If you own a Glock, then you may want to consider adding a switch on your gun. These switches are available and are being manufactured. However, they can be illegal and dangerous. They are also being used by criminals.
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Criminals are using them
Federal law enforcement officials are concerned that criminals are using Glock Switches to convert their pistols into machine guns. These small, illegal devices are easy to attach to the action of a handgun. They’re usually made of plastic or metal, and they’re not easily controlled.
The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has been investigating the use of Glock switches. ATF agents have been able to find and confiscate a number of them in the United States.
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In addition to being used in a number of recent mass shootings, Glock switches are also being found in other crime scenes. For example, an HPD officer was shot dead by a man who allegedly had a Glock switch in his gun.
As of May 2018, more than a dozen people have been arrested in connection with the use of Glock switches. At least 19 suspects have been charged with the offense, including Roland Caballero, who was recently captured in Houston.
They’re dangerous
Glock switches are an illegal aftermarket addition to the popular Glock pistols. These devices can be made with a 3-D printer and convert a semi-automatic handgun into a fully automatic one.
The switch itself is considered a machine gun by federal law, meaning that owning or possessing one is illegal. There are several reasons why federal agencies are targeting these switches.
One of the biggest concerns is that the speed at which these devices fire multiple rounds puts bystanders at risk. A single pull of the trigger can spray dozens of rounds in less than two seconds.
A number of local law enforcement agencies in the Chicago area have recently reported an uptick in the use of switches. According to ATF, these switches have been spotted in several cases over the last five years.
In one case, a man accused of carjacking was arrested after an agent found a modified Glock weapon with a switch attached. It fired thirty bullets in just over two seconds.
They’re illegal
The Glock switch is a small plastic device that attaches to the end of a 9mm Glock handgun. It converts the weapon into a machine gun, firing up to 17 rounds in less than a second. This isn’t a new invention, but it’s becoming more and more popular.
A recent shooting in North Charleston, SC, showed how dangerous the switch can be. Using the Glock Switch, a suspect was able to fire 17 rounds in less than a second.
In addition to the switch, the incident demonstrated how dangerous an extended clip on a Glock pistol can be. By using the extended clip, a gun can fire up to 30 rounds in just under three seconds.
A man was convicted of selling four of these “Glock switches” to an informant, who sold them to an undercover officer. He was then sentenced to ten years in prison.
Federal agents are now targeting the manufacturers of these switches. They want to take these devices off the streets.
They’re being 3D printed
Glock Switches, also known as the auto sear, are small plastic devices that can convert a pistol into a fully automatic weapon. The device is attached to the end of a Glock handgun. When the trigger is pulled, it expends as many rounds as the weapon’s magazine.
ATF says they are seeing the switches show up more and more often. They are linked to more cartridge casings at crime scenes.
Some law enforcement officials in the Cincinnati area have been taking note of the rise in switches. It’s believed that people are buying them online, either from overseas or from home.
Last year, the ATF seized 1,500 switches. It said most of the switches were shipped from another country.
In December, federal authorities searched a Chicago-area home of a man suspected of manufacturing parts for homemade untraceable guns. In addition to the gun parts, they found a 3-D printer.
The home was searched by federal authorities after an anonymous tipster alerted them to the suspect. They also found a silencer and other gun parts.
