Under both Illinois and federal law, machine guns and firearm conversion devices, sometimes referred to as “Glock switches,” are subject to serious restrictions. Even a small conversion device can result in significant criminal exposure. The reason this is so is that the gun laws can treat certain conversion devices as machine guns. This is true, even when they are not attached to a firearm.
You would not be alone if you are confused about what is legal and what is not under Illinois state laws and federal laws. Still, if you are facing an allegation involving a machine gun or conversion device, it is essential to have the exact statute that is cited thoroughly examined, have the specific device involved identified, and determine whether state or federal authorities are pushing the matter. For help with this, you can call the Schaumburg weapons charge defense lawyers at Glasgow & Olsson.
Defining the “Glock Switch”
If someone says the term “Glock switch,” they are referring to a common way of describing a conversion device designed to modify certain semiautomatic firearms so that they can fire automatically with a single function of the trigger.
Illinois gun law defines a machine gun as a weapon that shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot more than one shot automatically without manually reloading through a single function of the trigger. Additionally, the law in Illinois also addresses combinations of parts designed to or intended to convert a weapon into a machine gun.
Similarly, federal law under 26 U.S.C. § 5845(b) defines a machine gun as a weapon that is capable of automatic fire as well as certain parts or combinations of parts designed or intended for converting a weapon into a machine gun.
Illinois Law
720 ILCS 5/24-1 addresses machine guns in Illinois. The statute generally makes it unlawful to sell, manufacture, purchase, possess, or carry a machine gun. Also, the law addresses conversion combinations that are meant to turn a weapon into a machine gun and combination parts for which a machine gun can be assembled when those parts are under a person’s possession or control.
Federal Law
Federal law provides an additional layer of potential criminal liability. It is generally unlawful for a person to transfer or possess a machine gun, subject to statutory exceptions, including certain machine guns lawfully possessed before the federal prohibition took effect.
Importantly, federal law separately defines “machine gun” to include certain conversion parts. Therefore, anyone who possesses a particular conversion device can face federal legal issues even when the device is not installed on a firearm.
Get Qualified Legal Help Today
A machine gun or conversion device can involve both state and federal law. Understanding your rights and obtaining legal representation early when you are facing allegations of gun law violations in Illinois best positions you for the most favorable results. For more information, please speak with our Schaumburg criminal defense attorneys at Glasgow & Olsson today and learn how decades of trusted experience can protect what matters most to you.
Our law firm is widely recognized as a leading authority in criminal law. For this reason, Attorney Thomas T. Glasgow is a trusted legal voice who is regularly invited to appear on major networks, including ABC, CNN, NBC, CBS, and Fox News.
When your rights and freedoms are on the line, having an attorney on your side with an excellent reputation and unimpeachable experience matters.