The Second Amendment just went DIY.
The government has settled a lawsuit that will allow people to download files to 3-D print firearms, CNN reported Friday. The settlement concludes a years-long legal battle with Cody Wilson, a "post-left anarchist" who sued after the State Department told him to take plans for a 3-D printed handgun off the internet.
Officials originally told Wilson that posting the plans could violate trade laws that prohibit the export of guns, since people anywhere in the world could theoretically download the files. Now, Wilson's plans are exempted from export restrictions, making them available to anyone who finds them online starting Aug. 1.
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The handgun, nicknamed "The Liberator," is made out of ABS plastic, which is the same material as Lego bricks, reports CNN. Anyone with a 3-D printer can make their own Liberator, provided they can procure a metal firing pin to complete the weapon. Wilson himself was surprised that the government backed down without going to trial, telling CNN that officials suddenly "folded their tent" and even agreed to pay nearly $40,000 of Wilson's legal fees.
Gun control advocates are concerned that "ghost guns" like Wilson's will make it easier for people who would fail a criminal background check to get a firearm anyway, since they are untraceable without serial numbers or government regulation. Wilson, however, is excited at the prospect of developing a collection of files for people to download plans for other firearms. As his nonprofit's website says, "the age of the downloadable gun formally begins." Read more at CNN.
