§ 4–301
Statutes in effect as of October 1, 2026.
Md. Code Ann., Crim. Law § 4-301 (2026)
Title 4. Weapon Crimes
Subtitle 3. Assault Weapons and Detachable Magazines
§ 4–301LinkCopy Citation
(a)
In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.
(b)
“Assault long gun” means any assault weapon listed under § 5–101(r)(2) of the Public Safety Article.
(c)
“Assault pistol” means any of the following firearms or a copy regardless of the producer or manufacturer:
(1)
AA Arms AP–9 semiautomatic pistol;
(2)
Bushmaster semiautomatic pistol;
(3)
Claridge HI–TEC semiautomatic pistol;
(4)
D Max Industries semiautomatic pistol;
(5)
Encom MK–IV, MP–9, or MP–45 semiautomatic pistol;
(6)
Heckler and Koch semiautomatic SP–89 pistol;
(7)
Holmes MP–83 semiautomatic pistol;
(8)
Ingram MAC 10/11 semiautomatic pistol and variations including the Partisan Avenger and the SWD Cobray;
(9)
Intratec TEC–9/DC–9 semiautomatic pistol in any centerfire variation;
(10)
(P)
(11)
Skorpion semiautomatic pistol;
(12)
Spectre double action semiautomatic pistol (Sile, F.I.E., Mitchell);
(13)
UZI semiautomatic pistol;
(14)
Weaver Arms semiautomatic Nighthawk pistol; or
(15)
Wilkinson semiautomatic “Linda” pistol.
(d)
“Assault weapon” means:
(1)
an assault long gun;
(2)
an assault pistol; or
(3)
a copycat weapon.
(e)
“Binary trigger system” means a device that, when installed in or attached to a firearm, fires both when the trigger is pulled and on release of the trigger.
(f)
“Bump stock” means a device that, when installed in or attached to a firearm, increases the rate of fire of the firearm by using energy from the recoil of the firearm to generate a reciprocating action that facilitates repeated activation of the trigger.
(g)
“Burst trigger system” means a device that, when installed in or attached to a firearm, allows the firearm to discharge two or more shots with a single pull of the trigger by altering the trigger reset.
(h)
“Common household tool” includes a screwdriver, a pipe wrench, pliers, a hacksaw, a crowbar, an electric drill, a rotary tool, a hammer, a chisel, a file, and a crescent wrench.
(i)
(1)
“Copycat weapon” means:
(i)
a semiautomatic centerfire rifle that can accept a detachable magazine and has any two of the following:
(1)
a folding stock;
(2)
a grenade launcher or flare launcher; or
(3)
a flash suppressor;
(ii)
a semiautomatic centerfire rifle that has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds;
(iii)
a semiautomatic centerfire rifle that has an overall length of less than 29 inches;
(iv)
a semiautomatic pistol with a fixed magazine that can accept more than 10 rounds;
(v)
a semiautomatic shotgun that has a folding stock; or
(vi)
a shotgun with a revolving cylinder.
(2)
“Copycat weapon” does not include an assault long gun or an assault pistol.
(j)
“Cruciform trigger bar” means a component in a semiautomatic pistol that:
(1)
serves as a link between the trigger and the firing pin; and
(2)
has its sear incorporated into a cross–shaped surface.
(k)
“Detachable magazine” means an ammunition feeding device that can be removed readily from a firearm without requiring disassembly of the firearm action or without the use of a tool, including a bullet or cartridge.
(l)
“Flash suppressor” means a device that functions, or is intended to function, to perceptibly reduce or redirect muzzle flash from the shooter’s field of vision.
(m)
“Hellfire trigger” means a device that, when installed in or attached to a firearm, disengages the trigger return spring when the trigger is pulled.
(n)
“Licensed firearms dealer” means a person who holds a dealer’s license under Title 5, Subtitle 1 of the Public Safety Article.
(o)
(1)
“Machine gun convertible pistol” means any semiautomatic pistol with a cruciform trigger bar that can be readily converted by hand or by using common household tools into a machine gun by the installation or attachment of a pistol converter as a replacement for the slide’s backplate.
(2)
“Machine gun convertible pistol” includes a semiautomatic pistol described under paragraph (1) of this subsection, regardless of whether a tab or other piece of material is located on the rear portion of the pistol frame to block the attachment of a pistol converter, if the tab or other piece of material can be readily removed with a common household tool.
(3)
“Machine gun convertible pistol” does not include a hammer–fired semiautomatic pistol or a striker–fired semiautomatic pistol without a cruciform trigger bar.
(p)
(1)
“Pistol converter” means any device or instrument that, when installed in or attached to the rear of the slide of a semiautomatic pistol, replaces the backplate and interferes with the trigger mechanism, which enables the pistol to shoot automatically more than one shot by a single function of the trigger.
(2)
“Pistol converter” includes a pistol converter manufactured using a three–dimensional printer.
(q)
(1)
“Rapid fire activator” means any device, including a removable manual or power–driven activating device, constructed so that, when installed in or attached to a firearm:
(i)
the rate at which the trigger is activated increases; or
(ii)
the rate of fire increases.