This is a worrying trend.
Printing guns
The 3D printing technology has advanced to the point where an underground community of firearm enthusiasts is now attending events where they fire guns that they (mostly!) printed at home. Vice reports in a disturbing new video documentary.
It's a dystopian vision. The Gun Makers Match, a recent Florida event, saw participants compete with their own handguns and assault guns.
Ghost guns are sometimes used to refer to guns because they lack serial numbers, which makes them virtually untraceable.
The trend has alarmistically alarmed law enforcement. A Department of Justice report recently leaked shows that nearly 24,000 firearms made privately were found between 2016 and 2020.
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Surprisingly, the practice is still legal in most states. Vice reports that only ten states and Washington DC have laws prohibiting the printing of DIY ghost weapons.
Metal and plastic
Although 3D printing with plastic is becoming more accessible, ghost guns aren't always entirely made of it.
Vice spoke with Rob Pincus, a gun rights advocate and personal defense instructor. Technically, you could make one from all plastic. Yes. It is reliable and amazing. It is unlikely.
Law enforcement and regulators are fighting a losing battle to keep up with the trend. Gun violence is on the rise in many areas of the country, where ghost guns are illegal, Vice reports.
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It's also a problem at an international level. Spanish police raided a warehouse that was being used for weapons printing in April.
This dangerous trend allows anyone to build their own guns without trace. Authorities are unable to stop it despite their best efforts. Many enthusiasts believe that the genie has already run out of steam.
READ MORE: A Glock I 3D-Printed to See How Far Homemade Guns have Come [Vice]
Continue reading: Police raid factory to print 3D guns
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