1mo ago

3D-printed guns, like the one Luigi Mangione allegedly used, are a growing threat

techxplore.com 3D-printed guns, like the one Luigi Mangione allegedly used, are a growing threat

Police investigating the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on Dec. 4, 2024, have announced that the suspected assailant had used a 3D-printed gun. Several high-profile crimes in recent years have involved this kind of homemade, or partially homemade, weapon.

16 comments

So we should care about these... why? Seriously, a shitty gun is not hard to come by in this country and serial numbers on guns do fuck all because theres no system in place to track them. Why do these really shitty guns suddenly matter?
- My best guess is the materials. Last I looked into them they were entirely 3D printed except for a roofing nail to act as the firing pin. The drastic reduction in metal makes them easier to sneak passed metal detectors. Other than that, you seem right on the nose.
  
  I've come across some 3d printed gun content over the last couple weeks (who knows why) and while mostly plastic designs like the liberator exist, most of the development in that area seems to use a lot of metal parts. Generally they're using metal barrels and actions with 3d printed stocks and frames.
  
  That was like the very first 3d printed gun. The ones that you can make now are pretty wild. This doc is 3 years old now, and well, advancements have been made.
  https://youtu.be/C4dBuPJ9p7A?si=nHcfxqou4EC_cSvl
  
  What are you even talking about?
- Because 3D printed guns are extremely effective at skirting current firearms regulations. There are designs out there that are mostly 3D-printed but use a few metal components that are easily made otherwise or modified, like a pipe that's reprocessed into a usable barrel. They can be made completely untraceably by anyone with a few commonly available tools. Hence the name "ghost guns". If your area has something like an assault weapons ban or a license requirement, ghost guns make them irrelevant.
  The only way to effectively regulate them would be to target 3D printers themselves, and that's far from a perfect solution. Making everyone with a 3D printer become a licensed gunsmith would be insane. Just as bad would be mandatory content scans for file sharing sites similar to what's available for CSAM. New York has resorted to just arresting anyone they find out has a homemade firearm.

Funny how the Republicans are all up in arms now when it’s Republican congressmen who blocked any regulation of “ghost guns”.
- 2A defense organizations like the NRA exist to protect firearm maker profits, not gun rights. If people can make guns at home, there's no profit for the arms industry; that's what has them buzzing.
  The GOP is being told to legislate against anything that threatens gun maker profits. That's all.

16 comments