Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives officials are cautioning the public about a diminutive device known as a “Glock switch” that can transform a handgun into a fully automatic firearm, as reported by Fox News’ David Spunt.
A small, inexpensive mechanism, referred to as a “Glock switch” or a “machine gun conversion device,” enables criminals to modify a handgun to discharge over 30 rounds within seconds, according to federal authorities.
Authorities at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) are raising concerns regarding these devices, which can be created using a 3D printer and might cost as little as 40 cents.
ATF officials provided Fox News with a tour of their National Service Center in West Virginia, where they demonstrated to reporters how these illegal machine gun conversion devices are manufactured and the extensive damage they can cause.
A handgun equipped with a Glock switch and an extended magazine can discharge over thirty rounds within seconds. The Glock switch transforms the firearm into a rapid-fire weapon.
Increasingly, Glock switches are found at crime scenes, converting a modest number of rounds into much greater volumes at the press of a switch. These switches are a prominent type of illegal firearm modification seized in trafficking investigations, as mentioned by ATF officials in a discussion with Fox News.
An ATF report indicated a significant increase, with a 570% rise in recovered firearm conversion devices over the past decade up until 2021, according to data collected by local police.
A machine gun conversion device is produced using a 3D printer.
Officials from the DOJ, including members from the ATF, have announced an intensified effort to detect and seize machine gun conversion devices, alongside training local law enforcement officers in identifying these tools.
“Often, law enforcement personnel are not fully aware of what machine gun conversion devices look like as they do not resemble traditional firearms like Tommy guns,” stated ATF Director Steve Dettlebach.
ATF has linked several recent deadly incidents to the use of these conversion devices. For example, a tragic event occurred in April 2023 at a sweet 16 party in Dadeville, Alabama, where four individuals were killed and 32 injured. Authorities have identified the use of a conversion device at this event. The Justice Department strongly advises against the use of or even contemplating the creation of such devices.
Read more about the incident in Dadeville, Alabama
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“Using MCDs is illegal. Selling MCDs is illegal and being in possession of MCDs is illegal,” stated Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
The devices are prohibited under federal law, with violations potentially resulting in up to ten years of imprisonment.
Contribution to this report by Fox News’ Max Bacall.