After Glock Redesign, Leading Gun-Control Group Calls on Ruger to Discontinue Popular Pistol

Everytown for Gun Security desires Ruger to be the subsequent main gun maker to drop its marquee pistol from the market, following Glock’s resolution to take action final month.

On Monday, the gun-control group despatched a letter to Ruger telling the corporate to tug the RXM pistol from manufacturing. Everytown claimed that as a result of the RXM pistol makes use of a set off design that’s much like the Glock fashions at subject, it’s as simple to illegally modify into firing in full-auto. It mentioned Ruger ought to both discontinue the RXM, as Glock not too long ago confirmed it’s doing with its pistols, or change the set off design.

“Ruger faces a alternative following Glock’s current announcement: Will it proceed to distribute and promote the RXM regardless of the proof of its ease of convertibility to an unlawful machine gun, or will it put public security first?” Eric Tirschwell, Everytown’s chief litigation counsel, wrote to Ruger. “To make sure that Ruger doesn’t exacerbate the alarming proliferation of lethal DIY machine weapons throughout American cities and states, we urge you to take the one accountable plan of action and take away the Ruger RXM from the market except and till you alter the pistol’s design.”

The letter comes after Everytown took credit score for Glock’s resolution to finish manufacturing of its pistols, citing the success of the lawsuits it spearheaded and laws it drafted in California focusing on Glock’s set off design. It’s an indication the group could goal Ruger, one of many nation’s largest gunmakers, with comparable techniques if the corporate doesn’t adjust to the request. How Ruger responds might decide the way forward for these techniques in compelling gun firms to make adjustments to their firearms.

Ruger didn’t reply to a request for remark.

The dispute stems from prison use of so-called Glock Switches, which modify semi-automatic pistols to be able to full-automatic hearth. The most typical switches work together with the set off bar utilized in most Glock fashions, typically known as a cruciform set off bar, to interrupt the semi-automatic cycle and permit the gun to fireplace a couple of shot per set off pull. Because the nickname implies, these have principally been seen on Glocks or direct Glock clones, however they are often put in on quite a lot of weapons with an analogous set off bar–just like the RXM.

Everytown mentioned movies of Ruger RXMs fitted with switches are already being circulated by content material creators.

“Ample proof on-line exhibits that buyers have the truth is been capable of convert the Ruger RXM to a machine gun by inserting a conversion system,” Tirschwell wrote. “That proof contains movies of individuals firing the RXM with auto sears. Assuming that what these movies depict is correct, the RXM is well transformed right into a machine gun.”

The gun-control group has pointed to the rise in police recoveries of illegally modified handguns, together with proof from a current ATF report displaying an “exponential” rise in recoveries of conversion units. It claims the growing prevalence of Glock Switches is indicative of a design flaw that makes weapons with comparable inside designs notably harmful to society. Nonetheless, the identical ATF report exhibits different methods of illegally modifying semi-automatic weapons to fireplace in full auto, equivalent to AR-15 drop-in auto sears, are additionally frequent in recoveries, and it’s unclear whether or not Glock’s design is extra prone to conversion or if the affiliation with switches is extra a product of Glock’s general recognition out there.

Both method, putting in the conversion units with out specialised federal licensing is already unlawful underneath federal legislation. However Everytown and different gun-control advocates have argued Glock and different gunmakers must be held chargeable for the unlawful conversions. These advocates have taken to the courts and statehouses to make {that a} actuality, with Glock going through lawsuits in half a dozen states and California Governor Gavin Newsom (D.) not too long ago signing the primary ban on weapons with cruciform triggers.

“People agree–machine weapons don’t belong on our streets,” Diana Crofts-Pelayo, Newsom’s deputy director of communications, instructed The Reload after Newsom signed the legislation. “By way of a design defect, some semi-automatic firearms bought right now enable anybody with a screwdriver and web entry to transform these into absolutely computerized firearms. This invoice requires producers of those firearms to repair this flaw and offers them a transparent and affordable timeline to take action.”

Gun-rights advocates slammed the legislation and the lawsuits as antithetical to the Second Modification. They filed their very own go well with in opposition to the legislation as quickly because the ink was dry on Newsom’s signature.

“The Supreme Courtroom has already held that handguns are in frequent use and can’t be banned. Semiautomatic handguns, together with these with a cruciform set off bar, subsequently, can’t be banned,” a coalition of gun-rights teams wrote in Jaymes v. Bonta. “Even thought of as their very own group (which, underneath Heller, they shouldn’t be), the banned handguns are constitutionally protected. They’re additionally unquestionably in frequent use for lawful functions. In actual fact, they’re among the many hottest handguns within the nation.”

Up to now, those self same teams haven’t known as out Glock for voluntarily ending manufacturing of its pistols. The Nationwide Capturing Sports activities Basis, the business’s commerce group, has declined to touch upon Glock’s transfer as a result of it doesn’t remark “on particular person design decisions.” Nonetheless, the choice dangers backlash from prospects and activists.

Everytown isn’t glad with simply Glock abandoning the design on the coronary heart of the dispute. It mentioned Ruger must do the identical.

“As Ruger is little question conscious, sure handguns—most notably pistols made by Glock and others copying the identical design—have been simply modified into machine weapons that fireside absolutely mechanically with the insertion of a available (however unlawful) machine gun conversion system,” Tirschwell mentioned. “The frequency of shootings with such pocket machine weapons has skyrocketed previously a number of years. As an alternative of shunning such a design, Ruger seems to have run towards it, designing its new RXM handgun, launched in December 2024, to imitate a Glock and to be customizable with the identical aftermarket elements. As Ruger should have recognized, introducing such a design into {the marketplace} dangers exacerbating the proliferation of unlawful machine weapons on the streets and additional endangering American lives.”

The group mentioned it might not be glad with something lower than the elimination of the present Ruger RXM pistol from the market.

“The leaders at Ruger have a option to make: They could be a a part of the answer by pulling the RXM pistol from the market, or threat having their pistol turn into the brand new weapon of alternative for criminals nationwide in search of to switch pistols into unlawful machine weapons,” Tirschwell mentioned in a press release.