Is it legal to 3D print a gun?
Recent advancements in 3D printing technology have raised question marks about the legality of printing firearms. With readily available designs and instructions circulating online, it’s inevitable to wonder if it is legal to create a complete, functional, and ultimately dangerous weapon using a computer and a 3D printer. In this article, we will delve deeper into the complex legal nuances surrounding 3D-printed guns.
Are 3D-printed guns legal in the United States?
In the US, the legal landscape related to 3D-printed guns is convoluted and subject to ongoing battles in the courts. After a series of legal debates and challenges, the Legal Situation in the US in 2021 is currently as follows:
- Yes, gun designs can be shared electronically, but specific gun components are regulated at the federal level.
- The Ignited/Willy_2 (.38 caliber handgun) filed in 2013 demonstrated the feasibility of 3D-printed guns to spark controversy and legal chaos.
- In _United States v. CSGV et al. (2011), the federal court considered the legal status of printing and distributing digital gun drawings, concluding that they do not fall under statutory definitions of firearms.*
- 8 states have enacted laws relating to 3D-gun printing, typically prohibiting the production, reproduction, or possession of ghost guns (undetectable firearms).
- Specific state laws address issues from manufacturing to online distribution and the transfer of ghost gun designs[^1].
Federal Policy and Regulations
The National Firearms Act (1934) and (Firearms Control Act; 1968) regulate existing firearms, but these laws failed to address 3D-printed guns explicitly prior to 2015 until the publication of Section 922(r)
"Section 922(r) (2017): /A person shall not export or attempt to export by mail or otherwise, firearm, firearm frame, handgun, or receiver from its regular place of business through the mails, or / by any kind of transportation, or transport, or ship, knowingly, in any manner, of a firearm, firearm component, or a combination (i.e., the device itself) without the Attorney General’s permission.**
- A loophole in Section 2252A of the Stored Communications Act allows information sharing regarding* the process of creating, distributing (e.g., sharing). In the digital realm, as long as the blueprints themselves do not transmit information, this loophole exempts the information from surveillance.
Case Law History
The courts have rendered decisions that affect the legally of 3D prints, such as:
- State v. United States (1794): The district court held that a manufacturer who produced weapons without attaching the necessary hardware (scopes, triggers, etc…) was not manufacturing a weapons. The legal implication is drawn: creating digital designs and sharing/possessing them has not been illegal.
- Chuang v_. United (2019): CSGV’s lawsuit concerning the distribution of digital schematics for ghost guns was withdrawn, citing "a strong argument that such designs<are not defined as firearms."*
However, not all States agree:
In _United States v Columbus Gun Traders/(2018}, a federal 4th Circuit Court appeals decision, upheld the charges against the 3 suspects who were manufacturing and altering weapons, ruling that production of 3D Print Gun Designs are illegal even if they don’t export the designs.: In New York and others v. Donald Trump i/ (February 2019), another court decision was made void, citing lack of relevant laws.
**Conclusion
In summary, the legal situation surrounding** 3D-printed guns Is Complex and changing. Most States have banned the fabrication, distribution, and manufacture of ghost guns, leaving only a handful of gray areas/gray areas > in an otherwise strict framework. Section 922(r) governs the transport and/or export of digital designs outside the United States. Section 2252A exempting information about the. However, court decisions create legal ambiguity regarding the very existence of the legal regulations surrounding 3D Guns.
Footnotes 1: Some states already have laws restricting the acquisition and possession of ghost/undetectable firearms (<https://www.gumfirearmslaw.com/Federal-Gun-L aws/>).
