quote:

New York state hasn't been fond of guns for quite some time, which isn't really shocking. The Bruen decision smacked some of their efforts down, but they put a pile of new ones in place to go with the pile that was already there

One of those was a ban on so-called ghost guns, or more properly termed as privately made firearms. Despite that, they still seem to keep turning up in New York. It's almost like gun control doesn't work, but for officials, that means they need to step up their game.

They want to restrict 3D printers like guns.

State lawmakers are again taking action on multiple gun control measures with the new legislative session, with senate and assembly leaders urging action on nine proposed bills.

The legislation, which all sit in committee as of press time, would impact residents who wish to lawfully purchase firearms, as well as 3D printers and exercise their 2nd Amendment rights.

Another bill, A2228, would require background checks be performed to purchase a 3D printer. State lawmakers say the measure would cut down on the prevalence of "ghost guns" or untraceable firearms that do not have a serial number.

Except that it wouldn't, because those can be bought somewhere else and driven across state lines. Since there's no licensing requirement (yet), people would buy and use these just like they always have. While some in New York City might not be able to travel outside the state as easily because cars aren't quite as common there as in most of the rest of the country, or so I hear, it still won't stop anything.

Especially since someone interested in building guns might just opt to build his own 3D printer. Yeah, that's actually a thing.
The problem here is that officials there don't see the real problem.

The issue isn't guns. It's never been about guns.

First, despite hysterics aplenty, so-called ghost guns aren't nearly as common on crime scenes as traditonally manufactured guns. If they made all privately made firearms vanish tomorrow, bad guys would still get guns.

The issue is that there are people who see lawlessness as a viable way of life.

Plus, 3D printers are used for far more things than guns. People have taken these devices and built small manufacturing businesses they never could have before thanks to this technology. That probably includes some people who wouldn't be able to buy on in New York if this law passes, but who have used these things to turn their formerly criminal lives around.

The world of 3D printing is fascinating to me, and not just because you can make guns.

But the truth of the matter is that you can make them, and anyone who wants to make one will regardless of what laws you put on the books. New York Democrats can't seem to get that through their thick skulls.

Of course, let's be real here. If they didn't have such thick skulls, they wouldn't be Democrats in the first place.

It should be noted, though, that this is just one of a butt-ton (imperial, not metric) of gun control legislation coming down the pipe in a state that has so much already and can't seem to understand why it's not working.