
DIY rifles are untraceable and completely legal - arto
http://keyetv.com/news/local/diy-assault-rifles-are-untraceable-and-completely-legal
======
zkms
In US, the receiver of the firearm is _legally_ the firearm -- everything else
is just boring bits of metal that you can buy without any sort of legal
encumberments. Anyone can buy a chunk of 7075 aluminium that looks like an
AR-15 lower receiver but, critically, has enough milling not-yet-done such
that the ATF has blessed it to not be a firearm. Some time with a proper jig
and a drill press can convert it into a working lower receiver! You don't even
need a CNC.

But you don't even to buy such an "80% lower receiver" to do this -- you can
just make your own lower receiver out of most anything (it need not stand
firearm chamber pressures, unlike the bolt carrier / bolt and barrel, which
are much harder to DIY), up to and including _wood_.

Murders done with rifles are quite rare (an overwhelming majority of murder is
done with handguns, per FBI's Uniform Crime Report) so the disproportionate
focus on the evils of such "ghost guns" / "DIY rifles" is baffling.

~~~
salesguy222
Time for some career politicians and grassroots campaigners to drum up a witch
hunt to "regulate 3D printers" so that nobody out there can make a receiver
without a permit ^.^

~~~
flyingfences
They've been doing that for quite some time. Do a search for "Ghost Gun" and
have a laugh at California's politicians.

------
deedubaya
Of course, no one wants to put guns in the hands of bad guys.

This seems like a problem which can't be regulated away without severely
impacting other industries (ie preventing production 3d printing machines
which could produce these firearms).

Even with plans being illegal, it seems that where there is a will, there will
be a way, even if it's through a black market or trial and error.

If that's the case does regulation make sense? Is there a more viable
alternative?

~~~
angersock
It's funny the article should mention Austin, since there was just a mass
stabbing there ( [https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2017/05/01/multiple-
pe...](https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2017/05/01/multiple-people-
stabbed-ut-austin-campus) ).

Rifles are on the order of 20% as likely to be used to commit a murder as
knives ( [https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2013/crime-in-
the-u.s.-...](https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2013/crime-in-
the-u.s.-2013/offenses-known-to-law-enforcement/expanded-
homicide/expanded_homicide_data_table_8_murder_victims_by_weapon_2009-2013.xls)
).

~

Regulating what people can build in their own homes is not a good idea, nor is
saying "this set of machine blueprints is legal to possess, while this other
is not". The hacking community has known this for a long time (
[https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-
read.html](https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html) ).

~~~
gozur88
You're more likely to be beaten to death with fists than killed by a rifle.
The whole thing is emotion-based manipulation.

~~~
Arizhel
Exactly, and this is why fists need to be highly regulated by the government.
I propose mandating that everyone have their hands surgically altered so that
they're unable to make fists, and can only close their fingers partway.

~~~
joshuas
You just have to store your fists separately and each fitted with a fist lock
unless you're at a punching range.

------
sintaxi
I'm shocked that the US Government can track firearms in the first place as it
undermines the purpose of the second amendment.

~~~
cafard
To enable state militias?

~~~
flyingfences
to ensure the security of a free state

~~~
mr_overalls
And 'round and 'round we'll go until eternity!

Does the militia clause limit the right of ordinary American citizens to own
firearms? Is every citizen a potential militia member?

[http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/so-you-think-
you...](http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/so-you-think-you-know-the-
second-amendment)

~~~
flyingfences
> Does the militia clause limit the right of ordinary American citizens to own
> firearms?

No. This is a question of basic English grammar - to read it any other way one
has to be trying to confirm their agenda.

> Is every citizen a potential militia member?

Yes. I could go out an join a militia today if I so desired. So could you.

------
tomcam
You haven't had your mind blown until you've read Cody Wilson's "Come And Take
It" [1]. Equally infuriating for the right and the left, and very very hard to
rebut.

[1]
[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CO34MBI](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CO34MBI)

~~~
jjeaff
I went to university with him in a rather liberal sub-program within the
curriculum. You should see all the squirming and uncomfortableness he has
created among the professors. Their claim is to teach free thinking and they
just love to bring in past students who are successful and/or controversial
like authors of books on how gender is just a social construct. But you can
bet they haven't asked Cody to come present to the students.

