A compact Glock pistol is legal to sell in California again. The California Department of Justice added the Glock 43X CA to its roster of approved handguns on September 29, just three months after a new state law effectively shut down sales of new Glock pistols statewide.
The addition came without any public announcement from Glock itself, according to The Desert Sun, which reported that the manufacturer has released no details about the new pistol. The model appeared quietly on the state's list of handguns approved for sale, more than two years after California lawmakers began targeting the brand over concerns that its pistols could be illegally modified into fully automatic weapons.
Retailer Turners Outdoorsman was already accepting pre-orders on the new pistols by October 1, listing the gun at $600 while warning that pricing and specifications were subject to change, the paper's report notes. The retailer said it anticipates receiving its first shipments by December, and told customers that more detailed information and specifications were expected within two weeks.
What Makes This Version Different
The Glock 43X CA is a California-compliant version of a compact Glock design that has been sold in other states since 2019 but had never before been available for sale in California. The pistol is made of steel and polymer, chambered in 9mm, and features a 3.41-inch barrel with a 10-round magazine capacity, per the same Desert Sun report.
To meet California's safety requirements, the pistol includes a loaded chamber indicator and a mechanism that engages a safety when the magazine is removed from the gun, according to retailers cited in the report. A separate listing from WBT Guns described the standard 43X as California legal and confirmed the roster approval date of September 29, 2026, while WONews detailed the added hardware as a mechanical magazine disconnect, a tactile loaded chamber indicator and a manual thumb safety.
Why Glock Sales Stopped in the First Place
Retailers had been barred from selling new Glock pistols in California since July 1, when Assembly Bill 1127 took effect. California authorities targeted Glock handguns and similar designs because, per authorities, the guns could be readily converted into fully automatic machine guns using a small device known as a Glock switch. Under the law's text at the California Legislative Information site, the statute prohibits a licensed firearms dealer from selling, offering for sale, exchanging, giving, transferring or delivering a semiautomatic machinegun-convertible pistol, with limited exceptions.
The law does not affect Californians who already own the covered handguns, nor does it restrict private transfers or sales between individuals, according to USA Today. Before the 43X CA's roster approval, California buyers seeking modern subcompact and micro-compact pistols had been forced to pay substantial premiums on private-party transfers, the outlet's report states.
A Federal Legal Fight Still Looms
The U.S. Department of Justice has sued California over Assembly Bill 1127, arguing that the law forcing Glock's redesign violates the Second Amendment. The department's own announcement, posted by the U.S. Department of Justice, describes the California statute as banning retail purchases of common Glock handguns and other guns sharing similar firing mechanisms.
California's own guidance on its firearms roster, published by the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General, states that recently added models may be sold or manufactured in the state unless otherwise prohibited under California law. That framing leaves the 43X CA's broader future tied to how the federal lawsuit over AB 1127 ultimately plays out. In the meantime, local firearm retailers are expecting strong demand as inventory reaches dealer shelves over the coming weeks, while second-market prices for off-roster handguns are projected to cool, according to WONews.
