Maryland SB334: What to Buy Before January 1

Maryland's convertible pistol ban survived its first court test. On September 25, 2026, Judge Richard D. Bennett denied a preliminary injunction from the bench, so the ban is still on track for January 1, 2027.

If you already own a Glock in Maryland, you don't have to do anything. If you've been meaning to buy one, you've got until the end of the year.

What does SB334 ban?

SB334 passed the Senate 28 to 16 in March and the House 91 to 40 in April. Governor Wes Moore signed it on May 26, 2026 as Chapter 771.

It creates a category called machine gun convertible pistol: a semiautomatic pistol with a cruciform trigger bar that can be readily converted, by hand or with household tools, using a converter that replaces the slide backplate. The law never says Glock, but most Glock pattern pistols fit the description.

Hammer fired pistols are excluded. So are strikers whose trigger bar is shielded, unless the shield can be readily removed with a household tool. Maryland State Police have to publish a list of pistols that fall inside the category.

The dates that matter

The Act took effect on October 1, 2026. The ban itself starts on January 1, 2027.

From that day you can't manufacture, sell, offer, buy, receive or transfer a covered pistol in Maryland. The ban covers buyers and private sales too, not only dealers. Breaking it is a misdemeanor carrying up to three years and a $5,000 fine.

If you already own one

You keep it. There's no registration and no surrender.

A few transfers stay legal after January 1:

• To an immediate family member
• By inheritance
• To a gunsmith for repair and back
• To or by current and retired law enforcement

What you lose is the ordinary sale. After New Year's Day you can't sell your Glock to a friend, and they can't buy it.

What happened in court?

Two lawsuits were filed and later combined. The NRA, FPC and SAF sued on May 26, the day the bill was signed, in Bathras v. Moore. Maryland Shall Issue and several gun businesses followed on July 2 in Duffy v. Moore.

Judge Bennett heard the request for a preliminary injunction on September 25 and denied it from the bench, with a written opinion to follow. Attorney General Anthony Brown said the law "stays in place while the case moves forward."

Five days later, a federal judge in Connecticut blocked that state's nearly identical law. That ruling doesn't bind Maryland courts. Our Connecticut guide explains what it decided.

What to watch before January

Judge Bennett's written opinion. It'll show why he denied the injunction, and that reasoning is what an appeal would argue against.

An appeal to the Fourth Circuit. None had been reported when we checked. Even if one is filed, you shouldn't expect a decision before January 1.

The State Police list. Once it's published, you'll be able to check a specific model instead of reading the definition yourself.

What to buy before the deadline

If you want a covered pistol, buy it through a lawful transfer before January 1, 2027. That's the whole plan.

While you're at it, we'd think about the things you'll want over the life of the gun. Spare magazines are easy to put off. A holster and belt matter more than any part on the pistol. If you'll run a dot, our optic plates guide covers mounting.

What you can still buy after January

Pistols outside the category stay on sale. That's most hammer fired handguns and plenty of striker guns built without a cruciform trigger bar. Check the State Police list once it's published before you assume a model is fine.

If you're choosing a first pistol and want to skip the question, our Glock 17 vs 19 vs 45 guide still covers the sizing choices that apply to any maker.

If you're moving to Maryland

Check before you load the truck. The grandfathering is written around lawful possession, and someone bringing a covered pistol into the state after January 1 isn't in the same position as a resident who owned one beforehand.

Get advice for your own situation and timing. Movers are the people most often caught out by category bans, because the rules were written with existing residents in mind.

What SB334 doesn't touch

Parts and accessories for the pistol you already own are a separate question from selling the pistol itself.

Conversion devices are separate too. A switch or auto sear turns a pistol into a machine gun, and owning one is already a federal felony in every state.