Thread: Expert says 3D printed guns will not raise major concerns in NZ

Expert says 3D printed guns will not raise major concerns in NZ

https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-...concerns-in-nz

Firearm laws may need to adapt to keep up with the changing technology used to print 3D guns, says a law and technology expert.

Police in New Zealand are monitoring developments around 3D printed firearms, which are assembled from plastic parts that can be made with a 3D printer.

University of Otago's Law and Emerging Technologies director, Colin Gavaghan said while the cost is currently too high for most people, printed guns may become a problem when the equipment used to make them improves and becomes cheaper.

"I think what's concerning some legislators is if it was possible to have an all-plastic weapon, the concern there is it would evade certain types of detection equipment.

"If that were to become feasible, then you could have a rule that prohibits an entirely plastic gun," he said.

Mr Gavaghan said the guns could already be covered under the current Firearms Act.

"It is an offence to possess certain types of firearm without a licence, what we don't have is a specific offence relating to 3D printing of weapons, neither do we have a specific offence in manufacturing the weapons."

He said it would be incredibly difficult to stop blueprints being accessible online and police could instead investigate the possibility of regulating who owns 3D printing devices.

However, he said the technology isn't at the stage where people need to worry right now.

The Council of Licensed Firearm Owners' chairman Paul Clark agreed the technology isn't at the stage that causes concern and the firearms were of more risk to the makers than to the public.

However, Mr Clark who also owns New Zealand Ammunition, was worried any changes to the Firearms Act could hurt businesses who use similar technology.

"It would be a major concern because it would stop innovative people here. It is already beneficial in terms of printing metal, there are people making those type of components here for firearms and exporting them successfully," he said.

He said people already need a license to obtain a firearm, so if criminals want to make 3D firearms, they'd do so even if it was illegal.

"We'd be better to concentrate on carrying on the bulk of the current laws and enforcing them a little more rigorously," he said.

Mr Clark added most firearm owners are law abiding.

If you couldn't legally own a firearm, and absolutely HAD to have one that wasn't a pro manufactured item (ie put yourself in a crim's shoes), would you do a bit of research online, then get a 3D printer and make something that blows your hand off? Or make a zip gun, or maybe a Luty -type machine pistol (which Antonie Dixon for example had made, and used to kill James Te Aute). My money would be on a steel home made weapon, rather than a brightly coloured lump of plastic which would have all the scariness of a water pistol to Joe Public. 3D printing changes nothing really

And an all plastic gun would be more dangerous to the shooter than the target.

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Wasnt this covered when Glocks came out?

Originally Posted by marky123

Wasnt this covered when Glocks came out?

Not sure. Maybe the glocks can't be 3d printed by the current crop of models.

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Originally Posted by Russian 22.

And an all plastic gun would be more dangerous to the shooter than the target.

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They did manage to make a single shot pistol which could fire a couple of rounds before it failed. The ar15 lowers from what i saw were pretty crap. Also required quite a bit of extra work to get the magazines bolt relaease trigger & safety to work.

Good to see an honest article on the non issue, been a lot of hysteria in the US about them

Typical news media over reaction, a 3D printer capable of printing a gun is $100,000 to $500,000 would be much cheaper and easier to buy a CNC machine and a Lathe
and make one out of steel or go full Khyber pass and use a file and hacksaw.

Any knuckle-dragger can make a blunderbuss out of a bit of galv pipe, the old “crims being able to make their own weapons” is hardly a new or valid argument.

Originally Posted by shooternz

Typical news media over reaction, a 3D printer capable of printing a gun is $100,000 to $500,000 would be much cheaper and easier to buy a CNC machine and a Lathe
and make one out of steel or go full Khyber pass and use a file and hacksaw.

CNC and lathe still takes knowledge that not many people have.

Pretty much anyone with access to 3D printer can go 'right click, print' on plans of a plastic gun.

Much more could be done with a printer that does metal 3D printing.

Originally Posted by systolic

Pretty much anyone with access to 3D printer can go 'right click, print' on plans of a plastic gun.

Quite a bit more complex than that

Your average filament/extruding 3d printer is not going to be very successful, would almost be funny to watch from a suitably safe place though. You could put together something made from metal with no more than a few hand tools, faster than it would take to print a plastic one and much more functional.

There is technology around to print a functional lower or frame but it will cost you more than buying a proper one.

3D printed plastic guns still require metal cartridges. Duh!

Have you seen the average person try to operate an office photocopier? Reckon we're probably safe enough from most people successfully 3d printing guns.

more dangerous for the operator than the victim, people just dont understand the pressures involved in even a 2lr

You guys realise you can 3D print in metal aye