
Senate Republicans block attempt to update firearms rules for 3D guns - coffeeyesplease
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/09/congress-republicans-block-3d-gun-law
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steve19
Some pro-gun organizations were supportive of the bill, including the NSSF (a
lobby group of gun retailers and gun manufacturers ... not hard to see why
they were pro the bill).

Ultimately, the bill would have significantly increased manufacturing costs,
banned many existing products and have done absolutely nothing for national
security.

Guns require metal parts. A gun with a polymer barrel is at worst a very
inaccurate single shot device, more likely it is a hand grenade.

Currently manufacturers of polymer framed guns dope the polymer with a
substance (I forget what it is) that makes them visible in xray scanners.

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aaronbrethorst
I can imagine many scenarios where a single shot is entirely sufficient, such
as assassinations and airplane hijacking.

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DrStalker
Or by flooding an occupied country with so many cheap single shot handguns the
enemy can't stop them all:
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FP-45_Liberator](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FP-45_Liberator)

> It was originally intended as an insurgency weapon to be mass dropped behind
> enemy lines to resistance fighters in occupied territory. A resistance
> fighter was to recover the gun, sneak up on an Axis occupier, kill or
> incapacitate him, and retrieve his weapons.

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midas007
Zip guns NYC 1950's ...
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Improvised_firearm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Improvised_firearm)

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InclinedPlane
This would be a stupid and utterly inconsequential law based on fear
mongering. There are already laws against unlicensed gun smithery, and already
laws against completely polymer or ceramic guns, there's no need to add more.
Additionally, if someone wants to make an improvised firearm they can just go
to home depot, spend less than $100 and build something that is far more
capable than what can be produced from a multi-thousand dollar 3D printer.

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Crito
Exactly. Zip guns more practical than plastic printed guns can be made in
_prisons_. Access to a hardware store just makes it straight up trivial.

Rational response to things like printed guns is probably a good case for
bringing back shop class.

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arielweisberg
Building firearms for your own personal use is legal in the US if you are not
a prohibited person. Technically you can even sell one if you decide you don't
want it.

Check out this AK-47 made from a shovel
[http://bit.ly/1jGxsFu](http://bit.ly/1jGxsFu)

I don't get why 3D printing is receiving special attention compared to CNC
machining or ye olden Bridgeport. If you want to make a Liberator it wouldn't
take a hacker much time to figure out a way to do it with a minimum of tools.

Think about it. It's just subtracting material from steel.

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midas007
Yup. The only part banned from sale or purchase of an AK is the receiver. If
you can make one, then it's all good. You can even source all of the other
parts except the receiver, if you wish.

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JoeAltmaier
What the heck is a '3D gun'? A weapon is a weapon, regardless of the
manufacture.

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moocowduckquack
Is the 4D guns that I worry about.

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thrill
It's about time.

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iamjustin
Haha wordplay.

~~~
duncan_bayne
Ahah, wordplay!

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malandrew
I honestly don't get why way make such a big issue of what the gun is made
off. Accept that guns can now be 100% plastic and you can't do anything about
it and just improve the security in places where guns can't enter. Basically
metal detectors are obsolete and you need to find an alternate solution.
Legislation is not the solution here.

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thekevan
The bill was passed, and the amendment was introduced just before the bill was
to be voted on. Passing that amendment could have put the law in jeopardy of
not passing as there was already the clean bill from the House. Schumer should
have introduced that amendment weeks ago. He and Grassley have agreed to
address that problem later, together.

It is important to note that the bill as passed does make it illegal to have
an undetectable firearm, so a firearm with a removeable metal pin is still
illegal. Schumer's amendment really only adds an additional crime--which is
certainly a good thing but.

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travisby
I believe you are in correct on your last point. The renewed law only says
"must be detectable." So the metal can be removable in this law. His amendment
was to force a permanent piece of metal.

That worries us because even if the "full firearm" (assembled) might contain
metal, the part that contains the serial numbers could no longer be made of
polymer (this piece is technically considered the "firearm" for registration
in NY, CT, and most likely CA).

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beedogs
I'm happy to let people make these dangerous little handheld explosives;
there's no need to ban them. The only people they'll wind up hurting with a
crappy 3D-printed gun is themselves.

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hamiltonkibbe
Is this REALLY what we need to be worrying about?

