The Undetectable Firearms Act was passed in 1988 and updated in 1998 and again in 2003. The Act demands that all plastic firearms have enough metal components to trigger a metal detector.
The Act expires at midnight on December 9th 2013.
Lawmakers are seeking to make plastic 3D printed weapons a listed national security threat, which opens the door for legislation and control of such weapons.
On Wednesday at a press conference organized by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, agents condemned plastic guns. Earl Griffin, Chief of firearms technology at the ATF said:
“The bottom line is, the penetration results demonstrated that the Liberator is a lethal weapon.”
“The .380 bullets fired from the Liberator penetrate sufficiently to reach vital organs and perforate the skull.” (source)
Republican Congressman Steve Israel is presenting a bill making it law that all 3D printed plastic guns have to have a steel component within them. The bill is supported by both Republicans and Democrats. Democrat Senator Chuck Schumer said:
“The expiration of this law, combined with advances in 3D-printing, make what was once a hypothetical threat into a terrifying realit.,”
“We are actively exploring all options to pass legislation that will eliminate the problem,” he promised. (source)
Police in California recently shot and killed a 13 year old boy carrying an AK-47 replica and police feel that 3D plastic guns, even those incapable of firing a bullet, will increase the number of such incidents.
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