While the price tag for high-end and experimental models can still run well into the thousands of dollars, it’s possible to assemble one’s own 3D printer for about $200. But now, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the technology has finally been democratized.
Gun control advocates will shudder at the idea of opening up access to these deadly tools, but it may already be too late.ģD printing was once the sole province of the techy, the plugged-in, and-due to the astronomical cost of early machines-the well-heeled. At a time when ordinary consumers and state governors alike are looking for alternatives to strained supply chains, the example of 3D-printed guns raises profound questions: What happens when economic power becomes decentralized and when the means of production are seized on a small, individual scale? When people have the ability to build what they need, what use will they have for government oversight?ģD-printed guns are a way for people to arm themselves without the involvement of the federal and state governments, which are seldom in agreement anyway. The spread of hyperlocalized gun manufacturing would be a gun advocate’s dream: a potentially limitless number of firearms procured without the threat of government inference or pesky regulations. Several states have seen a run on gun stores, and sales have skyrocketed since the early days of the pandemic, spurred on by a bunker mentality, worries over societal unrest, and fears of federal overreach. Supplies of all manner of essentials have been running low, and for some people, those essentials include guns and ammunition. While 3D-printed firearms are still very much a niche concern, there are a number of reasons why an individual would want to create such a thing, especially during a worldwide economic and political crisis.
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