Legal Battles Erupt Over Glock's Modifiable Handguns

Attorneys general from Minnesota and New Jersey have sued Glock, alleging that the company’s handguns can easily be modified to function as illegal machine guns. The lawsuits seek to hold Glock accountable for alleged public endangerment and violations of product liability laws. This represents a new strategy in gun-related legal actions.

In a major development, attorneys general from Minnesota and New Jersey have filed lawsuits against Glock, accusing the firearm manufacturer of creating handguns that can be illegally transformed into machine guns using a $20 add-on called a "Glock switch."

The lawsuits claim these modifications make Glock handguns dangerously concealable and capable of firing up to 1,200 rounds per minute, significantly endangering public safety. Despite awareness of this issue, the gun-maker allegedly has not altered its design, as per allegations in the legal filings.

This legal action forms part of a larger initiative by a newly established coalition of Democratic attorneys general from 15 states and Washington, D.C., aiming to hold gun manufacturers accountable for gun violence through state liability laws, bypassing federal immunity. Previous instances like the Remington Arms litigation suggest potential success for this approach.

(With inputs from agencies.)