Pentagon removes plastic 3D gun plans from the 'net...

I agree that they are attempting to set a precedent. Actually, I think there are 2 goals at work here. Folks who do know what they are talking about attempting to set a precedent on public distribution of this sort of user level data. Whether or not they have to authority to do so is open for question and will have to be settled by the courts, I assume.

On the other hand you have other people, politicians primarily, who DON'T know what they are talking about ranting "AHHHH, the sky is falling!! Ban it! BAN IT!! EVIL!!!" Of course, the only thing that will do is ensure that the files are spread farther and wider than they ever would have been otherwise.

Ultimately, this is futile. Technology advances. At some point it will be impossible, for all practical purposes, to prevent people from making whatever they want. Already a competent machinist can build a firearm fairly easily. These advances mean that someone can do it without spending years developing the required skills.
 
patriot86 said:
This just doesn't make sense to me.
We are not talking about plans for a missile, a jet fighter or a tank.
We are not talking about classified technology not available in the rest of the world.

You can find detailed spec's on every single aspect of constructing an AR-15 online, why is this any different?
Click to expand...

I don't know about that last part, but pretty much all "defense" technology is restricted under ITAR. It doesn't have to be traditional heavy weaponry associated with wars.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Export_of_cryptography_in_the_United_States

Since around y2k, they've eased up on restrictions so that basically all free non-classified cryptographic software can be made available on the internet without much trouble, but it still technically falls under ITAR.
 
My understanding is that DoD "requested" he pull the design down, and he complied, so technically no federal agency has forced anyone to do anything.

That being said, this plan was downloaded, apparently, over 100,000 times. This particular cat is out of this particular bag, regardless of DoD's desires.
 
Countdown to TPB being on the State Department's list of terrorist organizations...
Click to expand...
TPB is far from being an innocent actor. They have facilitated the criminal theft of intellectual property on a massive scale. By that, I'm referring to illegal downloads of copyrighted material.
 
I know what TPB is and what it does, but this is not the place for a copyright discussion. I'm simply mocking archaic arms control treaties and their interpretation by the US Dept of State, and one possible response by State to TPB's indexing of 3d printing models of weapons.
 
My understanding is that DoD "requested" he pull the design down, and he complied, so technically no federal agency has forced anyone to do anything.

That being said, this plan was downloaded, apparently, over 100,000 times. This particular cat is out of this particular bag, regardless of DoD's desires.
Click to expand...

That's probably why he complied witht he request. The design is out there already. He accomplished his goal. Just saving himself the hassle of a fight he already won a long time ago anyway.
 
I know the NRA has it's hands full these days, but I doubt (make that- I'm sure, this is the Federal Government) this guy's pockets are deep enough. I hope he is able to secure a pro-bono defense, it will indeed be an interesting precedent.
Click to expand...
Actually, this is more of a 1st Amendment issue. While I'd like to see the NRA involved, the core issue here is speech more than it is the RKBA.

To that end, the Electronic Frontier looks to be getting involved, and this could turn into a major 1A challenge.
 
This cat is already out of the bag. It is on the internet already, and it will stay that way. Stopping this sort of thing after the fact is an exercise in futility.

Even though I doubt I will ever print a gun, I think the files are worth finding and downloading for "informational purposes".
 
The genie is out of that bottle.
Click to expand...

I heard of this project on 'alternative media' sites well over a year ago, and their stated purpose was just that...

To let the proverbial Genie out of the bottle...

They succeeded...

The first time I recall a printed AR lower being successfully fired, was last July...
 
...Over 100,000 people downloaded the files and they're already hosted on offshore file download sites...
Click to expand...
So, someone please post the link to those "offshore" sites so I can download and archive (not actually make the gun), a copy of the data that would 3-D print that gun. Many have stated as above, but no one gives up a link. I want to be part of an effort to thwart the government's unconstitutional effort in this regard via a download as a gesture if civil disobedience in this regard.
 
Last edited:
So, someone please post the link to those "offshore" sites so I can download and archive (not actually make the gun), a copy of the data that would 3-D print that gun.
Click to expand...
Sorry, but the legality of that would be questionable, so we won't be posting links to the material here.
 
Dahermit, here are human-executable instructions for what you asked:

1. Read the first paragraph at the link Progress posted yesterday.

2. Google the name of the site that the article says is still hosting the 3d data.

3. Search that site for 3d gun.

If you don't have a bittorrent client, you'll need that, too. uTorrent has become commercialized, but it's what most people use.
 
Who wants to take bets on how long it is before these liberators and improved models start showing up in places like Syria and China?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top