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Are gun designs open source?
(lemmy.world)
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this post was submitted on 18 Mar 2024
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They actually are open source, and there is indeed a lot of material out there to help people with everything they need to build their own. The only part that is illegal to make on your own is the part with a serial number on it, for tracking purposes.
I feel the legality aspect is highly dependent on one’s location.
Nono, everything is within the US.
Perhaps that is the case elsewhere, but to point out that in the US, it is legal on the Federal level to make your own complete firearm for personal use. Assuming no state specific laws prohibit it, it is by default legal. ATF FAQ page. If you are not an FFL holder, and are not going to sell the firearm it does not need any serial number. All NFA restrictions still apply to homemade firearms.
The practice of legally homemaking firearms pre-dates 3D printing, with 80% AR-15 lowers being a modern and widespread example.
That's 100% incorrect (by federal law, can't speak to any specific states) and is most often the only part that is printed, for exactly that reason.
This may be true for some specific US states, but declaring it wholesale true in the US is wrong. From the ATF FAQ on homemade firearms:
I apologize for replying to what you wrote, and for not having future knowledge that you were going to edit your comment.
If could in the future predict the future and comments accordingly that would be preferred thank you /s
Super uncivil reply
Nope, not "technically" correct either.
Still wrong
The problem here is "ghost guns" is a nonsense word anti-gunners made up with no actual definition, much like "assault weapons". Most often it refers to simply guns without serial numbers, which the media and government use to manipulate the public into thinking a bunch of people are being murdered with 3D-printed firearms instead of firearms with the SN scratched off. It's far easier to simply buy one off the shelf at Academy or at your favorite local black market.
"Building blocks" are more commonly referred to as "80% lowers" and are not 3D-printed plastic, but blocks of CNC-machined aluminum. Yes, the White House is trying to make it illegal to own unregistered chunks of aluminum.
Further, 3D-printed lowers are manufactured by individuals, not sold by dealers or manufacturers.
It's kind of wild to realize that some states are trying to outlaw owning blocks of steel that have zero machining operations on them because benchtop CNC exists. I don't even know how they think that this is going to work; make every single machine and tool and die shop have an FFL in order to own a Bridgeport?
This is a fundamental problem with gun control; the tools that are used to make firearms--and to make ammunition components--are widely available, and have many uses outside of making firearms. Most people don't make their own guns because it's more expensive if that's all you're doing, unless that's your business.
I think what you and the other commenter are having friction with is that on your first comment declaring that it is "technically required" you did not specify that it was state by state, and the vagueness gave the impression it was a statement applying nationwide.
Now you are showing a link talking about state-by-state legislation, which is a more restricted and nuanced reframing of the original statement. Beyond that, your link seems to show 39 states do allow homemade firearms with no additional state laws, making that the majority. While declaring the rules one way or the other for the whole nation would be incorrect, saying that they are allowed is less incorrect since the majority of states do allow them.