4 ms·

Probably just in terms of serial number / manufacturer stamp / etc which are what live on the lower.

• chrisseaton 8y ago
  Well if you're planning to trace weapons by their serial number then you're already going to be defeated by a simple screwdriver, let alone 3D printing.
  • function_seven 8y ago
    You'd be surprised how well a serial number can be recovered even after it's been filed away. The stamping process that imprints each digit affects the metal underneath as well. Even when the physical characters have been filed away, the serial is readable using some advanced techniques[1] [1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/scientists-develop-a-technique-to-find-serial-numbers-that-have-been-filed-off/2015/05/11/45e76fce-d489-11e4-8fce-3941fc548f1c_story.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/scien...
  • dreamcompiler 8y ago
    Bureaucracy is a bigger issue. All guns registered in the US are required by law to have their serial numbers recorded only on paper, not on computers. This means that even if you know the serial number of a gun used in a crime, it can take weeks or months to trace it to a purchaser. The reverse search (find all serial numbers associated with a particular person) is basically impossible. Source: https://www.gq.com/story/inside-federal-bureau-of-way-too-many-guns https://www.gq.com/story/inside-federal-bureau-of-way-too-ma...