Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Emerging Tech
  3. News

New California law requires registration of all 3D-printed guns

Mike Flacy
By

3d-printed-gun-liberator
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Signed into law last week by California Governor Jerry Brown, anyone that attempts to create a homemade firearm with technology like a 3D printer will be required to apply for a serial number from the state’s Department of Justice. This new law is also designed to close a loophole that’s allowed gun enthusiasts to sell “unfinished receivers;” items like the core frame of a firearm as well as ammunition feeders and firing pins.

The serial number, or another form of identification, will have to be attached to a homemade firearm in some fashion. In order to obtain the identifier, the owner of a 3D-printed firearm will have to pass a background check. Interestingly, the law also forbids the sale or transfer of a homemade firearm from a California resident to another party. This limitation is attributed to the lack of quality standards of homemade firearms as well as the potential of widespread adoption of plastic firearms.

Recommended Videos

Speaking to the California Senate, the California Chapters for the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence said “Due to the materials from which these guns are manufactured, they would almost certainly not pass the testing requirements in the Unsafe Handgun Act and therefore would not, under normal circumstances, be legal for sale to the public. Furthermore, plastic guns have the ability to pass through metal detectors where they can be used to cause harm in sensitive places.”

Related

Alternatively, the National Rifle Association argued that the new law would “effectively end the practice of personally manufacturing firearms in California.” Specifically, the NRA argued that engraving a serial number on a homemade firearm would be nearly impossible for a hobbyist that’s building their own homemade design.

Later this year, California residents will be voting on a related measure to require background checks for ammunition sales as well as ban high-capacity magazine sales within the state. Other aspects of those new gun control measures include creating a system to confiscate firearms from convicted felons as well as requiring residents to report lost or stolen ammunition.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Mike Flacy
Mike Flacy
Contributing Editor
By day, I'm the content and social media manager for High-Def Digest, Steve's Digicams and The CheckOut on Ben's Bargains…
The best 3D printers under $500
3D printers are finally affordable. Here are the best models under $500
anycubic photon review 3d printer xxl 2

The 3D printing market has seen quite a few changes over the last few years. In just the span of a decade, the barrier to entry has dropped from well over several thousand dollars to under $200 in some cases. However, all entry and mid-level printers are not made equal. We have a few suggestions for prospective buyers and other information regarding alternatives not found on this list.

To some veterans of the 3D printing scene, this list may seem like it lacks a few of the most commonly recommended printers for newcomers. This is by design. Our list only considers printers with tested components from proven, reliable vendors. That's why we chose the Monoprice MP Mini v2 as our top pick--it's reliable and easy to use. We have avoided any printer with a frame primarily made from interlocking acrylic pieces and anything historically unreliable.
Most bang for your buck: Monoprice MP Mini v2
 
Pros:

Read more
Ceramic ink could let doctors 3D print bones directly into a patient’s body
ceramic ink 3d printed bones bioprinting australia 2

Scientists use a novel ink to 3D print ‘bone’ with living cells

The term 3D bioprinting refers to the use of 3D printing technology to fabricate biomedical parts that, eventually, could be used to create replacement organs or other body parts as required. While we’re not at that point just yet, a number of big advances have been made toward this dream over the past couple of decades.

Read more
The future of making stuff: Inside the evolution of 3D printing with Formlabs
future of 3d printing formlabs ces 2021 castablewax40

When 3D printing went mainstream in the mid-2010s and exploded in popularity, it was about as hyped up as it possibly could be. Evangelists told us it would fundamentally transform the way goods were made, and usher in a bold new era of creative freedom. Soon, they said, we’d be able to fabricate anything we wanted on-demand, Star Trek replicator style, right from the comfort of our own homes.

But of course, 3D printing didn't really live up to that high-flying dream. Instead, it made a momentary splash and then largely returned to the fringes, gaining adoption in hobbyist workshops and cutting-edge product design labs, but not really changing the face of manufacturing in the way many hoped it might.

Read more