3D-Printed Guns Are Now On Pirate Bay For Download, Despite State Department Efforts To Stamp Them O

[bossy22]

Just when you thought the 3D gun was dead, it's back. Just Thursday, the company that made the 3D gun blueprints, Defense Distributed, was forced to take the blueprints off of its site by the U.S. Department of State.

The issue, then? The plans had already been downloaded over 100,000 times before it was taken down and quickly ended up on Pirate Bay.

There gun has been uploaded to torrenting site Pirate Bay multiple times, and has been downloaded from the site thousands of times.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/10/3d-guns-pirate-bay_n_3253207.html

What i find funny is how many on DU "celebrated" the "victory" when the state department forced Defense Distributed to take down the 3D gun plans. In actuality, Mr. Wilson won, the file is out there and there is no way any government agency is going to be able to stop it. This is analogous to the record industries victory against Napster- they might have won the battle but they lost the war.

We need to have an open debate about the future with this technology, whether you are for or against guns because this is more than just about guns. This is about the sharing of knowledge and the flowing of ideas. Do we deem some ideas to be too dangerous that we must censor them? How far do we go to enforce such a censor? Are we such staunch believers in free speech that we accept the dangers such as this? This whole issue is going to make us really search deep into our core and make us question are values.

[NYC_SKP]

1. I am unequivocably in favor of open source, no censorship, of all intellectual property.

(Exceptions for things like child porn)

I think our society benefits through sharing.

I recommend Larry Lessig's books, "Free Culture" is available for free in many forms:

http://www.free-culture.cc/

[rdharma]

2. Yawn!

[bossy22]

3. so you don't take this seriously?

When do you think it is worthy of your consideration? When someone prints a semi-automatic pistol? A machine gun?

The future isn't that far off

[rdharma]

4. It's RW gun-hugger BS!

And nobody is buying it.

[bossy22]

5. so this whole 3D gun thing is a fake?

doesnt exist?

Last time i checked the ones making the big deal over it is the left.

And it seems to be covered on major news/tech sites. So i guess all of that counts as nobody right?

[rdharma]

7. Much ado over nothing........

An awful expensive way to make a single shot zip gun that'll blow up in your face......... Don't ya' think?

But the RW gun-huggers are trying to play the "fear card" with it.

[bossy22]

9. The right wing has been awful quiet about this

The only politicians i hear talking about this are from the left. Isn't that interesting

An awful expensive way to make a single shot zip gun that'll blow up in your face......... Don't ya' think?

That is the short shortsightedness I'm talking about. Yes, today the printer costs 8 grand and the gun only shoots one bullet, but do you think it is going to stay like that forever? Guess what, one day that same 8 grand printer will be $800. Eventually 3D printers will start using metallic materials (industrial ones are already doing that). You don't think eventually someone will create a 2 shot pistol? a 10 shot pistol? When we bought our first CD burner back in the mid-90's it cost $1200. $1200!! Just to be able to copy a CD to a CD. Wouldn't you say that is an awfully expensive way to copy a friends album? Why not just put it on a tape like the overwhelming majority of people did? At first, yes, it was awfully expensive. Then (just like all technology) the price starts coming down, it becomes more common, and before you know it, it's a standard household item. How many computers today come with CD/DVD writers? I'd say pretty much all of them. How many cars are being built with tape players anymore? Not many.

That is the point. Now it's just a dinky one shot gun that requires $8000 worth of equipment to make. How long before that number decreases?

On edit: staples has already announced they will be selling 3D printers. Maybe the ones they are selling right now won't be able to make the gun. Perhaps. But are the printers that are sold to the common consumer not going to get better? Will they not get more precise, be able to print using more materials?

Your mindset has been proven wrong throughout history. Do you think that this trend won't continue?

[rdharma]

12. The RW nut job "gun" sites and blogs have been talking about this for almost a year now.

Oh, I have no doubt the trend will continue....... but I think CAM controlled machine tools will be the "weapon of choice" for making firearms for some time to come.

In other words...... I'm not buying the RW gun-hugger BS that these "printers" will render gun legislation "useless".

BTW - That was a $32,000 "printer" they used for the one shot "Liberator" zip gun. And it was LITERALLY a one shot deal...... as it blew up on the second attempted firing.

[bossy22]

13. you ignore the bigger picture

yes the printer is expensive now, but it won't stay expensive forever (btw their old printer was 32,000, the new one was 8,000). its not going to stay at the price forever.

Yes, the gun is a piece of junk right now, but improved versions will come out- that is almost a given.

IIRC the Wright Bros first flight was only a few seconds long and only about 150 feet. Who had much use for something like that? No one really. But the flights just got longer from there. In less than 20 years wars fought in the sky became a reality. So yes, even in the 1920's rail was the primary purpose of travel, but airplanes were far from insignificant during that time.

How is that any different from the possible future of 3D printed weapons?

[NYC_SKP]

10. WTH are you talking about?

I don't cruise RW sites but I am seeing a lot of posts on progressive sites.

Lord, everything's a RW something to some people.

It must top the list of impotent reactions in a discussion.

Please show me a link to a RW gun-hugger "fear card" play.

If you can.

[Eleanors38]

6. Excellent points all DUers should take note of.

How quickly the Censors gathered on this, and how futile their efforts. Somehow there is a simultaneous grasping for old-school control of the Innertube, even as the wave of tech change is supposed to part and wash past the rather hoary Glocks, Rugers, and Remingtons, fixed like dry dusty temples to an island.

What will constitute an "arm" to keep and bear? Will the rush to somehow ban the new forms leave us babbling about AR-15s being the new muzzle loader?

You'd think at least these questions would drive a good discussion.

[bossy22]

8. its going to be very interesting

it's going to put many people like internet freedom advocates, free speech advocates, etc.. into a difficult position. Many of these groups are left leaning and claim to be based on principle. Now many of these individuals who are also pro-gun control will be faced with the dilemma of supporting a form of free speech that will go against their very own gun control beliefs. I'm sure there will be many differing views

[NYC_SKP]

11. It's classic.

Support of universal freedom of choice.

Except when they don't support freedom of choice.

How convenient.

[rdharma]

14. You just keep trying to sell that!

"these individuals who are also pro-gun control will be faced with the dilemma of supporting a form of free speech that will go against their very own gun control beliefs. I'm sure there will be many differing views"

This 3-D printer gun crap is a big yawner.

But the RW is going to try to play it to the max....... Just like Benghazi, Obama's Birth Certificate, Fast and Furious and all the other nonsense they promote to scare the morons.

[bossy22]

15. Except 3D printing isn't going away

All those other issues you mentioned have been having decreased attention to each of them, not 3D printing. IF anything, 3D printing is getting more and more attention. Tell me, is there any of evidence of this decreased attention when it comes to 3D printing. Last I checked Staples is going to start carrying some brands, Best buy is openly talking about it as well. This doesn't seem to be an issue that is going away anytime soon

So I guess Schumer is a RW gun hugger huh?- I mean i saw him on CNN the other day talking about the 3D printed gun.

Just wait, one day in the near future someone is going to print a repeating weapon. Hell, they are very close to making a safe functioning AR-15 receiver. Last i looked they managed to get it to almost 1000 shots before breaking. Each time they refine it it gets better. They have fully functioning "hi-cap" printable magazines. Sure, the printer costs $8,000 today, but pretty soon it will cost $800 and then many will have the capability of printing all the magazines they want.

So keep putting your head into the sand and pretend this is meaningless.

I'd like to note one thing though, you have not actually provided a shred of evidence to support your position. You just keep repeating the same thing- almost to get a certain response. Sounds like trolling to me....

[rdharma]

16. They've already made an 3-D printed AR-15 lower.

But big deal! I mean Bushmaster has had their Carbon 15 (built on a carbon composite receiver) for more than ten years now. And they can probably turn them out a whole lot faster that any 3-D printer can.

Yawn!

[bossy22]

17. The difference is control

the dynamic changes when the means of manufacturing are disseminated across the country- where there isn't a single manufacturer.

You miss the point that as 3D printing becomes more mainstream, the ability to print weapons will be as well. You laugh of at the one shot plastic pistol but is just the beginning. Do you think it's just going to stop at this?

[rdharma]

18. Yawn!

[Eleanors38]

19. Some think guns are an anachronism in modern society...

Then gladly play the luddite.