Trump says public availability of 3D-printed guns 'doesn't seem to make much sense'
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is "looking into" the availability of plans for the 3D printing of guns, writing on Twitter that he had already been in touch with the NRA on the issue.
"I am looking into 3-D Plastic Guns being sold to the public. Already spoke to NRA, doesn't seem to make much sense!" the president wrote on Twitter Tuesday morning.
After a years-long legal battle, Defense Distributed, a Texas-based group, has announced plans to release instructions on Wednesday for guns that can be created by a 3-D printer, including a handgun and parts for a semi-automatic assault rifle. Although plans were not supposed to be available until Wednesday, instructions have already begun to appear online for download, CNN reported Tuesday.
From Defense Distributed's still barebones website:
August 1, 2018
Defense Distributed relaunches DEFCAD after reaching a settlement agreement with the US Department of State, concluding a multi-year federal lawsuit. The age of the downloadable gun formally begins.
The DEFCAD website is now up (as of July 31) but files supposedly can't be downloaded until August 1.
Even our resident Trump supporters/enthusiasts can bash him for even thinking about encroaching on our digital gun liberties.
Also at The Hill.
"U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik issued a temporary restraining order Tuesday afternoon that bars Cody Wilson from sharing 3-D gun print files online August 1.
The order provides time for Democrats to continue pressing President Trump to intervene and prohibit future publication of files all together."
Previously: Landmark Legal Shift for 3D-Printed Guns
Related: The $1,200 Machine That Lets Anyone Make a Metal Gun at Home
Japanese Gun Printer Goes to Jail
Suspected 3D-Printed Gun Parts and Plastic Knuckles Seized in Australia
FedEx Refuses to Ship Defense Distributed's Ghost Gunner CNC Mill
Man Who Used CNC Mill to Manufacture AR-15 "Lowers" Sentenced to 41 Months
Ghost Gunner Software Update Allows the Milling of an M1911 Handgun
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Arik on Wednesday August 01 2018, @10:24AM (10 children)
A semi-automatic assault rifle, really?
Well, one fine day in the middle of the night, when you're being peacefully assaulted by a pack of violent undead corpses, you're certainly going to want a semi-automatic assault rifle. And plenty of bullets, bullets are important. You just drop them down the barrel and then squeeze the trigger and say 'pew pew.' No, no, you don't need any powder or primer or casings man, just bullets.
Seriously, whoever wrote this knows less about the subject than my 9 year old niece. Policy being driven by people who can't even begin to comprehend what they're talking about is never a good idea.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday August 01 2018, @12:35PM (9 children)
(Score: 3, Funny) by Arik on Wednesday August 01 2018, @01:08PM (8 children)
I think the concept has wide application. Lots of profits to be made in assault cars. Just paint em up, with tiger teeth on the front, or sharks or what have you, like they did in the 50s. And maybe black paint, or red, or maybe a fluorescent camouflage pattern, you know, something really garish and intimidating and military looking. Put a flag on it, and maybe 'kill a commie for mommy' underneath that. Then you'd have an assault car. Manufacturers could make big money off of them, everyone would hurry to buy one before they got outlawed. It would be good for the politicians too, lots of campaign contributions out there, from folks that are worried about assault cars in their neighborhood, to people worried about the gubmint coming for their assault cars, lots of contributions all around, good for everyone.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 2) by takyon on Wednesday August 01 2018, @01:16PM (1 child)
I recommend assault spork.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by Arik on Wednesday August 01 2018, @01:40PM
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 3, Funny) by Freeman on Wednesday August 01 2018, @03:38PM
Anyone else remember, Chronicles of Riddick and the Teacup? ;-)
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 4, Insightful) by bob_super on Wednesday August 01 2018, @05:19PM
While I enjoyed the snark (have a point), you know that the evil lefties weren't exactly the first ones to associate the commercial versions with the military ones for propaganda. The marketing departments of the manufacturers have always been heavy on military imagery for their military-looking/inspired products. It's not "sex sells", it's "commando-looking-guys-brandishing-my-weapons-in-mock-assault sells".
(Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday August 02 2018, @01:04AM
In other words, we need more assault pork!
(Score: 2) by mhajicek on Thursday August 02 2018, @03:02AM (2 children)
Why a spoon, cousin?
The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
(Score: 2) by Arik on Thursday August 02 2018, @05:04AM (1 child)
SO I was thinking about it, and I wanted something that was more intimidating, but easier to carry around. And I was thinking about this for days, might have been weeks even, I mean not 24/7 but it was in there percolating, and I went to this local place that makes the best milkshakes, really thick and tasty, and they have to give you a really long, strong spoon to get that milkshake out, and I looked at that I spoon, I mean eye-spoon, and it just suddenly fell into place.
It's MUCH smaller than a winged spear, and it doesn't set off any metal detectors. And it's MUCH more intimidating too. I mean no one wants to get stabbed with a spear, that would smart a bit, but most of the injury would be deep tissue where you don't really feel it, and then shock sets in real quickly too, so it's really not all that far up the pain scale. (To compensate somewhat I'd normally try to aim it at the feet or other extremities at first but I digress.) The axe is really a step up because of that - axe wounds are a lot more painful, generally speaking. But can you even imagine how much pain would be involved in a dissection carried out using a spoon? I'd take the axe over that any day.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 3, Touché) by mhajicek on Thursday August 02 2018, @12:50PM
In other words, "Because it hurts more, you twit."
The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek