--- title: "Watch Lunatics Fire 3D Printed Assault Rifles and Handguns" description: "3D printing technologies have come a very long way to the point that gun enthusiasts are literally competing at public events using guns they printed." date: "2021-08-27" modified: "2021-08-27" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/watch-fire-3d-printed-guns" categories: - "3D Printing" - "Future Materials" - "Science & Energy" tags: - "3d printed" - "3d printed flower" - "the digest" --- # Watch Lunatics Fire 3D Printed Assault Rifles and Handguns ![Zoom fatigue, or feeling exhausted from having your camera on at work, is a real phenomenon that should be taken seriously, according to new research.]() *\Image: Thingiverse\* ## Printing Guns 3D printing technologies have come a long way — to the point that an entire underground culture of firearm enthusiasts are now attending events at which they fire guns they (mostly) printed at home, *Vice* reports in a troubling new video documentary. It's a dystopian vision. A recent event in Florida dubbed the "Gun Maker's Match" saw attendees compete using their home-assembled handguns and assault weapons. The guns are often referred to as "ghost guns" as they have no serial number, making them basically untraceable. Unsurprisingly, law enforcement has been increasingly alarmed by the trend. According to a recently [leaked Department of Justice report](), nearly 24,000 "privately made firearms" were recovered between 2016 and 2020. The practice is surprisingly still legal in most states. Only ten states and Washington DC have laws that prohibit the printing of DIY ghost guns, according to *Vice*. https://youtu.be/C4dBuPJ9p7A ## Metal and Plastic While 3D printing with plastic has become increasingly accessible, ghost guns usually aren't entirely made out of it. “You need the metal parts," Rob Pincus, a personal defense instructor and gun rights advocate, told *Vice*. "Technically, could you build one out of all plastic? Yes. Is it going to be reliable and awesome? Probably not." Regulators and law enforcement are now in a fierce battle trying to get ahead of the trend — but have been able to do only very little, with gun violence rising in several parts of the country where ghost guns are illegal, as *Vice* reports. It's a problem on an international scale as well. In April, Spanish police [raided a warehouse]() where weapons were being printed. It's a dangerous trend that allows practically anybody to assemble their own untraceable guns. Despite their best efforts, authorities are struggling to contain it. But to many enthusiasts, the genie is already out of the bottle. **READ MORE:** [I 3D-Printed a Glock to See How Far Homemade Guns Have Come]() \[*Vice*\] **More on 3D printed guns:** *[Police Raided Factory Churning Out Black Market 3D Printed Weapons]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()