It looks like the anti-gunners will do anything to push that “conversation” they keep saying they want with us. Today’s example is a demand by Brady Campaign poster boy Steve Israel to renew the Undetectable Firearms Act.
Signed into law by President Reagan in 1988, the Act was a response to fears over newer methods of fabricating firearms parts. At the time, there was great concern about the polymer frame of the new Glock pistol, and the possibility that it could be invisible to airport metal detectors (1).
It sunset after ten years in 1998. It was then resurrected and signed in 2003 by President Bush (2) as Public Law 108-174. It is set to expire again next year.
So, why the big push for renewal? Folks are using 3d printers to make guns. You might think this is illegal, but it’s not. The Gun Control Act is fairly silent on this, prohibiting only the assembly of NFA items or “non-sporting” guns made from imported parts. If you make them with the specific intention of resale for profit, you could run into trouble for manufacturing without a license and failing to pay the ITAR fees. Otherwise, you’re good to go.
It looks like the technology isn’t quite there yet, but it will be very soon. It’ll be very interesting to see what folks will come up with when they decide to get original and stop wasting time making lowers for Eugene Stoner’s poodle shooter.
(1) That is, it would be, if you removed the steel parts, which would include the slide, barrel, firing pin, firing pin spring, locking block, extractor, trigger pins, trigger bar, recoil spring, frame rails, slide lock, slide lock spring, trigger bar, magazine catch spring, and connector. So, um. Yeah. It is, however, fun to ask Glock sales reps when they’re going to market the Glock 7, just to watch them bristle.
(2) In case you didn’t notice, both Presidents who signed the Ban were Republicans. Feel free to stop ramming that whole Republicans=Pro Gun/Democrats=Anti Gun cliche down my throat any time, folks.