Glock switches — tiny devices that turn pistols into machine guns — are on the rise in Ohio and across the country. Some are used by backyard gun enthusiasts. Others are used by criminals.
What is a Glock switch?
A Glock switch is a gadget about the size of a thimble that can be plugged into the back of certain semi-automatic handguns and turn them into machine guns, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) said.
Does Glock make switches?
No. Glock switches are illegally produced or imported by various unlicensed individuals and entities that are not affiliated with Glock Inc. , the ATF said. The switches can also be made with 3D printers. Glock Inc. does not manufacture, market or sell switches for its firearms.
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Are Glock switches legal?
No. All Glock switches and all devices like them are illegal and can carry federal penalties. If convicted of possessing a Glock-type switch, you could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison, regardless of whether the switch was on a gun. Using a switch on a gun to commit a violent crime could carry up to 30 years in prison.
If it's illegal, why do I see so many gun enthusiasts posting videos on YouTube demonstrating Glock switches?
ATF focuses its efforts on violent criminals. While illegal, backyard enthusiasts who are otherwise law-abiding may never face charges for having Glock switch-type devices unless they do something to draw law enforcement attention.
How many bullets can a Glock or other gun fire with a switch?
Semi-automatic weapons are made to fire one bullet each time someone pulls a trigger. When equipped with a Glock-type switch, one press of the trigger can unleash 20 bullets per second.
Do Glock switches refer to all kinds of similar gun switches?
People often refer generically to all gun switches as Glock switches, like how Kleenex is often used as shorthand for any facial tissue, even other brand names.
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Are there other street names for Glock switches?
The ATF refers to the whole class of Glock-type switches as machine gun conversion devices, or MCDs.
Online and on the streets, though, these switches have many names, according to the ATF:
- Switch
- Auto sear
- Lightning link
- Swift link
- Selector switch
- Chip
MCDs also include traditional “drop-in auto sears” (DIASs), which are designed for use on AR-type firearms.
Why are law enforcement agencies so worried about Glock switches?
A switch doesn’t make a gun more powerful, law enforcement officials said. But a switch does greatly multiply the number of bullets fired. That can make a gun harder to control, leading to bullets missing their intended targets and hitting people, buildings and anything else nearby.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Glock switch Q&A: Who makes these deadly devices?
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