Just What America's Gun Control Debate Needs: the Printable Gun
You've probably heard a lot about 3D printers in the last few years or so and that they're going to change the world. And while everyone's been debating how the ability to manufacture products at home will play out in regards to copyright law. A new wrinkle has popped up in the 3D printing community: gun laws.
You may have heard about Defense Distributed, formed by a group of graduate students at The University of Texas Austin. The people in Defense Distributed want to build something called Wiki Weapon, which is a blueprint for a gun that can be printed using a 3D printer. If Wiki Weapon ends up working, it would theoretically put a gun in the hand of anyone that owns a 3D printer. For some reason, Defense Distributed wants more guns out there, not less. And they want the process of getting one to be easy.
It turns out the Wiki Weapon project was in a bit of a stand still. Wired reports that Cody Wilson, the main person behind the printable gun, hit a stumbling block when the 3D printer he leased for $20,000 from Stratasys was repossessed by the company. Stratasys wrote Wilson about one week after he ordered the printer from them, telling him that they wanted it back. Wilson responded that he didn't think he was violating any laws by printing the gun, but Stratasys sent its legal dogs after Wilson.
“It is the policy of Stratasys not to knowingly allow its printers to be used for illegal purposes," stated a letter to Wilson from Stratasys' legal counsel. "Therefore, please be advised that your lease of the Stratasys uPrint SE is cancelled at this time and Stratasys is making arrangements to pick up the printer." The next day, a group showed up at Wilson's door and took the printer.
Wilson was sort of right about not having broken any laws. Turns out making a gun at home is legal, as long as you don't sell it. The person who makes the gun is basically operating without any restrictions at all. "As long as an inventor isn't selling, sharing or trading the weapon, under federal law, a license isn't necessary," explains The Guardian. "Homemade creations also don't need to be registered with the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and are legal for use by the individual who created the weapon."
Wilson knows he has the upper hand on his Wiki Weapon project, and so he told Wired that he wasn't giving up. "Of course I’m scrambling now," Wilson explained. "I’m trying to figure out, well, how can I rent an object from another party or a capital group? In the meantime, I’m doing everything else. It’s just added stress."
Funny that Wilson mentions "added stress," isn't it? We imagine that added stress he's feeling is close to what activists for stricter gun laws are experiencing when reading about Defense Distributed. We're sure the gun rights activists are already preparing their usual response of shouting from the rooftops that guns kill less people yearly than most things.
But at least now a printable gun will finally add a new aspect to the debate.
[Pic via Flickr - Robert Nelson]
