A federal judge has denied a request to temporarily block a new Maryland law restricting pistols that can be readily converted into machine guns, allowing the law to remain in place while a legal challenge moves forward.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland on Friday denied the plaintiffs’ motions for a preliminary injunction in Bathras v. Moore. Judge Richard D. Bennett issued the decision orally following arguments, with a written opinion and order expected to follow.
Senate Bill 334 generally prohibits the manufacture, sale, purchase, receipt or transfer of machine gun-convertible pistols beginning January 1, 2027. The law targets certain pistols with a cruciform trigger bar that can be converted to automatic fire. It does not prohibit Maryland residents from keeping affected pistols they already own.
Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown praised the ruling, saying the state has the right to address weapons that can be rapidly converted into machine guns. Brown said his office will continue defending the law as the litigation proceeds.
The ruling does not resolve the underlying lawsuit. It denies the plaintiffs’ request to block enforcement of the law at this stage of the case.
