More bait to entice politicians to outlaw firearms built by owners. Great firearms can be made by those competent in machining, etc. It’s legal to do so (for those who can legally possess a firearm) in at least most states (check your state statutes), but obviously, some are trying to convince their members of congress outlaw the activity.
Read the current laws and BATFE policy on the matter. I, for one, wouldn’t spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a “3D printer” for the purpose of making part of a firearm. There are much tougher and more useful machines for custom work by the hands of anyone who is technically skilled enough to do the work. Aside from that, for most people, buying is much more wise and lower in cost than making it yourself.
And aside from the topic at hand, casting, forging, machining, fabrication and other metals technologies are very interesting learning experiences and valuable for making many different kinds of useful things (from grain grinders to engine blocks, from shafts to gears).
They can try. They couldn't even get the votes to pass the slippery slope to gun registration, otherwise known as “universal background checks”, even when they twisted polls and words to come up with the fake 90% support figure.
I think the unintended consequences of these citizen disarmament efforts are bringing a tipping point, and not in the direction the “progressives” expect. The publicity drives curiosity, and the facts are there for anyone who has even a little curiosity to look for them.
Once people realize that they have been lied to, they come over to the side of second amendment supporters.
Almost no second amendment supporters convert to citizen disarmers. It is pretty much a one way street, and it move in a pro-constitution direction.
Re your post 22, I know this is certainly debatable but I think you may be disregarding this statement in the article: “It’s more accurate to say we’ve come a long way toward rendering such laws moot, and easily bypassed by even those with limited technical skills.”
Not too many people have your technical skills and that seems to me to be the point. I can appreciate your stance that these machines are extremely expensive but I think it’s important and any Joe Blow with the funds can buy one and make his firearms with ease.
/johnny