this post was submitted on 05 Jul 2026
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[–] BC_viper@lemmy.world 1 points 3 minutes ago

I can make a gun out of a pipe, a nail and a rubber band. Home made guns aren't anything new.

[–] shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 14 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

I'm sorry, but while I have no plans to print one, if I ever buy a 3D printer, I will make damn sure that it can print one.

I would not spend my money on a borked machine that would control what I print.

[–] TIEPilot@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago

Agreed, they start the lock down with "Its for the Children" so they can control the printer. Then the next is, that widget/doohickey is patented and you cant print it.

And lets be real you know this lock down will spit out all kinds of false positives basically making it an expensive brink...

Oh and you know all will have to have an internet connection to operate.

[–] eestileib@sh.itjust.works 16 points 9 hours ago

This is all part of technology enclosure.

The goal is that you will only be able to use technology in the service of the oligarchy.

Take care of your old systems with unlocked motherboards, you'll need them.

[–] atomicbocks@sh.itjust.works 35 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) (1 children)

I like how now all of a sudden we forgot that you can make a gun out of hardware store plumbing… this seems like an intentional way to make sure that people can’t make things without paying the oligarchs. I think the fact that we are getting close to being able to make 90s level tech in garages is scaring the tech bros.

[–] nyan@lemmy.cafe 2 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

this seems like an intentional way to make sure that people can’t make things without paying the oligarchs. I think the fact that we are getting close to being able to make 90s level tech in garages is scaring the tech bros.

Nah, I suspect it's a way for the politicians to look like they're doing something about gun violence without, y'know, actually doing anything about gun violence. Or just generally to distract from what they're doing on other issues. "Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" stuff.

[–] RamRabbit@lemmy.world 95 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) (5 children)

The dumbest part is: it is perfectly legal to make a gun for 99% of Americans. The entire 'ghost gun' attack angle is doomed to failure.

And it isn't just 3D printing; the New York bill includes all computerized manufacturing; it very explicitly includes CNC machines, for example. They are taking down entire manufacturing sectors to go after an unwinnable goal.

[–] TIEPilot@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago

Its not like I can't buy a mill press and caliper and make a lower. I already have the jig that makes it even simpler.

With the gig all I need is a hobby drill press.

[–] baldingpudenda@lemmy.world 17 points 14 hours ago

I remember when the news talked about ghost guns that they'd always bring up this CNC machine that would build AR lowers, the part that is legally "the gun". I'm pretty sure it was the ghost gunner.

I read into it and got on forums. There was a poster who bought the machine and, because of legal reasons, had to get his friends to come push the start button so that they were making their own guns and not the poster making guns for others. Apparently, he got visited by the ATF, but basically got told he's walking a fine line.

I can make my own ghost gun with a hand drill and a template you can buy online. a motivated person will always be able to find a way to do things, but its actually easier to just find someone to sell you a cheap illegal gun if you're gonna commit a crime than to go through the whole trouble of building one yourself.

[–] artyom@piefed.social 20 points 15 hours ago (3 children)

I dunno why they don't just outlaw manufacturing your own firearms without a license...

[–] Ensign_Crab@lemmy.world 24 points 14 hours ago (1 children)

They would prefer to outlaw manufacturing anything without paying rent seekers.

[–] WanderingThoughts@europe.pub 13 points 13 hours ago

Seems that way. Next up is licensing fees for printing certain models. Basically they'd like to get as far as when Picard says "Tea, Earl Grey, hot" the replicator says "Brought to you by Lipton. Taste good, feel good. You have 49 remaining replicator credits."

[–] EvergreenGuru@lemmy.world 28 points 14 hours ago

The don’t want to send a case to the Supreme Court that would rule on the side of homemade firearms.

[–] DudeImMacGyver@kbin.earth 9 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

It'd probably be wildly unconstitutional?

[–] artyom@piefed.social 0 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago)

Nothing in the Constitution about who can or can't construct firearms. Not that anyone cares about The Constitution anymore.

[–] magic_smoke@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 14 hours ago

Yeah the supreme court is getting ready to fucking undo assault rifle bans next year, this shit ain't lasting.

[–] IllNess@infosec.pub -4 points 14 hours ago

Amazing how they ISPs can just block sites based for states and how sites can block certain areas but these rulings their location jurisdiction.

[–] DudeImMacGyver@kbin.earth 35 points 13 hours ago (3 children)

Seems like bullshit when you can make a more reliable firearm from leas that $20 in parts from any hardware store.

Also "ghost guns" are perfectly legal in the US.

I wonder what the true reason for them attacking 3D printing, home CNC, etc. is...

[–] 4am@lemmy.zip 23 points 12 hours ago

Too many people are coming up with ways to repair or enhance items that don’t enrich the OEM.

These laws are the DMCA of the physical world. This is stage 4 malignant capitalism, where they claim their true dominion over us all.

Play by the rules: You exist, they make money off your existence, nothing changes.

[–] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 7 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago) (1 children)

They're doing this because the number of self-created guns recovered from crime scenes has increased significantly over the last five years. I made a video about it recently, if anyone's bored.

Calling it a 'crackdown' is a little silly though, and just the kind of overdramatic bullshit one would expect from American gun nuts.

It's two state-level laws that aren't even fully in force yet, and won't work anyway, thanks to US gun law being a patchwork of fifty different fiefdoms' opinions, many of which are unilaterally unenforced by local sheriffs on purpose anyway. Hell, guns are so absurdly legal in my state that they keep coming up with ways to make them extra-legal so that the gun lobby will keep the bribes flowing.

[–] AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world 2 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

~~Thewhy~~ Then why haven't the famous "saturday night specials" closed all the hardware stores?

It's a mystery for sure...

[–] paf@jlai.lu 2 points 12 hours ago (2 children)

(european here) i can imagine that the gun religion in usa directed by nra and big manufacturer needs to have someone to blame to divert eyes from lack of real legislation over guns and what best to blame that a growing sector that could potentially affect their share of market in future. They could be scared from the fast development of 3d printing and the crazy power of innovation a community can achieve, they could be left behind just by the lack of innovation.

Another way to say this: blocking consumer 3d printer is a way to reinforce their dominant position by ensuring there is not other path than going threw them and making sure their market share don't drop because of new technology growing/changing fast while diverting the real issue USA has with guns.

[–] DudeImMacGyver@kbin.earth 6 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

The REAL problem that the US has is deep inequity and a lack of a social safety net work actual healthcare IMO: Gun violence would be virtually eliminated if citizens were actually taken care of.

Even if you could magically disappear all the guns, the US would still be a violent place because gun violence is just a symptom of the above issues.

Before anyone brings it up: I'm not arguing for or against gun regulations here, just that this runs deeper than some might suggest.

[–] paf@jlai.lu 2 points 10 hours ago

I know usa has bigger problem than guns like healthcare (bigger as it affects way more people than guns), my comment was only to answer to your why would they go after 3D printing.

A violent place without guns Will always be a better place than with.

[–] RamRabbit@lemmy.world 1 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago) (1 children)

The insane manufacturing control laws in the article are passed by Democrats in Democrat-controlled states. Blaming this on the right is laughable.

See also: NY's manufacturing control laws that restrict not only our 3D printers, but all computerized manufacturing, including CNC machines and lathes.

[–] paf@jlai.lu 4 points 9 hours ago

Where did i say the right did it??

[–] TheObviousSolution@thebrainbin.org 16 points 14 hours ago

It's basically at the thought-crime level of threatening, although a bit more real. More importantly, it's an excuse industries that are threatened can lock on to so they don't have to worry about low cost alternatives. A metal rod and some gunpowder = ghoster gun.

[–] betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world 3 points 14 hours ago

What, no way, who ever could have seen that coming?

[–] W3dd1e@lemmy.zip 1 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago) (5 children)

This is so stupid.

My understanding is that you can’t make a gun from 100% 3D printed plastic parts. Why don’t you just regulate those final parts makers?

[–] muusemuuse@sh.itjust.works 3 points 6 hours ago

Because it’s isn’t about guns

[–] Zetta@mander.xyz 9 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

You can make single shot weapons from pretty much 100% plastic with just like a nail as the firing pin. But those aren't really effective weapons at all, and you can make a better shotgun with some pipes from the hardware store.

Even if you could make fully functional firearms with 3D printers, this is still stupid. 3D printers for hobbyists were originally all hand built with common electronic parts and if more states pass regulations like this, DIY is going to be the new trend again where everybody builds their own printers instead of buying one and it'll just get easier and easier and the government won't be able to regulate that at all.

And, honestly, I'm all for that future, and sort of excited for it. The regulations are moronic and dumb, but just like digital surveillance and information suppression laws like age verification, it's just going to make the darknet and none regulatable things more popular, which is great, in my opinion. I yearn for the day where the commoner gets online and Tor or I2P is their first choice of connection. Where the government has no control over the citizen and what they think, do, or say online or in their own private life.

[–] Postmortal_Pop@lemmy.world 3 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago)

While 100% is currently impractical, you can actually print 95% of a gun for 22lr. You need a nail for a fireing pin a barrel insert, and spings you can get from a nerf gun. That said, you could use the same to convert a nerf gun.

I'm also not talking about the single shot proto gun you've seen, I'm talking about a scaled model of a 1911. Guns are so fucking simple and regulation is like trying to prevent lock picking.

[–] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 3 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

For the same reason that it would be better to regulate polluters than to expect individuals to recycle their waste en masse. Regulating this at an individual level is demonstrably less effective, given that the recovery of self-created guns used in crimes has increased significantly in recent years.

Whether anti-gun 3D-printing algorithms will even work isn't certain yet, but I'm all for giving it a try and forcing people to risk acquiring said weapons via legit manufacturers and shops which may be more traceable or risk the black market.

[–] Steve@startrek.website 3 points 11 hours ago

Its a silly strawman.

[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 3 points 14 hours ago (1 children)
[–] CovertOperative@piefed.zip 2 points 9 hours ago

Author: Michael Lydick. I'm guessing his middle name is Claude.

[–] Fishnoodle@lemmy.world 0 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

Are they cracking down on 85% receivers? I mean those pose a much bigger risk

[–] TIEPilot@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago

85% is a firearm, 80% is a fancy paperweight. No DVs from me just want to keep everyone straight on the law

/source: me I make 80% guns from time to time, next is a Glock 19