@Spotlight302) October 27, 2026
The 82-page complaint openly admits that Glock did not manufacture the illegal devices, noting that third parties were responsible for their unauthorized distribution and production of so-called “Glock switches,” some of which displayed the company’s logo without permission.
“While Glock itself does not produce these deadly items, many Glock switches still bear Glock’s logo,” the state declared in its suit. “The popular association of the Glock brand with machine gun functionality runs so deep that many third-party auto sears are even sold with a copied Glock logo printed on them.”
Neither Jennings nor Glock has commented yet to requests for clarification. Four states—Connecticut, California, Maryland, and New York—have instituted bans on the Glock pistol, though a federal judge intervened to block Connecticut’s law citing Second Amendment rights.
Additionally, states like Maryland, Minnesota, and New Jersey have taken legal action against Glock over the switches. Under current federal law, it’s illegal to own or manufacture unregistered fully-automatic firearms, with violations potentially resulting in up to ten years in prison and a hefty fine of $250,000.
Research conducted by the Crime Prevention Research Center indicated that murders involving modified Glocks are less common than fatalities caused by lightning, with a reported 40 deaths occurring due to these handguns since 2021, compared to 81 deaths from lightning strikes within the same timeframe, as confirmed by the National Weather Service.
Glock pistols enjoy immense popularity in the U.S., often ranking among the best-selling firearms per various reports from sources like Guns and Guns and Ammo. Following its release, the Glock 19X exceeded sales of 100,000 units in under six months, according to a 2018 press release by the company.
Besides being favored by civilians, Glock pistols are also utilized by multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, which has issued versions of the gun to its personnel since 1997. Former Vice President Kamala Harris has also publicly acknowledged owning a Glock for personal safety.
