The House of Representatives is looking to vote on the new Undetectable Firearms Act bill, proposed by Rep. Steve Israel, which would re-implement and expand the previous incarnation. Not only would the new bill ban 3D printed firearms, but it would ban “any major component of which, when subjected to inspection by the types of x-ray machines commonly used at airports, does not generate an image that accurately depicts the shape of the component.” What that means exactly is up to the interpretation of the Attourney General, Eric Holder, who is not exactly a friend of gun rights. So those polymer AR-15 receivers might soon be illegal if they don’t meet with holder’s approval. The bill also extends the ban to include plastic magazines that are printed in the home . . .
From the bill:
(C) any ammunition magazine, manufactured by a person who is not a licensed manufacturer—
(i) that, after removal of the spring and follower, is not as detectable as the Magazine Security Exemplar, by walk-through metal detectors calibrated and operated to detect the Magazine Security Exemplar; or
(ii) which, when subjected to inspection by the types of x-ray machines commonly used at airports, does not generate an image that accurately depicts the shape of the magazine.
So, unless you are licensed to manufacture magazines, you can’t make plastic ones. And since there is currently no licensing process for magazines, Magpul would be out of business.
The bill is an over-reaching knee jerk reaction to 3D printed guns, and has the potential to make it a felony to print any firearms part in your own home or if you don’t have a license. It won’t stop criminals, but it will make them out of those who own 3D printers.
The bill could be up for a vote as early as this afternoon, and we will keep you in the loop. For those wanting to make their voices heard the GOA has a website where you can write your congressional representatives.