By now you have probably
heard a lot of crying over 3-D printed guns and how criminals and terrorists
will be printing untraceable/undetectable guns (so called “ghost guns”) and the
end of civilization is upon us.
Well, I’m here to tell you
that all this crying is nothing more than fear mongering and an excuse by the anti-gunners
to use new technology to pass more oppressive laws and destroy freedom.
So what started all this
crying about 3-D printed guns? Several
years ago a company called Defense Distributed created computer files (commonly
called CAD files) for a 3-D printer that allowed you to print a gun and gun
parts. Defense Distributed only sold the
CAD models, never an actual gun or gun parts.
The government considered the computer files a potential national
security threat and placed a ban on the distribution of these computer
files.
Recently Defense Distributed
won a lawsuit against the government, which overturned the ban and they are now
allowed to sell their computer models to the public. This ruling is a big win for freedom of
speech. Remember, no actual guns or gun
parts were ever sold, only computer CAD files.
The anti-gunners are now
worried that these plans will be used by criminals and terrorists to print
undetectable/untraceable guns and bring civilization to its knees.
This is what started the
crying and wailing.
Now for some rumor control:
Here is what the law
actually allows:
1.
Yes, you are
allowed to manufacture your own gun by any means you want. You can use an old-fashioned lathe, mill,
hand files, etc. Or use a modern high
tech 3-D printer. It does not
matter. BUT. THERE. ARE. RULES. YOU.
MUST. OBEY. FOR. IT. TO. BE. LEGAL.
a.
You cannot be a
convicted felon and make your own gun.
This is already illegal.
b.
As this home
made gun will not have a serial number, you cannot ever sell it or even give it
away as a gift. It is for your own
personal use only.
c.
You cannot
manufacture an undetectable gun. It MUST
by law, contain enough steel to be detectable by common means such as x-ray
machines or metal detectors. A truly
undetectable gun is already illegal under existing law.
So the idea that we need
more laws is absurd. WE ALREADY HAVE
LAWS IN PLACE THAT STATE IT IS A ILLEGAL FOR FELONS TO MANUFACTURE GUNS AND/OR
TO MAKE UNDETECTABLE GUNS!
We have enough laws in place
already to cover 3-D printers.
What can a 3-D printer
actually do?
Can you 3-D print a
functioning firearm?
Well, yes and no at the same
time. Let me address the no side first.
1.
First, No.
a.
You cannot produce
a fully functioning AR15 with a 3-D printer.
The material science is not good enough. The plastic parts will blow up
if you tried. You need metal for the barrel, bolt, bolt carrier, trigger
assembly, springs. So the idea of
producing a fully functioning gun as you would buy in the store is complete
fantasy.
2.
Next Yes, here
is what you can actually produce with 3-D printer.
a.
Low stress piece
parts for guns. For example, the lower
receiver of the AR15 that houses the trigger assembly and buffer assembly. BUT the upper receiver must be made out of
metal. And many parts such as the
barrel, bolt, bolt carrier, gas block and firing pin MUST be made out of steel or
other high strength material so they do not blow up when fired. The common 3-D printers are not capable of
producing these parts.
i. Some will say there are 3-D printers that print metal
parts. Yes, but parts produced on these
machines cannot maintain the tight tolerances necessary and the parts require
secondary machining with a mill and/or lathe.
At this point, you have just geared up for major manufacturing and are
spending tens of thousands of dollars.
None of this is done on a $1000 hobbyist 3-D printer.
b.
What else can
you print?
i. A very simple, single shot gun such as the Liberator
by Defense Distributed
1.
Very
simple. Not very accurate.
2.
Fires a small
pistol caliber only, thus not very powerful.
3.
Only fires a
limited number of rounds before it falls apart.
4.
Single shot
only. Slow to reload. Must be reloaded after each shot. Not something you will use to commit mass
murder.
5.
Must include a
block of steel to be legal.
c.
Can you print
plastic ammunition?
i. Not really. I
don’t think this is realistic.
Especially when brass cased ammunition is readily available off the
shelf.
What is to be done?
Nothing really. This is 99% anti-gun hysteria. The anti’s are trying to create a mountain
out of nothing. Using the ignorance of
3-D printing technology to create fear in the general population so it is
easier to pass gun control and strip more freedoms away from the citizenry.
Even if you ban Defense Distributed
from distributing their computer files.
The criminals and terrorists can program the computer themselves. They are not necessarily stupid. All it takes is a computer and off the shelf
software to program whatever you want.
3-D printers are 30 year old technology.
They were not designed to make guns. They can make almost anything. If you can design it in the computer, you can
print it. In the future the frame of
your car and house will be 3-D printed with large industrial size
printers.
Even if you ban or regulate
private ownership of 3-D printers, you can still buy a lathe and mill and make
a gun out of metal. I can even make a
simplified, single shot “zip gun” from material I buy at Home Depot.
Give me a drill press and a
Dremel and I will make a functioning gun.
If the criminals really want
to build guns they can. Home workshops
are not illegal, nor are the necessary generic tools. Guns can be made with existing
technology. Nothing new is needed.
(Side Comment: I bet the gang-bangers really didn’t know
about 3-D printers before all the hysteria.
But now they do, thanks to the anti-gunners screaming about 3-D printers
to everyone. If undetectable “ghost guns”
were actually a problem, we would have seen it by now. If we do see it, I bet we will be able to
trace the idea back to the anti-gunners screaming about 3-D printers to
everyone. Just food for thought.)
Don’t believe the 3-D
printer hype. That’s all it is,
hype. Designed to scare the uneducated
masses into giving up their freedoms.
Why print a single shot “zip
gun” or lower when it is easier to steal a real gun or buy off the black
market? Especially when the real guns
last longer and are more powerful.
Finally comment, Look what
happened on 9-11-2001. 4 airplanes downed,
3 buildings demolished, a 4th damaged and all those guys used were
box cutters. No guns needed.
Don’t fall for the hysteria.
And never, ever give up your
freedoms. Not even an inch.
By: Mez
8/9/2018
