4 ms·

Except firearm construction is totally legal.

by damoncali 12y ago

wmeredith 12y ago
As is refusing to ship something.
- damoncali 12y ago
  True, but lets not pretend this is a legal question. Given that UPS will ship 8 pound jugs of gunpowder to unlicensed individuals every day of the week and twice on Sunday, I have a hard time believing they have some sort of philosophical objection to guns. (I have personally shipped a gun legally via UPS). So I'm going to conclude the real issue is fear. Fear of governmental overreach and all the hassles it can bring.
  - fnordfnordfnord 12y ago
    Also Tannerite.
- fnordfnordfnord 12y ago
  Fair enough. It's their prerogative. Now if they can only find the courage to be honest about that.
chc 12y ago
Technically, yes. In practice, quite possibly no. AFAIK you can build a gun for yourself legally, but you can't build a gun for sale without a license. A machine like this seems like it would be used to make a lot of guns, which implies trade, which raises the specter of illegal activity.
- refurb 12y ago
  A DVD drive like this seems like it would be used to make a lot of DVD copies, which implies trade, which raises the specter of illegal activity.
  - chc 12y ago
    > A DVD drive like this seems like it would be used to make a lot of DVD copies, which implies trade, which raises the specter of illegal activity. No it doesn't. Most people who have computers with DVD drives do not sell DVDs. On the other hand, most people who have gun manufacturing machines do trade in guns. Just as relevant, you don't need a license for DVDs, but you do need a license for guns.
    - mdturnerphys 12y ago
      A lathe and drill press are all you need to make a gun, but I don't think that most people that own them do trade in guns.
      - chc 12y ago
        This was the comment that started the thread you're posting in. You might want to go back and reread the conversation that preceded your comment.
  - hga 12y ago
    That may turn out to be interesting. The business model of this machine (well, aside from the advocacy/self-promotion angle others describe) is that one person buys this, then allows others to use it to finish their "80% receivers". (And then they do a hell of a lot more work to turn it into a safe, functioning gun, but that's assembly, not machining, a lot more people are good (enough) at the former than the latter.)
    - mirimir 12y ago
      Why couldn't someone buy the thing, and then rent it to other hobbyists? Or perhaps a serial resale network could develop. Eventually, I presume that Defense Distributed would release designs for the mill itself.
      - damoncali 12y ago
        It's overkill. Completing a lower is doable with normal shop tools. DD is making a point, not a product.
- fnordfnordfnord 12y ago
  I think it makes more sense to rent or re-sell the machine rather than take the risk of selling bootleg AR-15 lower receivers.

Except firearm construction is totally legal.

wmeredith 12y ago

As is refusing to ship something.

damoncali 12y ago
True, but lets not pretend this is a legal question. Given that UPS will ship 8 pound jugs of gunpowder to unlicensed individuals every day of the week and twice on Sunday, I have a hard time believing they have some sort of philosophical objection to guns. (I have personally shipped a gun legally via UPS). So I'm going to conclude the real issue is fear. Fear of governmental overreach and all the hassles it can bring.
- fnordfnordfnord 12y ago
  Also Tannerite.
fnordfnordfnord 12y ago
Fair enough. It's their prerogative. Now if they can only find the courage to be honest about that.

chc 12y ago

Technically, yes. In practice, quite possibly no. AFAIK you can build a gun for yourself legally, but you can't build a gun for sale without a license. A machine like this seems like it would be used to make a lot of guns, which implies trade, which raises the specter of illegal activity.

refurb 12y ago
A DVD drive like this seems like it would be used to make a lot of DVD copies, which implies trade, which raises the specter of illegal activity.
- chc 12y ago
  > A DVD drive like this seems like it would be used to make a lot of DVD copies, which implies trade, which raises the specter of illegal activity. No it doesn't. Most people who have computers with DVD drives do not sell DVDs. On the other hand, most people who have gun manufacturing machines do trade in guns. Just as relevant, you don't need a license for DVDs, but you do need a license for guns.
  - mdturnerphys 12y ago
    A lathe and drill press are all you need to make a gun, but I don't think that most people that own them do trade in guns.
    - chc 12y ago
      This was the comment that started the thread you're posting in. You might want to go back and reread the conversation that preceded your comment.
- hga 12y ago
  That may turn out to be interesting. The business model of this machine (well, aside from the advocacy/self-promotion angle others describe) is that one person buys this, then allows others to use it to finish their "80% receivers". (And then they do a hell of a lot more work to turn it into a safe, functioning gun, but that's assembly, not machining, a lot more people are good (enough) at the former than the latter.)
  - mirimir 12y ago
    Why couldn't someone buy the thing, and then rent it to other hobbyists? Or perhaps a serial resale network could develop. Eventually, I presume that Defense Distributed would release designs for the mill itself.
    - damoncali 12y ago
      It's overkill. Completing a lower is doable with normal shop tools. DD is making a point, not a product.
fnordfnordfnord 12y ago
I think it makes more sense to rent or re-sell the machine rather than take the risk of selling bootleg AR-15 lower receivers.