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Greenwich panel split on pistol-conversion ban; lawmakers urge other gun-safety measures
Summary
Delegation members at a League forum split over a new law banning devices that convert pistols to rapid-fire weapons, with some calling it a helpful marginal safety step and others expressing constitutional and legal concerns.
During the League of Women Voters wrap-up, Greenwich legislators discussed a law targeting so‑called pistol conversion devices, which backers say prevent ready conversion of common pistols into rapid‑fire weapons.
Panelists expressed a range of views. One lawmaker described the bill as a modest, additive measure that could reduce the potential for certain kinds of rapid‑fire conversions, while another said the measure criminalized an otherwise commonly owned firearm component and raised constitutional questions. That lawmaker noted that altering a firearm is already illegal and questioned the legal durability and policy rationale of a targeted ban on a conversion device.
Several delegates said they favored strengthening background‑check systems, ironclad vetting for firearm purchases, and other proven interventions that they argued balance public safety with constitutional protections. Panelists also noted uncertainty about how often conversion devices have been used in real‑world crimes; no concrete examples were cited during the discussion.
The panel emphasized that gun policy remains a vexed issue the delegation will return to in future sessions, with members advocating both for incremental, margin‑focused safety measures and for approaches that rely on robust enforcement of existing laws and improved background checks.
