this post was submitted on 16 Oct 2023
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NY bill would require a criminal history background check for the purchase of a 3D printer::Requires a criminal history background check for the purchase of a three-dimensional printer capable of creating firearms; prohibits sale to a person who would be disqualified on the basis of criminal history from being granted a license to possess a firearm.

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[–] Waluigis_Talking_Buttplug@lemmy.world 102 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Is this what the democrats think is important legislation right now?

You can make a firearm in a shitty garage shop way cheaper than the both monetary investment and time investment that comes with using a 3D printer.

People in fuckinh prisons make improvised firearms

This is a waste of time.

[–] pinkdrunkenelephants@lemmy.cafe 25 points 1 year ago (5 children)

It's not about making firearms. It's about being able to make literally anything else, the ability to do so being something that would liberate individuals, to some extent, from the capitalist system. That's what they really don't want.

[–] electric_nan@lemmy.ml 13 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Uh, I'm pretty sure this is about firearms.

[–] docmark@lemmy.world 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes and voter literacy tests were about making sure people were smart enough to vote. /s

[–] electric_nan@lemmy.ml 8 points 1 year ago

You're right. This is definitely about protecting the US service economy from people manufacturing their own plastic trinkets. /s Just to be clear: I think this is a stupid bill, but it absolutely tracks with concern/hysteria around 'ghost guns'. No need to consult the tea leaves to figure this one out.

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[–] skymtf@lemmy.blahaj.zone 40 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm a leftist, I don't support laws like this cause they don't actually do anything. Dems fr have been supporting initivies to fork over more and more data.

[–] Wogi@lemmy.world 41 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Here's a fun fact, hobby machinists have been making guns in their garages for as long as machining has been a career.

You can, right now, buy a drill press for a few hundred bucks and finish 80% lowers in an apartment if you want. If you have a lot of money to spend you could buy a mini mill and make the job a lot easier.

These are completely unregulated and arguably much more dangerous.

Have fun with that knowledge.

[–] skyspydude1@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Hell, you can make a basic pipe shotgun with a $5 hacksaw and some steel pipe. Not only that, but you can pretty convert tons of guns to full auto with basically no effort. Sometimes literally a piece of coat hanger bent with pliers. The Lightning Link, which can convert a majority of modern ARs to full auto has been around for decades and can be made with about $1 worth of steel, a piece of paper with the design printed on it, and that hacksaw you used earlier. Even some guy in his garage could easily make hundreds a year without a single power tool.

All of this is to say, you know what we don't see? Millions of illegal full-auto firearms being used to re-enact the minigun scene from Terminator 2. Much to the shock of our government, the vast majority of citizens are law-abiding, and stupid shit like this once again only harms normal people while criminals will just continue to break the law as usual.

[–] Wogi@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There is a decent community of 3d printed firearms, but they're not printing pressure chambers or barrels. These things can be and frequently are regulated. These guys are printing crazy looking guns for fun. They still have to go buy the important bits and even then they still fail pretty regularly.

This is some real brain dead legislation

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[–] MrSpArkle@lemmy.ca 38 points 1 year ago

This is just a way to restrict individual freedom from corporate ownership. It's the equivalent of "for the children". If you're against guns don't fall for this bait, support some other legislation.

[–] blindbunny@lemmy.ml 36 points 1 year ago

What brain dead legislation.

[–] db2@sopuli.xyz 36 points 1 year ago (15 children)

A tube capable of firing a projectile isn't hard to make though. Maybe they should require a criminal history background check to go to the hardware store too.

[–] Jamie@jamie.moe 11 points 1 year ago

Sir, do you have a license for that power drill?

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[–] altima_neo@lemmy.zip 31 points 1 year ago (3 children)

That's incredibly stupid. Good Lord.

What's next? CNC machines? Silicone/resin casting supplies? Steel pipes?

[–] Munkisquisher@lemmy.nz 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)
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[–] DirigibleProtein@aussie.zone 8 points 1 year ago

Screwdrivers, hammers, and automobiles will need a background check and a 30 Day cooling off period.

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[–] M0oP0o@mander.xyz 19 points 1 year ago (5 children)

Wow, this makes my country's nonsense gun laws look sane.

They do know that even children from 70 years ago where making firearms right? https://newyorkcitygangs.com/?page_id=1708

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[–] spark947@lemm.ee 19 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Silly. Why can't we just regulated the sale of ammunition and gunpowder?

[–] ultratiem@lemmy.ca 14 points 1 year ago

Why? It’s not guns and bullets killing people, it’s 3D printing 🙃

We do actually. Just last year new york passed the Concealed Carry Improvement act imposing a background check on ammunition purchases. This bill is completely redundant and unnecessary.

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[–] HawlSera@lemm.ee 17 points 1 year ago

This is just "New Media is scary and I'm old!" Fear Mongering

[–] JewGoblin@lemmy.world 16 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah, we have this little thing called a Constitution, might just get in the way

[–] SatansMaggotyCumFart@lemmy.world 20 points 1 year ago (2 children)

You have a constitutional right to bear 3-D printers?

[–] JewGoblin@lemmy.world 28 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes, and don't you forget that

The Founding Fathers really thought of everything.

[–] Death_Equity@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It would probably be argued under free speech oddly enough.

[–] superguy@lemm.ee 16 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Not even 'oddly enough.'

While you can't own a bomb factory without proper authorization (because its only purpose is building bombs), something as general-purpose as a 3D printer would absolutely enjoy first amendment protections.

Interesting tidbit: it's not illegal to make your own guns in the US. You don't even need a license.

[–] LukeMedia@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

I mean, imagine telling someone who was once convicted of a crime "no sorry, you can't buy a 3D printer to make things around the house, you could make a gun as well!"

If the only thing a 3D printer could do is print a gun, then there'd be an argument. This is like banning callipers from convicted criminals because they could be used to measure ammunition. If this law somehow sticks, I will be very disappointed in the shortsighted thinking that led to such a law passing.

[–] BrazenSigilos@ttrpg.network 14 points 1 year ago (5 children)

The logic of this is nonexistent. An argument could be made very convincingly that cars are dangerous to allow in the hands of criminals. 2 tons of metal, well known for and capable of ending a life, with the ability to aid criminal enterprises and avoidance of law enforcement. So should car sales now require a criminal background check? All this would do is further disenfranchise convicted felons, regardless of the actual crime committed, and create new difficulties for a group that includes a very high percentage of people already proven to give no shits about the law who will find and exploit ways to continue activities despite any laws attempting to restrict them.

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[–] Pxtl@lemmy.ca 10 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Has anybody actually successfully produced a proper firearm with a 3D printer? Like, one that doesn't melt after firing a shot? Who are these people who've created this nonsensical panic?

[–] setsneedtofeed@lemmy.world 16 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

On firearms in the US, the receiver (usually) is legally “the gun”. Everything else is parts. In a gun store you sign a 4473 federal form for a gun. You can walk out paying cash for parts with no papers. Mailing a gun requires numerous special procedures. Mailing parts is as simple as mailing anything else.

There have been a lot of 3D printed receivers, aka “the gun” made, and then all the relevant parts added. I don’t know how many, because by its nature the numbers aren’t really tracked, but there is an active hobbiest community for the practice.

This is a modernization of the older practice of building guns at home. Using traditional methods, guns including AR-15s (easy) to AKs (hard) have been built at home from non-gun materials for receivers, and then fitted with parts.

Not that I agree with the panic. It’s silly. As above mentioned, 3D printing is an evolution of the practice not a revolutionary new way to access guns.

[–] superguy@lemm.ee 12 points 1 year ago

Yes... they've been doing it for years.

[–] Death_Equity@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

They have advanced the production technique enough to make full auto guns that shoot pistol calibers.

Also 3D printing in metal is a thing, I do believe it requires finish machining for the majority of consumer grade units.

[–] Khotetsu@lib.lgbt 14 points 1 year ago (4 children)

Your average consumer grade 3d printer cannot print in metal. I looked into this at one point for jewelry, and you need commercial printers that cost thousands upon thousands of dollars for most metals.

Having said that, yes, 3d printing guns has reached a point where people can make 100% 3d printed full auto guns in pistol calibers. In fact, that's exactly what the Burmese resistance groups are using to fight back against the genocidal regime in their country. Because nobody in the international community cares enough to support them with military arms, but they can get 3d printers to print enough guns that they can kill and loot soldiers for better guns.

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[–] sapient_cogbag@infosec.pub 9 points 1 year ago

Sounds like the war on general-purpose ~~computation~~ manufacturing

[–] sturmblast@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

dumb and pointless

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