Specifically this bill would have…
- Prohibited most semi-automatic pistols. The bill defines any semi-automatic pistol as an "assault weapon," if it can be fitted with a threaded barrel. Virtually all modern semi-automatic pistols 9mm and above use barrels that are readily removable and replaceable, of course.
- Prohibited semi-automatic shotguns configured for home protection with a pistol grip and folding stock, regardless of barrel length or magazine capacity.
- Prohibited versions of the AR-15 that are currently legal in California by prohibiting any detachable magazine semi-automatic rifle that could be fitted with a pistol grip. California bans this kind of rifle only if it is fitted with a pistol grip.
- Prohibited anyone who lives outside Maryland from bringing an AR-15, M1A, or other such rifle into the state for lawful purposes, such as a training class or marksmanship competition.
This is a well deserved victory for Maryland’s law-abiding gun owners but we still must remain vigilant to the threats posed by a multitude of anti-gun bills still making their way around the Maryland General Assembly.