We think the first panic about 3D-printed guns was back in 2018, because CNN decided it was an important enough issue to hand an op-ed over to Alyssa Milano. (Dana Loesch took it apart in just two tweets.) A month later, the Palm Beach Post did an article on lethal 3D printed weapons, complete with a photo of a rubber-band gun.
JUST IN: 3D printers put plastic, lethal guns just clicks awayhttps://t.co/OjDfYhoi3x pic.twitter.com/Ua6WLuxzyK
— The Palm Beach Post (@pbpost) August 9, 2018
The “just clicks away” refers to blueprints for 3D printed guns being available on the internet, and it’s something politicians have tried to undo. Sen. Bob Menendez is offering up the 3D Printed Gun Safety Act to make it illegal to post blueprints online.
One of these weapons was 3D printed. Can you tell which one?
Neither can law enforcement. That’s why my colleagues @SenMarkey, @RepTedDeutch, & I are introducing the 3D Printed Gun Safety Act to prohibit the online distribution of 3D printing blueprints & instructions for guns. pic.twitter.com/I906dF0veg
— Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) June 29, 2021
Give up yet? We got it.
3D printed guns (like letter D above) can be untraceable and undetectable, allowing criminals to circumvent law enforcement and commit crimes. We must close the ‘3D Gun Loophole’ that allows dangerous individuals to exploit gaps in existing law. https://t.co/1pPxWandXk
— Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) June 29, 2021
No thanks, Bob.
— joe jr ☆ (@gabaldon14) June 30, 2021
That gun was printed on a high end, dedicated machine that took YEARS to develop and tune. Its parts alone are $15k.
Why lie so brazenly? It's almost like you don't actually care about saving people's lives and just want to get attention with headlines that seem meaningful.
— Queer Armorer (@QueerArmorer) June 30, 2021
The Solid Concepts 1911 cost $15,000 and was printed on a $500,000 printer, but ok.
It also literally says "I was printed" on the barrel, maybe try teaching cops to read! https://t.co/Ztz7TdBgUw
— Navi of Boomhandia (@NaviGoBoom) June 30, 2021
No, it really does say “I was 3D printed”:
Why would Bob's office pick such a terrible example? Man's really out here saying cops are too dumb to read. pic.twitter.com/VX3XcbKmfB
— Navi of Boomhandia (@NaviGoBoom) June 30, 2021
Anyway, it's just bonkers to have a Senator give you a gun that's made of metal like other guns and that's got a serial number like other guns to illustrate the danger of guns that aren't entirely made of metal and don't have serial numbers.
$174k a year for 35IQ
— Navi of Boomhandia (@NaviGoBoom) June 30, 2021
You didn't even get the correct, "scary" 3D printing process. Next time try not to be so bad at your job.
— Tunkkis ibn-Nonearms🇫🇮🐉 (@SheikAliTunkkis) June 30, 2021
You 3 nincompoops realize the 3D printers capable of printing that gun cost more than a CNC that can cut the parts from solid steel right? Also the gun costs an order of magnitude more off the 3D printer than buying one from a gunstore…
— Frontsight (@frontsight81) June 30, 2021
The cow is already out of the barn on that one there, Bob. But do whatever makes you feel good.
— Herbert R Tarlic Jr (@HerbertRTarlicJ) June 30, 2021
The Undetectable Firearms Act of 1988 already makes the sale, and even the mere possession, of plastic guns illegal. 3-D Guns can’t operate without metal. They’re not “ghost guns”.
3-D printing is protected speech and the govt has lost in Court several times already over this
— T (@Rifleman4WVU) June 30, 2021
BTW, "C" is a 22 LR, not a 45 ACP
— Kent Summers (@azroofer1) June 30, 2021
Sounds like a good reason NOT to regulate.
But I'm not corrupt, bribe-taking Democratic politician, so what do I know?
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 30, 2021
Okay, how are you going to stop me, a hungarian national who lives in sweden from hosting a server in serbia, where American citizens can acquire these files.
I'm not trying to be an ass. But i will host this stuff whether you make it illegal or bit. Not you jurisdiction.
— Dániel (@HWYMAN187) June 30, 2021
As someone pointed out, Democrats like Menendez think that banning anything is a “win.”
Related:
WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE! Alyssa Milano and CNN team up for op-ed about 3D printed guns and it's as bad as it sounds https://t.co/zY3HrbJKm1
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) July 30, 2018
