By: Anthony Morelli
It’s not just so-called “assault weapons” anymore.
Even handguns are under attack from the anti-gun lobby.
And one new lawsuit is aimed at creating new restrictions on handguns.
Certain people in the gun control lobby have claimed in the past that they are only focused on “common sense” gun restrictions, such as getting rid of “assault weapons.”
However, that sentiment is apparently not universal, as there are new efforts underway to target handguns, not merely the “assault weapons” that anti-gun politicians so often talk about banning.
Handgun ownership is very common in America, even among people who are not particularly conservative.
It is a common way for people to ensure the defense of themselves and their families, by having a handgun in a safe in case it is ever needed.
But that could become more difficult if a new lawsuit by the state of New Jersey aimed at Glock, one of the biggest handgun manufacturers, is successful.
They are worried that people who own Glock handguns might be able to turn them into automatic weapons, and so they are trying to force Glock to shut down the sale of some of their handguns.
According to NJ.com, “New Jersey on Thursday took aim at Glock, the Austria-based gun manufacturer that for decades has been making semi-automatic pistols that can easily be modified into machine guns by adding a simple, homemade switch.
“NJ Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced a lawsuit against Glock Inc. and it Austrian parent, Glock Ges.m.b.H, demanding that the gunmaker suspend sales of switchable guns in New Jersey and seeking restitution for the damage it has caused.”
While this wouldn’t stop Glock from selling all of its guns, it would introduce new restrictions on which handguns they can sell and which they can’t.
And presumably if the lawsuit were successful the new restrictions would not apply merely to Glock but to all handgun manufacturers.
The article continues, “The lawsuit, which was filed in Essex County Superior Court, seeks a court order requiring Glock to stop selling switchable handguns in New Jersey. The state of Minnesota filed a similar lawsuit on Thursday.
“New Jersey’s complaint says Glock has been manufacturing semi-automatic pistols since 1982. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has repeatedly asked Glock to change its design to prevent switches, but the gunmaker has not complied.”
“In New Jersey, the number of Glock seizures rose by 104% — more than double — from 2020 to 2023, Platkin said.”
This seems to be the latest round in a new effort by the gun control lobby to target the gun industry directly, instead of merely trying to pass new laws.
It can be difficult to pass new legislation, especially in states where Democrats do not have a supermajority and Republicans are able to block the gun control that they are seeking.
But by targeting Glock and other gun manufacturers, these politicians are hoping they can throw up roadblocks to the gun industry’s ability to distribute the guns that people like to buy.