Seattle takes aim at Glock in lawsuit over illegal conversion to fully automatic

(The Center Square) – Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison is suing gun manufacturer Glock and three local Glock-authorized gun retailers, alleging the company’s handguns contribute to the city’s violent crime rates.

Davison’s lawsuit alleges the gun manufacturer knowingly makes, markets and sells semiautomatic handguns that can be converted into illegal machine guns through Glock switches, also known as auto sears.

Handguns are typically prevented from firing multiple rounds per trigger pull by a sear. The lawsuit claims Glock handguns can be easily manipulated with the switch to convert the gun into an automatic weapon. A converted Glock can fire up to 1,200 rounds per minute.

“The Glock switch puts the public at risk, it puts children and families at risk, and it puts our law enforcement personnel and first responders at risk,” Davison said in a statement on Tuesday. “Unlike its competitors, who choose to use different, safer standards, Glock chooses to prioritize profits over public safety.”

On the gun manufacturer’s frequently asked questions webpage, the company states that it is “strongly discouraged by Glock” and illegal to convert a Glock pistol from semi-automatic to automatic.

Glock's Austrian parent company Glock GmbH, also known as GLOCK Ges.m.b.H., is also named in the lawsuit along with the three Seattle-area retailers: Pantel Tactical, Bull’s Eye Indoor Range and Rainier Arms. The businesses are part of approximately 36 Washington gun stores that Glock maintains formal relationships with.

In a social media post, Pantel Tactical referred to the lawsuit as a “cute move” and said the city is lining itself up for a loss in court.

“We’ll keep doing what we do best – serving our community, protecting your [second amendment] rights, and standing tall while the city wastes time and taxpayer money.”

According to Davison’s office, the Seattle Police Department collected 5,746 shell casings at crime scenes in 2023, a 129% increase from 2020.

The Seattle Police Department now tracks the recovery of Glock switches and found one or more in 20 incidents in 2023. That jumped to 38 incidents in 2024.

As recently as May, the police department found that three people were likely shot and killed in Pioneer Square by converted Glock firearms.