FGC-9 3D gun
Courtesy CTRL+Pew

 

This is TTAG’s weekly roundup of legal and legislative news affecting guns, the gun business and gun owners’ rights. For a deeper dive into the topics discussed here, check out this week in gun rights at FPC. 

https://youtu.be/R7Zn2Xo35QI

FGC-9: The plastic arm of the free world

I’m excited to announce that the plans for the FGC-9 was made publicly available on the Deterrence Dispensed website.The FGC-9 is chambered in 9mm and can be built and assembled using a $200 printer, virtually no “firearm parts,” and an electro-chemically machined barrel (read: you can make the barrel in a bucket).

3D printed firearms have come a long way, despite a lot of meddling from authoritarian politicians. Despite what your fuddly neighbor might say, the most commonly exchanged plans don’t yield guns that will “blow up when you pull the trigger.” They’re largely safe, economical, and customizable.

Read Part 1 and Part 2 of our series on making your own 3D guns. 

3D firearms are simply a continuation of the timeless tradition of home firearms manufacturing. Because this technology is already out there, any laws intended to hinder access to firearms are basically useless.

Why is that a good thing? Human freedom. Easier access to arms means freedom fighters around the world may be able to protect themselves against tyrannical governments and fight oppression and genocide. To learn more about the FGC-9 and other “desktop firearms,” you can visit ARES and check out their report.

Bump Stock Ban
(AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Federal judge rebukes justice department’s abuse of the Tenth Amendment

As you’re likely aware, the Justice Department reclassified bump stocks as “machine guns” after outcry following the Las Vegas Mandalay Bay shooting. As a result, people who owned them were told to either surrender or destroy them.

Of course, we here at FPC filed multiple lawsuits opposing this decision as unconstitutional and because it was an invalid power grab on part of the Executive Branch. To add injury to, well, injury, the federal government also claimed that people didn’t have a right to financial compensation despite being deprived of their property. The Justice Department claimed that because the order was a “valid exercise of police power” (it wasn’t), they didn’t have to pay out the owners.

Well, on Monday, much to the chagrin of the DOJ, a federal judge in Texas (who, ironically enough, was appointed by President Trump) rebuked this ridiculous claim in the ongoing case Lane v. United States, explaining that in banning bump stock by regulatory fiat, “the federal government forgot the Tenth Amendment and the structure of the Constitution itself.”

While this wasn’t a ruling in favor of the bump stock owners, it at least shines a decent light.

Moms Demand Action
Moms Demand Action members (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Feds declare guns essential, upsetting some moms

On Tuesday, the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) updated its critical infrastructure list to include “[w]orkers supporting the operation of firearm or ammunition product manufacturers, retailers, importers, distributors, and shooting ranges.” The revision was included under the CISA infrastructure subsection for law enforcement, public safety, and first responders.

Of course, it’s my position that it’s patently obvious that gun shops shouldn’t have to be included in the list at all – the ability to deal in arms is an activity protected under the Second Amendment, but it’s also justifiable from a public policy perspective – the ability of individuals to defend themselves is a matter of public safety.

I’m usually not one for schadenfreude, but Moms Demand, Giffords, and Everytown flipped their Karen-bobbed lids when the revision was published. In response to this totally reasonable turn of events, the grabbers took to their phones and began lobbying governors across the country, asking them to ignore the federal government’s finding. J

ohn Feinblatt, former policy adviser to Mike Bloomberg and current president of Everytown, said:

It’s shameful and nonsensical that the Trump administration has decided to put gun dealers and manufacturers on the same level as police, first responders, hospital workers, and other Americans who are risking everything to save lives during this pandemic. Governors should feel free to ignore this irresponsible advisory and do what’s best for their residents.

Mr. Feinblatt couldn’t be more wrong. If lethal force capability is necessary for the police, many of whom are falling ill and are unable to work, then who is going to keep people safe?

Could it be that Americans, the same people who had little government-run police force until the 1830s, are ultimately responsible for their own safety, especially in times of crisis? Lastly, why are you putting governors on a pedestal, especially when you regularly criticize their ability to “do what’s best for their residents”?

Paternalism wasn’t a founding principal, nor is it welcome in a free nation.

Perhaps the most hilarious argument of the week comes from David Chipman of Giffords, who for some reason thinks that people buying guns today will be flat broke by the time the epidemic is over and, driven by their Maslovian needs, are going to turn those firearms against other people in order to put food on the table.

There’s something I want to point out first. Chipman is a former ATF guy, so he’s not exactly qualified to lead a discussion on the socioeconomics of COVID-19. That aside, Chipman’s argument is willfully ignorant of reports that Asians are being attacked across the country, and many are now buying firearms for self-defense.

Guns are like fire extinguishers. You don’t need them until you need them. But when you do, you’re really glad you have them.

March 2020 gun background check data FBI
Courtesy NSSF

First-time gun buyers almost broke NICS this month

The FBI is reporting that it ran nearly 3 million background checks for the month of March. Obviously, the majority of this spike can be attributed to people buying guns because of economic uncertainty, illness sweeping police forces, and an anticipation of civil unrest.

Of course, our freedom-hating counterparts are claiming that gun purchases are being pushed by the big bad gun rights groups, who are, of course, tricking people into buying firearms during a national emergency.

What they’re not saying is that many of the gun purchases are being made by progressive, first-time buyers. Of course this hasn’t stopped them from pushing politicians to parrot these bunk talking points.

Karen buys a gun
Courtesy National Firearms Association

Not only do the Karens of the world not understand the difference between an actual gun seller and a non-profit civil rights organization, they also lack basic knowledge about gun laws, which was highlighted by all their complaining when they realized that they would have to comply with a number of obstructive laws even if they wanted to make a gun purchase in an emergency.

After all the dust settles and people are no longer being forced to practice “social distancing,” I hope these new firearms owners remember just how difficult these organizations and politicians made it for them to protect their families.

 

Matthew Larosiere is the Director of Legal Policy at the Firearms Policy Coalition.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

48 COMMENTS

    • I assembled my first lower with a single punch and a razor blade. That’s not very far off from Legos.

        • Check out Cry Havoc’s Quick Release barrel system. The Air Force is currently issuing them as takedown rifles in ejector seat survival packs.

        • I was all over that Cry Havoc quick release until I got to the price. $375 for a barrel nut and gas tube extension? Never mind, I’ll just keep swapping uppers.

      • Good point. I think when a lower receiver can be made of maybe 4 different parts then it can be considered completely lego’d. Obviously you would need to fasten these parts together and then add the lpk. This would make that fire control pocket easier to machine or even build from the appropriate rectangular tubing or extrusion.
        This gives me ideas… Anybody have a good 3d model of an AR lower?

        • “This gives me ideas… Anybody have a good 3d model of an AR lower?”

          Just use a non-censored search engine rather than Google and search for fosscad megapack. There are dozens of 3d models for AR pattern receivers. Most are beefed up in critical areas but not all.

          I recommend duckduckgo for searches as they are uncensored and keep no logs. They actually respect your privacy.

          Defcad also has many sets of 3d models but I haven’t had a chance to look through them yet myself or how it all works now that they are back up and online.

          “I think when a lower receiver can be made of maybe 4 different parts then it can be considered completely lego’d. ”

          Use a non-censored search engine again and search for the “Bolt Receiver” which is a series of 3d printed flat parts that can be assembled to make an AR pattern lower.

          You should also look at the “Lyndon Receiver”. The Lyndon build was named after President Lyndon B. Johnson who was fond of serial numbers. It is a gun build with the core idea being that the build, when disassembled, has no parts that are considered a firearm. It is distinguished from an 80% build because with an 80%, once you complete the receiver, the receiver is still a firearm. Theoretically (though not tested in court or determined to be such by the ATF), a disassembled Lyndon build has no firearm parts, rather, instead of having a receiver once disassembled, you are left with a trigger jig and a pile of other parts.

      • Congats ! it’s really not that difficult to build your own, the most difficult part is the part where you used the razor blade.

      • What was the razor blade for, opening the parts kit package? 🙂

        But seriously, assembling ARs (almost said “building”, ha) pretty much spoiled me for other patterns. Was thinking of that this week as I was Dremel’ing new AK magazines to fit.

        • Used the razor blade for holding the front takedown pin’s spring/detent in place so I could slide the pin in. Since then I have purchased the correct tools.

    • I’m excited to announce that the plans for the FGC-9 was made publicly available on the Deterrence Dispensed website.

      It isn’t there now. Didn’t find any files. Couldn’t view or download anything.

  2. FGC 9 is another option for builders, whether 80% or zero %,We The People Shall Not Be Infringed,Leftards have failed from the start, build,build and build away.

  3. “…on the same level as police, first responders, hospital workers, and other Americans who are risking everything to save lives during this pandemic. Governors should feel free to ignore this irresponsible advisory and do what’s best for their residents.”

    Leftists seem to think they are the only ones qualified to decide “what’s best for” the rest of the country.

    Next –

    “…and can be built and assembled using a $200 printer, virtually no “firearm parts,” and an electro-chemically machined barrel (read: you can make the barrel in a bucket).”

    On using ECM to rifle a barrel, the concern I would have is the quality of the ‘Home De(s)pot’ China-sourced plumbing pipe not being able to handle the pressure of even modest modern loads…

    • schedule 80 and up are nearly .15″ thickness. in 3/ 8″ it’s tough to find 100.

      • Is pipe ‘schedule’ is the ratio of pipe diameter to wall thickness?

    • It’s not plumbing pipe, it’s hydraulic tubing rated for more pressure than a regular Glock barrel.

  5. Karens and the uneducated who think and vote like her are the reason that her and her ilk can’t access that to which they have a natural right too.

    Karens you may want to put the Leftist kool aid down and instead educate yourselves in the founding documents, only you thru your votes can prevent Tyranny

    If you chose to think for yourselves, educate yourselves, you will come across these two quotes,garenteed,think about what they say and mean

    .“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

    “A Republic if you can keep it.”

    Benjamin Franklin

  7. OK. I head to look up what a “Karen” is.
    LMAO!

    “WHAT DOES KAREN MEAN?

    Karen is a mocking slang term for an entitled, obnoxious, middle-aged white woman. Especially as featured in memes, Karen is generally stereotyped as having a blonde bob haircut, asking to speak to retail and restaurant managers to voice complaints or make demands, and being a nagging, often divorced mother from Generation X.”

    • It’s a Reddit thing, one of the groups is “Lady, I don’t work here”, where people relate experiences of people (Karens) going off on them threatening to “have their job” when they don’t even work there…

    • Limbaugh always said feminism was int ended to give ugly women access to the mainstream. These activists groups by extension give mediocre women power they can’t achieve by conventional means. The two are related in that they draw power from women while empowerering them.

  8. This was actually done on 3/28/20. It doesn’t compel the shooting range to stay open for business. It is considered “guidance” and not mandatory. From a Workers’ Compensation and civil liability perspective, many ranges are choosing to close just as a CYA!

  9. I heard some guys shooting down by the river yesterday, practicing I’m sure, sounded like 9″s and larger. They finished up with what sounded like .223 full auto then cut loose with a belt fed big boomer. I’d like to make friends with them, yup yup

  11. I have seen 3D printers do remarkable things where I work. There are multiple types, both additive with the usual reel of plastic string and with UV Laser building incredible small features in a liquid resin. So I am very aware of what is possible, the material options, other factors.

    However, I suppose I’m like a lot of people. This stuff is interesting to read about, but I’ve no desire to ever buy a 3D printer of my own or make my own gun from raw materials. Building from parts is as far as I go.

    Even so, I have made it a point to download and archive #D files of gun parts and compete guns. Why is simple, as an American the very concept of banning a thing gets my hackles up. I’ve made it a point all my life to read banned books and watch banned movies, even if I didn’t especially care for the content.

    Banning 3D gun files is a violation of the First and Second Amendments. Arguments can be made for other amendments too, but those two are more than enough for me. So I download all I can find, and back them up too.

    As should everyone who gives a damn about the Natural Rights of us Humans.

  12. Can I submit a correction to title?
    It’s the “FGC-9” not “FCG-9”.
    The F*** Control Gun sounds pretty cool too, ngl.

  13. To the Karens of this country, you got a good bit of what you wanted, or claimed to want, now that your chickens have come home to roost, live with them dummies.

    As to the Moms Demand Action types, you too got something of what you claimed to want. If the mattress has lumps, they are your lumps. Live with them.

  15. My real time work with facebook Im making over Many Buck a month operating low maintenance. I continued hearing distinctive people divulge to me how an lousy lot cash they can make on line so I selected to research it……Details Here

  16. I haven’t seen a Sheriff in weeks. I’ve seen a couple of Staties.
    We’re on our own here people.

  17. Gun dealers and manufacturers sure are NOT on the same level as police, first responders, hospital workers. They are above them in importance hierarchy. Try as I might, I couldn’t find anything about policemen or hospital workers protection in the Construction.

Comments are closed.