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Many of the usual suspects are back again, tearing their hair out over the fact that Defense Distributed has once again made a library of 3D gun files available through their website.

Note that these attorneys general trout out, once again, the bogus scare tactic claim that 3D guns will somehow be undetectable to airport security metal detectors.

3d printed guns ivan
Courtesy Ivan the Troll

You can read the full letter here.

As both the State and Commerce Departments have recognized, effectively controlling the dissemination of these 3D-printed firearm files via the internet is “in the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States.” 85 Fed. Reg. 3819, 3823 (Jan. 23, 2020). “In the absence of controls on the export, reexport, or in-country transfer of such technology and software, such items could be easily used in the proliferation of conventional weapons, the acquisition of destabilizing numbers of such weapons, or for acts of terrorism.” 85 Fed. Reg. 4136, 4140 (Jan. 23, 2020).

Anyone who downloads and uses Defense Distributed’s computer files—even if that person is ineligible to possess a firearm due to their age, criminal history, or other disqualifying factor— would be able to automatically manufacture functional weapons that cannot be detected by a standard metal detector and, furthermore, are untraceable because they lack serial numbers. The proliferation of undetectable weapons will seriously compromise security and public safety in locations such as airports, schools, prisons, sporting events, music venues, and government buildings. Easy access to untraceable weapons will also impede law enforcement’s ability to investigate and respond to crimes committed with these uniquely dangerous weapons. Continued dissemination of these files will increase the risk of terrorist attacks and gun violence across the United States.

We strongly urge the federal government to act swiftly to ensure compliance with its export control regulations and the Undetectable Firearms Act to protect our national security and public safety interests.

Letter from 25 State Attorneys General Demanding the Removal of Online 3D Gun Files

 

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96 COMMENTS

  1. The threat to gun owners is in the answer to how Trump will perceive the advantage or disadvantage to his personal brand by either rejecting or endorsing this idiotic, Hoplophobic bullshit. This reaction cannot be predicted with any certainty.

    1. No, there is no such thing as a 3D Printed Gun in any practical sense.

    2. To be anything more than a a short-lived experiment that will soon self-destruct, an all plastic 3D printed gun needs multiple metal parts and a lot of metal in the ammunition.

    3. Those critical metal parts that cannot be avoided show up perfectly on ALL FORMS OF AIRPORT WEAPON DETECTION TECHNOLOGY. None of it can be hidden from X-Ray, Magnetometer, or millimeter-wave backscatter forms of detection.

    4. There is no crime in the possession of commonly available information. Check out the US Constitution on the topic of Free Speech, you will find it in there.

    Last point, if some prohibited person or active criminal wants a firearm they have superior access to conventional weapons instantly available to them via criminal sources. This is the nature of criminals, their tendency to see laws as something to be trampled upon and a criminal act as something to be proud of.

    • Well said – especially your last point that all the anti-gunners seem to overlook. Criminals, by the definition of the word, will not and do not follow the law. Does anyone in their right mind truly believe that someone even with criminal intent will personally go through all the legal steps necessary for firearm purchase say in California. Case in point: the mass-shooter in San Bernadino had someone else legally buy the gun – and give it to him which is a Federal crime (see checkbox on the form 4473 about if you are purchasing the gun for yourself). All the legislation crap that includes, but not limited to, wait periods, required training, universal background checks, limits on one gun per month purchase, loads of extra taxes on ammo and guns purchase do NOTHING to prevent a gun falling into the hands of criminals. It penalizes only upstanding citizens by infringing on their right to bear arms. I know I’m preaching to the choir here, but today I felt like a good rant.

    • Enuf,

      With respect to your overall point, I am in violent agreement with you. I differ on some details, but the basic issue, to me, is . . . unless you can wipe all databases and destroy all books and research resources . . . oh, yeah, and brain scrub all the people in possession of the information . . . there is exactly DICK you can do about 3D printed guns, CNC milled home built guns (I assume you are up to speed that there are now relatively accessible home-use CNC machines out there, now), pretty much any halfway-decent home DIYer can make home-built guns, or very effective homemade napalm, or pretty decent home-brewed explosives, or pretty decent chemical weapons (from ingredients you can buy at your local garden department, or plants you can harvest in your back yard).

      So, apparently, we have to lobotomize the population to deal with the “immenent threat” that someone who got a “C” in high school chemistry is going to blow up their local city hall???

      LOL GF.

      • LampofDiogenes,
        “…in violent agreement…”
        That’s a new one. Can’t say I disagree with either you or Enuf.
        Also: There’s a web-based company selling resin casting kits with stainless steel inserts for cast-it-yourself lowers.
        I gotta say, they do seem likely to last longer than the 3D printed versions.
        But a barrel that will last more than 1 shot? Yeah. It’s Going to set off a metal detector.

        • “But a barrel that will last more than 1 shot? Yeah. It’s Going to set off a metal detector.”

          That’s not really the concern (tricking scanners). The real issue is that with a 3D printer, you can build a scary black rifle, complete with a thingy that goes up in the back, a clipazine that holds 100 rounds, a gun that fires 1000rds per second.

      • Regarding home-made chemical weapons, a rancher I knew in Colorado mixed up mustard gas in his shed for killing prairie dogs. Since it’s a heavy gas, it’s perfect for settling down into their burrows — and after the first rain, it transforms into fertilizer (along with the little corpses).

    • Plastic is X-Ray detectable. How do you think the TSA confiscate all those oversize liquid bottles in carry-ons?

    • misinformation and outright lies are coin of the realm to these people…either they are incredibly stupid…or they think we are…

    • When will President Trump declare GCA68 unConstitutional, stop enforcement of it and persecution, and Jim Crow Laws. The ATF is illegal. It makes its own Rules/Laws under direction of our President. Government has No Police Power but that is not stopping them. Second Amendment Rights do not end at state borderr,s or county or city borders ,or business defined borders!!! The President should direct Law Enforcement agencies to reverse course and go after every single Democrat and RINO Politician and Official who imposes and enforces infringements on our Second Amendment protected natural inalienable and Civil Right, to possess and bear arms to protect to save our lives and property. The Constitution, the Law of the Land, our Charter and our Republic demands it, but deaf ears are turned toward it in Washington, an every Socialist/ Communist Democrat Centers of Culture of Crime, Cities and States.
      Stop the denial, the infringements of our Rights, all of them President Trump.

      • Hey numbnuts. . Where is the article in the Constitution that allows the President to “declare unconstitutional”. Think giving such a power to the President would even be smart.

        Trump could direct the Attorney General to find a case to take to the SC in attempt to overturn it.

        • “Where is the article in the Constitution that allows the President to “declare unconstitutional”.”

          Uuuuhhhh, uuuuhhhhmmmm, like, I don’t know, totally like, uuuuhhh, the First Amendment?

          Just as anyone here can declare a law unconstitutional and void, the president has the same right. Such declaration would be as valid as any claimed here, but the president can call a law unconstitutional if he/she/they/WXYZ likes.

  2. “Many of the usual suspects are back again, tearing their hair out over the fact that Defense Distributed has once again made a library of 3D gun files available through their website.”

    From the website:
    “All products listed on this website are electronic files for unassembled individual parts (i.e., merchandise is to be sold unassembled). The files shown on this site are only available to U.S. Persons, as defined at 22 C.F.R. 120.15. The files are also not available to persons outside the United States or to residents of and persons in the following blue states: State of New Jersey, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, State of Washington, State of Connecticut, State of Maryland, State of New York, State of Oregon, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, District of Columbia, State of California, State of Colorado, State of Delaware, State of Hawaii, State of Illinois, State of Iowa, State of Minnesota, State of North Carolina, State of Rhode Island, State of Vermont, Commonwealth of Virginia, State of Maine ”

    OK so how do they physically prevent residents of these states from possession? If one of these states flips from “blue” to “red” will they update their disclaimer? The best part is a simple VPN connection renders any ip address tracking moot. Or we’ll just get a copy from a friend in one of their “red” states.

    • I’m assuming the files are made unavailable in the states listed due to applicable state law, rather than because the distributor wants to stick it to the residents of said states.

      I could be wrong of course, and I’m too lazy to double check.

      • I’m guessing there is some kind of block in place, because I just tried to download some files (AR-15 and others), and the download was blocked. Of course, since I live in WA state, it could just be Bobby Ferguson’s decision to block this state.

    • North Carolina is NOT a blue state, yet! Cooper “won” the election to gov. through election fraud but no one would do an investigation into the OBVIOUS voting irregularities. As with many other southern states, especially Texas, NC is being inundated with leftists from the north.

  3. I ‘ll believe that a non-detectable 3D printed gun exists when those AG’s take that gun and shoot a magazine each with no gloves or eyepro.

    • I’m waiting for polymer ammo and carbon-fiber barrels, then all that’s really needed is a spring… possibly a firing pin. DIY chemical propellants aren’t terribly difficult and the dangers can be mitigated by making your own power in tiny batches with appropriate PPE.

    • Thing is, even if it were safe and possible, there is already a law since the late 1980’s that states you cannot make an all plastic gun.

      Then there is the fact that modern security checkpoints, such as Xray and body scanners, easily detect thick plastic and other materials. It’s not “invisible”. Nor is the risk any greater when one consideres files have existed even before firearms.

    • Along that line,25 would be petty tyrants, that by their actions have proven themselves guilty of violating their oath, on to sentencing.

      • I’m amused in the fact that with all the BS name calling of Trump as a NAZI or Fascist, the greatest violators of the 1st and 2nd Amendments are Dem governors, in other words, THEY are the NAZIS and Fascists.

  4. Basically half the AG in the country are asking the federal government to violate the first amendment by using falsehoods, scare tactics and presumptive narratives. The “facts” include such whoppers as plastic guns impede tracing efforts by law enforcement even though a minuscule number of crimes with guns are solved this way. The threat to the US from terrorists who would rather spend days printing a 3D lower than just acquire guns the old fashion way. And my favorite is that this enables a person to build something they could just as easily buy so that must not be allowed. Note that all the AGs have no problem with their police having weapons of war on our streets and using them against vast numbers of citizens.

    But it’s all for naught. As soon as the files hit the net they became public domain material. Welcome to the 21st century people.

    • Criminals are not going to take the time nor spend the money and time to produce PPGs(part plastic guns) when they can easily buy them on the street or steal them. These AGs don’t have a clue!

    • Violate the first amendment. Because of the second amendment. So the anti gunm crowd is right, gunms are bad. Now I think it’s a wonderful idea to trash the potn sights, the online blogs and any other form of social media not controlled by the FCC. And what are We The People going to do about it? Bitch, rant and rave, because that’s all We can do about it. A mistake with made by appointing Supreme Court Justices for life.

    • There are over 150 MILLION Kalashnikov rifles in circulation around the world. It would be easier for a prospective terrorist to obtain a crate of them and another crate of ammunition with a side order of RPGS.

  5. The 3D-Printed Gun Boogeyman is alive and well! I don’t know about the other five, but Xavier Becerra in California sits atop some of the most egregious gun rights infringements in the Nation and cannot keep functioning steel firearms out of the hands of numerous criminals in that State. He could do better seriously addressing the “Iron Pipeline” in California, but that might endanger his second and third Cousins, so he wastes his time fretting about an imagined “threat” that amounts to little more than a novelty at present. No doubt someone will figure-out how to make a viable, functioning, undetectable, multiple use 3D-Printed firearm-like weapon eventually, but these Attorneys General need to fight the devils they can see more effectively right now and quit wasting their collective time fighting the devils their schizophrenic minds can only imagine.

    • According to a recent report on this site, there are more than 20,000 prohibited persons in California who are suspected of possessing firearms–and that number hasn’t significantly changed in years. One of the reasons for that is that the majority of those prohibited persons are dangerous felons/gang members that agents from the DOJ (the DOJ is the entity charged with locating and confiscating guns) simply do not wish to confront, and are happy to let the police deal with them when they next commit a crime. Most of the people who have had the pleasure of dealing with the DOJ were those under a DV order or who were involuntarily committed for psychiatric treatment.

      In short, Becerra and the DOJ agents are content with going after the otherwise law abiding low hanging fruit.

      • Who needs self protection more than an ex felon? Whether or not he/she is living the crime life, they need protection from their old friends. The prison gangs expect them to send money/drugs, their old gangs might want retribution for perceived wrongs, anyone that might have been a victim might want revenge. You can bet that the police will take their sweet time if he calls for help.

        Most people have firearms for self protection, they don’t carry them around. While felons are not supposed to have them, it is better to be tried by 12 than be carried by 6.
        I can understand why these people might have a gun at home.

    • Check to see how many of these so-called concerned AG’s have instituted early release of criminals in their states from PRISON.! and non prosecution of illegal aliens for their crimes.

    • people bragging about their capabilities in this regard is what drew their attention in the first place…sometimes you just need to shut up and keep them in the dark about what you’re doing or plan to do…

  6. Amazing.
    We have 25 STATE(!) AGs who have the hubris to believe that they can eliminate the use of a virtual “thing” on the internet. Ego, lack of intelligence, or both?

  7. I just “knew” that turd that got in with Ol’ School Marm Evers would have his hands in this……ugh.

  8. If knowledge is such a threat how come nothing has been done with this “knowledge” as has been predicted?

    • “…the bogus scare tactic claim that 3D guns will somehow be undetectable to airport security metal detectors.”

      Only when Shaniqua is running the x-ray machine.

  9. The left wing progressive communists just wont give up as they try to destroy America and all our fore fathers fought and died for!!! They are the enemy!!!

    • Exactly. Fiction has become reality.
      And the .gov is happily contributing.
      One can go, online, to the US patent office and look up precise deminsional drawings of things like “lightning links”, Glock switches, or DIAS.

      Silly AG’s.

      • there are probably skads of unregistered “lightning links” out there…something that can be easily made in any machine shop…and probably has been….

  10. Where’s my ceramic glock?!? Where’s my flying car? Where’s my phased plasma rifle? Where’s my perfect android chick? I see ILLinois’ goofy Kwame is a part of this idiocy😏

    • Your lffe-like android chick will soon be ready. But be forewarned, there have been issues reported with waterproofing the internal electronics. Best to buy the full upgraded model rated for maximum moisture resistance, especially to soapy water on on the kitchen floor ….

  11. Of all the things for these AGs to get their tits in a tangle over… positively ridiculous. In a warehouse somewhere, I expect a team of the best and brightest “investigate reporters” from CNN or MSNBC is feverishly ‘3D printing’ guns and trying to figure out how to get a (allegedly) working example through an airport scanner undetected.

  12. In this severe slowdown, I’m going to take a serious look at this.
    Couple hundred bucks for a printer? Might just be a fun toy to have. Kinda like having reloading components. Great way to kill some time.
    Gonna go back and reread that 3 series, then hit the amazon button…

    • As I understand it, the real work with designing guns for 3-D printers is creating the data file that generates the object.

      Dyspeptic is the man to ask on that one…

  13. When you publish an article like this, you don’t owe us a picture of all 25 signatures, but I feel you do owe the readers a list of the names and states of those 25, in the interest of reporting useful information.

    • @ FedUp: Click the red “Letter from 25 State Attorneys General” immediately above the First comment. There you will see the entire letter with attorney generals names and state.

      • That’s what I did.
        I just the author could have saved us the trouble by putting in an extra paragraph to include it here.

  14. Sorry, but encryption and file sharing is WAY ahead of you.

    Not to mention several file hosting sites not subject to US Jurisdiction are hosting the files. One such site even said while they are morally opposed to disseminating the ability to create weapons (the site is based in a liberal utopia), this is outweighed by the importance of freedom of information on a global scale.

  15. Those busy bodies have a cow over a pop tart gun…what do you expect? Hopefully the POTUS will tell them to pound sand.

  16. So they’re asking a man they repeatedly call stupid and incapable to perform what essentially amounts to an impossible task. How’d that war on Napster turn out? Millions of dollars and hours wasted and essentially the totality of all media creation is freely available everywhere copyright be damned.

  17. 3D metal printing is available. Pricey and rough now but so was plastic 3D printing 5-10 years ago. It will not take long for all firearm parts to be printable.

  18. What is hysterical about this is that the Feds already brought this same suit, but when it gave up and settled with DD, then these 25 idiots took up the banner. And now they want the feds to get involved in a case the feds have already determined is a loser? Yeah, right. Somehow I don’t see Trump or Barr going that route.

  19. Damn I hate Illinois. Don’t even know why I took the time to see if that @ss signed the letter.
    And don’t tell me just to move. Not feasible at the moment.

  20. Since when did AG’s become advocacy n lobbying operations?

    They don’t like 3D printed “guns” go ahead and “ban” such stuff in their own states. When that doesn’t work, perhaps they should include in their “demand” which magical powers will make a federal ban work.

    • Since progressivism. Didn’t you know that we’re all supposed to be activists trying to change the world now? It’s what everyone is told to aspire to from kindergarten on up.

      In my previous job in higher-ed marketing, I frequently pointed out that we should be more careful in what we’re encouraging young people to do, because what if they actually succeed at it? If “change the world” is the only goal, well, Lenin, Mao, and Hitler certainly achieved it…

  21. Crazy how in 2020 anyone still believes information can be removed from the internet or requires anyone’s permissions to be distributed online.

  22. Anybody remember the DMLS 1911 from Solid Concepts (reviewed here a few years back)? This was an all metal 3D printed 1911 that, as I recall, worked pretty well.

    • “24 State AGs plus the D.C. AG.
      So 26 state AGs did not sign on.”

      Pretty much mirrors the precarious perception pertinent to the present public split* on the Second Amendment. A near-tie ain’t winning, unless we accept that not losing is the equivalent of winning.

      *Which seems to mirror the split in the Senate.

  23. Wow. What a complete lack of understanding of basic technology. My own AG (who’s signature is on the letter) was trying to ban “downloadable guns” last year. Her opening comments at the legislative hearing were to say that she learned about it by watching a youtube video on the drive over. Uterly disapointing.

  24. What are they going to do about the versions of the files that are being hosted in Switzerland? What about peer-to-peer networks with trackers and peers in other countries? Even if they win, they stop one source of literally thousands.

    • “What are they going to do about the versions of the files that are being hosted in Switzerland? What about peer-to-peer networks with trackers and peers in other countries?”

      “They” may already know where those files are located. “They” may be able to trace web searches. “They” may just lay in wait until there is another reason to investigate a person, and discover the files. “They” can pressure Switzerland (and anywhere else) to locate those files, and delete them (and identify the i.p. of the point of upload). “They” are NSA and a host of unknown surveillance agencies. “They” will be looking for just one person to put through the ringer, as an example. “They” should not be underestimated

  25. According to the socialist progressives the 1st amendment is about masturbating in public. A white burning a cross on the private property of a black person, is free speech to them. But worshipping in a church is not a 1st amendment right. And american Flag burning is a right. But you can’t burn a homosexual rainbow flag. That’s against the law. And you can’t read a bible in a public school or pray aloud in school. You can protest in front of a military recruiting office. But not an abortion clinic. A gun store can’t have gun advertising in its windows?

    We lost the 1st amendment a very, very, long time ago. Liberal gun owners are trying to say they support “code as free speech”. Liberals, gun owners or not, have never supported the 1st amendment.

    And they are asking “where did that 10 day waiting period come from”???

  26. So I followed up by going to DefCAD’s site to download the latest. They want to know who I am. They want me to register.

    You know what, me, my VPN connection and all that encryption will simply look elseplaces, thank’s bunches.

    Places where REGISTERING AS A GUN OWNER is not a requirement.

  27. These bonehead attorneys are supposed to be familiar with the law, right? So I’m waiting for what law or laws prevents citizens from making their own firearms? The answer is there are none. Americans have been making their own guns since we set foot here. These disingenuous jerks just want to imbed the idea in people’s minds that you can’t make your own gun. You can make all the guns you want to for your own use, you just can’t sell them. I’m sure they know it. They’ll try anything to make the uninformed think they can’t.
    Untraceable? So what?

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