First, a little background for those who aren’t completely up to date on British history and politics. The UK may officially be known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, but what the government in London doesn’t want to admit is that the United Kingdom isn’t really all that united.
Centuries ago, England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland were all brought together by force. If you’ve ever heard of William Wallace, you know that war after bloody war was fought to keep the kingdom united. Even as recently as 2021, Scotland’s parliament had a majority that favors independence.
Ireland has been more successful than Scotland in breaking away. Wars between the Irish and the British have been going on for centuries on multiple continents. Not only did the fighting happen in Ireland and England, but it’s even spread to the United States and Canada, but that’s another story. The Irish fought their last full-scale war against London during World War I, and achieved full independence in 1922.
But, there has been one unresolved issue: the British kept control over the northernmost counties of the island. This resulted in decades of irregular warfare, including bombings, shootings, and other violence over these remaining counties, otherwise known as The Troubles.
This period ended with the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, which temporarily settled the bloody conflict by granting Northern Ireland more self-government…but kept it in the UK until such time as a majority of people in Northern Ireland want to leave the UK and join Ireland.
Not everyone was happy with the agreement, but the levels of violence dropped significantly, as many grievances were addressed. Those who were still dissatisfied formed splinter groups to continue the fight, with the “The Real IRA” separating from the Irish Republican Army and later, that group splintering still further over various issues (often ceasefires that not all members agreed to). But, the violence never came close to the levels seen during The Troubles.
Then Brexit complicated things. The Good Friday Agreement made a number of references to the European Union and guaranteed the residents of Northern Ireland access to EU institutions, like the European Court of Human Rights. More importantly, the fact that both the UK and Ireland were part of the EU meant that the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland was largely invisible, with no barriers, vehicle searches, or customs checks.
When the UK chose to leave the EU, that meant either Northern Ireland leaving, too, or breaking the Good Friday Agreement and potentially restarting The Troubles.
The UK ultimately settled on what is now the Northern Ireland Protocol. In a sort of hybrid solution, Northern Ireland remains part of the UK, but also retains its status as part of the EU common travel and trade area. This avoids the issue of cutting Northern Ireland off from the rest of Ireland with a hard border, but it also means that Northern Ireland can’t be part of the normal UK customs area. So customs checks are now required for anything going from Northern Ireland to the rest of the UK. That angered unionists (the people in Northern Ireland who want to remain part of the UK).
That’s situation that neither side is happy with, and a widespread feeling that the Good Friday Agreement has been violated.
One more fact that you probably are aware of; it’s much more difficult to obtain a firearm in the UK than it is in, say, Wyoming. Or even Mexico. However . . .
Enter The FGC-9
After three years of being (mostly) on a ceasefire status, Óglaigh na hÉireann (the Irish Defense Forces), one of many Real IRA splinter groups, decided it was time to let the government know that they’re still around and ready if any loyalists attack Irish nationalists or republicans.
Óglaigh na hÉireann chose Easter to make a public announcement (the Irish News report is paywalled) but there was a very interesting photo that accompanied the article . . .
Northern #Ireland 🇮🇪: Armed members of Republican group "Óglaigh na hÉireann" (#ONH) released a statement in #Belfast, threaten loyalist leadership figures.
Also one of their members appears to be carrying a rather interesting 3D-printed #JStark's FGC-9 pistol-caliber carbine. pic.twitter.com/UD55KXkEul
— War Noir (@war_noir) April 18, 2022
If you look closely, the masked militant on the left is carrying an FGC-9, a 9mm carbine that can be made at home with a 3D printer, some pieces of pipe, and a few other easily-obtained supplies (see here).
Remember, FGC stands for fuck gun control. TTAG has covered this gun extensively. Even in Europe, one can get the components to make ammunition, too, so there’s very little — other than, ostensibly, the law — that’s stopping anyone from being armed now, even in heavily gun-controlled jurisdictions.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen the FGC-9 turn up in the hands of people resisting governments. There was also the recent appearance of the weapon in Burma, and simple 3D technology has made it possible to make and use an effective firearm to resist invading forces in other conflicts as well.
Once again, what we’re seeing here is the slow, sure, but absolute death of gun control as a practical limit on individuals choosing to arm themselves. Rather than making meaningless pronouncements or passing increasingly useless prohibitions, governments and activists are going to need to turn their attention to solving the root causes of violence and work things out peacefully with resistance movements if they want to make the world a safer and better place.
In the mean time, those who want to acquire firearms will do so in ever-increasing numbers, no matter how many politicians and regulators that may upset.
It almost doesn’t matter what we think about it; it’s here. And it ain’t going anywhere.
Oh – it’s here. And it’s only going to get better 😉
Love it.
don’t mess with sligo.
The Right to Arms pre-dated Homosapiens themselves. It is only with the establishment of the “EVIL” known as Government, that we saw small groups of rulers try and restrict arms to themselves and their loyalists, in order to preserve their power. Until all free people have their right to arms restored, none of us are truly free.
Following in the foot steps of English Hero, Philip Luty, J. Stark a 28 year old German citizen died of an apparent “heart attack” while is police custody. I’m sure his death was completely natural, as the German Police have a long history of respecting human rights and the rule of law – Wait a Minute.
‘You can’t stop the signal, Mal.’
We aim to misbehave.
Doesn’t Europe regulate the pressure-bearing components (bolt, barrel) etc, of firearms?
As the FGC-9 uses Glock barrels, how do they get around that problem?
I’m aware that deep drills and chamber reamers can be used to ‘roll their own’ in a garage, if they wanted…
Imagination is the most important skill needed. Schedule 40 pipe in Nominal 1/4″ (or other sizes) stainless steel size can substitute for that tube thang. That fcg is way too complicated, one or two sprung & pinned parts can suffice.
There are several barrel making techniques they have developed that are really outside the box. I am only an interested observer and thus not qualified to explain them. In a nutshell there is a 3D printed jig to allow you to center drill a metal rod, and there is what I believe is an electro chemical process that can be done in one’s bathtub.
It’s all way over my head. Having spent 2 years studying machining and welding mumble mumble years ago, before a sudden change in plans lead me into healthcare, getting a hobby lathe from Harbor Fright seems easier and more comprehensible to me. But these guys really have it all down. If you don’t have a background in anything related to making stuff then it’s probably as easy to learn their techniques as it is to learn home machining.
Well hell, the IRA was pretty well know for making some pretty impressive improvised weapons in their struggle against the british. They’re just keeping up with the current state of the art.
But what does Albert Hall have to say about these ruffian’s violating queen & country laws? How dare they?!? How hard is it to make a grease gun anywho?😎🙃🤓
Easier than it is to make an fgc-9, if your expertise is in metal rather than plastic.
So much effort is expended to subjugate others. Seems like autonomy of self would be easier.
Shire-man please forgive me for using your reply box, but it appears comments have been closed and I really wanted to get my two cents in on this one.
As a likely direct descendant of Sir Cullo O’Neill my family has a long history with the disagreements between the English speaking and nominally English Speaking peoples of the … er “British” Isles. My family, Scots of Irish descent, tended to fight on the English side for profit, but not great love. My ancestors left Britain via Northern Ireland after the execution of one of their number for murdering a long term adversary with an early handgun. A couple of generations later they expressed their true feelings for the English by joining the Virginia Militia and won tracts of land for their support. They were regarded as both good horsemen and good shots. After the Revolution they settled down to be come farmers in Virginia and later West Virginia for the next hundred years or so. It is interesting to hear of the politics of the old country and I appreciate the update although you missed the religious conflict issues through the centuries as my ancestors were Orangemen or Covenanters depending on which side of the Irish Sea they were located. It is also good to hear that the almost absolute gun control of the English can be so easily thwarted. I wish them well in all truly creative endeavors. And finally, FGC!
The Irish government subjugates their people just as much as the UK, and the Scottish government is actually worse than England’s. Once in power, these “revolutionary” types always just want to turn around and hike taxes and control everyone’s lives, but that’s okay because at least they’re not foreigners! Take East Asia for another example- the Qing, Japanese, and Communists brutally oppressed the people they ruled over, but the natives will defend their own governments because at least now their oppressors are from their ethnic group. This kind of idiotic stuff is consistent throughout human history, worldwide.
quote—————–Once again, what we’re seeing here is the slow, sure, but absolute death of gun control as a practical limit on individuals choosing to arm themselves.————-quote
Right Wing fantasy. The average Brit or Irishman is photographed at least 350 times a day. British intelligence spying is known as the most advanced in the entire world and that spying is not just on foreign nations but on its own people. Crowing over one illegal weapon or a few is quite laughable.
quote—————-Even in Europe, one can get the components to make ammunition, too, so there’s very little — other than, ostensibly, the law — that’s stopping anyone from being armed now, even in heavily gun-controlled jurisdictions.———–quote
Falsehood. Trying to lump all of the European Nations gun laws into one statement about reloading components is laughable. Quite a few European countries outlaw home made or hand loaded ammunition. If components from a nation that does allow this are finding their way into Britain the intelligence agencies of both Britain and the other European nation will combine to quickly ferret out such illegal operations, its only a matter of time.
Europe & UK will be Islamic Sharia States within 15 years and be of no further consequence to us. Strong growth of certain demographic classes has doomed them.
Hey whoever writes the code for the dacian botnot you need to do better. Like teach it the difference between quotation mark and a hypen maybe?
Good!
Fight the occupation!
Hold on here. You’re assuming it’s a 3D printed gun based entirely on one photo?
Unless the gun in question, has been examined and verified to be a 3D printed gun, it’s an alleged 3D gun.