Looking to purchase a 3D printer to create something cool, like Starfield’s Frontier spaceship? Customers who reside in New York may be forced to feel like criminals soon, as the state has introduced a new bill (A8132) that would require a criminal history background check be run on anyone wanting to purchase “a three-dimensional printer capable of creating firearms.” Jenifer Rajkumar, the state senator who authored the bill, has shared her reasons for the legislation, explaining that the bill is necessary due to the alarming rise of “ghost guns”—untraceable guns that can apparently be built with just $150 of equipment. Critics say that this is just another waste of taxpayers’ money, in that New Yorkers could just order a 3D printer from another state.
“Three-dimensionally printed firearms, a type of untraceable ghost gun, can be built by anyone using an $150 three-dimensional printer,” reads a justification for the bill from Sen. Rajkumar. “Three- dimensional printed guns are growing more prevalent each year. There were 100 taken off the streets of New York City in 2019. That number skyrocketed to 637 in 2022. Concurrently, ghost gun shootings have risen 1,000% across the nation. Currently, three-dimensional printers allow people to make, buy, sell, and use untraceable guns without any background checks. This bill will require a background check so that three-dimensional printed firearms do not get in the wrong hands.”
Any retailer of a three—dimensional printer sold in this state which is capable of printing a firearm, or any components of a firearm, is required and authorized to request and receive criminal history information concerning such purchaser from the division of criminal justice services in accordance with the provisions of section eight hundred forty-five-b of the executive law. Access to and the use of such information shall be governed by the provisions of such section. The division of criminal justice services is authorized to submit fingerprints to the federal bureau of investigation for a national criminal history record check.
Within fifteen business days after receiving a request for criminal history information pursuant to this section, the commissioner of the division of criminal justice services shall review such criminal history information and determine whether such purchaser has been convicted anywhere of a felony or a serious offense or who is not the subject of an outstanding warrant of arrest issued upon the alleged commission of a felony or serious offense which would disqualify such individual from being licensed to carry or possess a firearm under section 400.00 of the penal law. Such commissioner shall promptly notify the seller of his or her determination in this regard. No retailer shall sell any three—dimensional printer capable of printing a firearm unless the division of criminal justice services provides written notification of the determination under this subdivision.
For purposes of this section,” three—dimensional printer” means a computer or computer—driven machine or device capable of producing a three—dimensional object from a digital model.
Discussion (10 replies)
Join Discussion →Slippery Slope. What about a CNC machine? Granted, those are (much) more expensive, but they are more capable of creating firearms than a 3D Printer.
What about files? You can use those to remove serial numbers.
What about a lathe? Could use that to make gun parts.
What about stock metal?
If you just want to pop off a projectile and don't care too much for accuracy, there are a lot of inexpensive, easy ways other than a 3D printer to do so. I mean, just watch No Country for Old Men, or go down to Home Depot and buy a nail gun.
All my homies in the hood are printing Glocks. It's the new thing!
just kidding, they're stealing them from morons that leave them in their vehicles
As if small time criminals had the know how to print a weapon.
On the one hand, I agree this is ridiculous. On the other, I saw a story on the news a few weeks ago where they did a raid on a daycare, yes a daycare, because someone set up in a back room and was printing guns.
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/police-ghost-guns-and-3d-printers-for-making-them-found-at-harlem-day-care/
I despise the term "illegally manufactured ghost guns" since it is 100% legal to manufacture your own unserialized firearms in the U.S. so long as they are for personal use. It is illegal to manufacture them for the purpose of resale without a federal license to do so, with the caveat that you certainly can sell a firearm you made as long as apply some type of serial number to it and do a transfer through an FFL.
Wouldn't you just blow your hand with said gun, or are we talking relevant parts are brought ( barrel, cartridge) and just other parts are printed like the grip and such? Still... What 3d printer can build squat? they are mostly garbage quality or did I miss something and metal 3d printers are cheap now? I tend to think these are unintentional granades at best.
Fron that news article we really don't know anything. It could be he printed some crap for fun, is getting over charged, and the article is just overblown, as expected.
Basically you're printing lower receivers for pistols like a Glock. You still have to buy the slide, barrel and fire control group, which are all steel, to make the pistol function.
So, no, you can't print the entire firearm. Although there are some models that you can print the entire firearm. Barrel included. But they're good for like 1 or 2 shots, maybe, and are single load firearms. And are stupidly inaccurate, and highly dangerous. You're better off making a zip gun out of pipe.
The news story I originally saw showed the setup in a cramped room and had nothing but things related to this incident (i.e. no toys, or any other kind of 3D printed items) and it looked like anything but a "just for fun" thing. It had gangsta written all over it, and seriously who the f is going to be doing this in a daycare hidden away in a room just for fun? In my youth, I could see myself trying things out just for the heck of it but the footage I saw of this was anything but that.
Yep, back around 10 years ago when I was researching 3D printing I came across these files and you're exactly right. One or two shots and you have to be really close to be effective with them.
. . .and speaking of making one out of pipe, let's not forget this guy who combined both.
[URL unfurl="true"]https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/diy-gun-used-kill-japans-abe-was-simple-make-analysts-say-2022-07-09/#:~:text=In%202014%2C%20police%20arrested%20a,in%20Kawasaki%2C%20south%20of%20Tokyo.&text=The%20suspect%20in%20Abe's%20shooting,in%20the%20attack%2C%20media%20said.[/URL]
You can make a slide fire shotgun for like $20 in home depot parts. Very effective too.
But, honestly, who cares about a serial number when you can buy used HiPoint's all day long for like $125. That's about $250 cheaper than buying a Glock slide, barrel and trigger group. Just grind the serial off.