California’s AB 2047, a bill aimed at stopping the use of 3D printers to make firearms and illegal firearm parts, has passed the state Assembly and is now headed to the Senate. The legislation has already gone through amended versions, but critics in the additive manufacturing (AM) community say the changes have not solved the core problem. For David Tobin, who serves as Executive Producer of Joel Telling’s 3D Printing Nerd channel and Executive Director of the Community Manufacturing Initiative, the issue is not whether illegal weapons are a concern. It is whether California is trying to solve that problem by regulating the wrong thing.
“The things they’re trying to make illegal are already illegal. You can’t make them more ‘illegaler’,” Tobin said in an interview with 3DPrint.com. “The focus should be on enforcing existing laws rather than creating regulations that affect everyone who uses a 3D printer.”
AB 2047, known as the California Firearm Printing Prevention Act, would require 3D printers sold or transferred in California to include firearm-blocking technology. Manufacturers would have to certify that their printer models comply with the state’s requirements, and California would publish a list of approved machines. Beginning in 2029, non-compliant printers could no longer be sold or transferred in California.
David Tobin (center) and supporters of the campaign against California’s AB 2047 gather at the California State Capitol. Image courtesy of David Tobin via Instagram.
Supporters of the bill say it is needed to address the rise of 3D printed firearms and illegal gun parts. And of course, over the years, 3DPrint.com has tracked arrests and investigations involving 3D printed firearms, including annual reviews of law enforcement cases across the United States. Police agencies in California and other states have reported arrests and seizures involving 3D printed weapons and components. Those incidents have become a growing focus for lawmakers seeking new ways to address illegal firearm production.
At the same time, many experts note that 3D printed firearms still represent a relatively small portion of the broader illegal firearms market, which continues to involve a wide range of traditionally manufactured weapons and illegally modified guns. Tobin said some of the numbers being cited lack important context. While he agrees illegal firearms are a real issue, he noted that “3D printed firearms” can refer to anything from a complete weapon to a single printed component.
“Words matter. When they say ‘3D printed firearms,’ they’re often referring to parts that could be used in a firearm, and those parts could be any shape,” explained Tobin. “The problem is AB 2047 focuses on the 3D printing machines themselves rather than the people committing crimes. This is not a gun issue. People need to look at the bill on its own merits and ask whether it is based
California’s AB 2047, a bill aimed at stopping the use of 3D printers to make firearms and illegal firearm parts, has passed the state Assembly and is now headed to the Senate. The legislation has already gone through amended versions, but critics in the additive manufacturing (AM) community say the changes have not solved the core problem. For David Tobin, who serves as Executive Producer of Joel Telling’s 3D Printing Nerd channel and Executive Director of the Community Manufacturing Initiative, the issue is not whether illegal weapons are a concern. It is whether California is trying to solve that problem by regulating the wrong thing.
“The things they’re trying to make illegal are already illegal. You can’t make them more ‘illegaler’,” Tobin said in an interview with 3DPrint.com. “The focus should be on enforcing existing laws rather than creating regulations that affect everyone who uses a 3D printer.”
AB 2047, known as the California Firearm Printing Prevention Act, would require 3D printers sold or transferred in California to include firearm-blocking technology. Manufacturers would have to certify that their printer models comply with the state’s requirements, and California would publish a list of approved machines. Beginning in 2029, non-compliant printers could no longer be sold or transferred in California.
David Tobin (center) and supporters of the campaign against California’s AB 2047 gather at the California State Capitol. Image courtesy of David Tobin via Instagram.
Supporters of the bill say it is needed to address the rise of 3D printed firearms and illegal gun parts. And of course, over the years, 3DPrint.com has tracked arrests and investigations involving 3D printed firearms, including annual reviews of law enforcement cases across the United States. Police agencies in California and other states have reported arrests and seizures involving 3D printed weapons and components. Those incidents have become a growing focus for lawmakers seeking new ways to address illegal firearm production.
At the same time, many experts note that 3D printed firearms still represent a relatively small portion of the broader illegal firearms market, which continues to involve a wide range of traditionally manufactured weapons and illegally modified guns. Tobin said some of the numbers being cited lack important context. While he agrees illegal firearms are a real issue, he noted that “3D printed firearms” can refer to anything from a complete weapon to a single printed component.
“Words matter. When they say ‘3D printed firearms,’ they’re often referring to parts that could be used in a firearm, and those parts could be any shape,” explained Tobin. “The problem is AB 2047 focuses on the 3D printing machines themselves rather than the people committing crimes. This is not a gun issue. People need to look at the bill on its own merits and ask whether it is based