US Justice Department Proposes New Regulation on 3D Printed Ghost Guns
On Friday, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) proposed a new regulation to update firearm definitions. The proposed rule is intended to close the so-called “Ghost Gun” loophole. Ghost guns, combined with the lack of possible regulation on 3D printing technologies, have facilitated a rise in unsanctioned possession and criminal use of firearms. In the words of Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, this proposal is part of the DOJ’s commitment to “taking common sense steps to address the epidemic of gun violence that takes the lives of too many people in our communities”.
Unmarked firearms, or ghost guns, are being increasingly recovered at crime scenes across the country. They are often assembled from kits, or printed from 3D models, which can be bought without background checks or even found free online. This is one of the main reasons that criminals not permitted to possess a firearm are able to procure one. “Criminals and others barred from owning a gun should not be able to exploit a loophole to evade background checks and to escape detection by law enforcement,” says Garland. Now, the US Justice Department hopes that by modernizing the definition of “frame or receiver”, it will thus be able to close a regulatory loophole associated with the unserialized privately made firearms, including those that are 3D printed.
A sintered aluminum SLA (3D printed) of the Reyes adapter MkIV. Photo by Mitch Barrie via Flickr
There are three ways in which this proposed rule would seek to address the proliferation of unserialized firearms. First, by making it clear that retailers must run background checks before selling kits that contain the parts necessary for someone to readily make a gun at home, the rule would help to keep guns from being sold to convicted felons and other prohibited purchasers. Second, it would help law enforcement trace guns used in a crime by mandating that manufacturers include a serial number on the firearm “frame or receiver” in easy-to-build firearm kits. Finally, “to help reduce the number of “ghost guns” on our streets, the rule would set out requirements for federally licensed firearms dealers to have a serial number added to 3D printed guns or other unserialized firearms they take into inventory”.
From 2016 to 2020, more than 23,000 unserialized firearms were reported to have been recovered by law enforcement from potential crime scenes. This includes firearms in connection with 325 homicides and attempted homicides. According to Garland, “This proposed rule would help keep guns out of the wrong hands and make it easier for law enforcement to trace guns used to commit violent crimes, while protecting the rights of law-abiding Americans. Although this rulemaking will solve only one aspect of the problem, we have an obligation to do our part to keep our families and our neighborhoods safe from gun violence.” After the proposal has been published in the Federal Register, the public will be able to submit comments for 90 days. If you want to find out more information you can read the full press release HERE.
What do you think about the Justice Department’s proposal for a new rule seeking to close the Ghost Guns loophole? Let us know in a comment below or on our Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn pages! Sign up for our free weekly Newsletter here, the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox!
*Cover picture credits: Robert MacPherson/AFP/Getty
