Undetectable, 3D-Printed Guns Must Be Banned, PA Lawmakers Say

HARRISBURG, PA — Lawmakers in Pennsylvania are pushing to outlaw "undetectable," 3D-printed firearms, citing the dangers posed by weapons that can't be detected by security systems and can't be traced by law enforcement officers.

Concerns have been growing in recent months as the weapons, and the technology used to create them, becomes more widely available.

"These weapons are becoming a serious threat to public safety as well as the safety of law enforcement officers throughout the Commonwealth." State Rep. Morgan Cephas (D-Philadelphia) said in a statement. "Without necessary regulations of these firearms, individuals ineligible to possess firearms under state and federal law would easily be able to get their hands on these deadly weapons."

Cephas argues the weapons should be illegal under federal law, but that a state law is needed to protect Pennsylvania residents in the absence of federal action.

There was a strong Congressional push in 2018 to prohibit the publication of materials that instruct 3D printers on how to build firearms. The National Rifle Association decried what they called an infringement on second amendment rights, claiming that the materials were already widely available and that sharing them also was an expression of free speech. President Donald Trump ultimately agreed, squashing the bill.

Undetectable guns have been banned under federal law since 1988. To comply with the Undetectable Firearms Act, 3D-printed guns must include a metal nail, a firing pin, and a piece of steel designed to trigger metal detectors. But many 3D-printed weapons either do not have this piece or still do not trigger the detectors, officials say.

Because they're created at home, without regulatory oversight, there is nothing ensuring that creators are including this metal piece. And moreover, the weapons are effectively "ghost guns" that cannot be traced.

Law enforcement has sounded the alarm on 3D printing for years. Following the arrest of an individual who illegally built a weapon using the technology, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner bemoaned the lack of legislative action and lawmakers who were "in the thrall of the National Rifle Association."

"This frightening case is a clear-cut example of why we need our state legislature to modernize firearm safety laws that reflect the reality of 3D printing technology," Krasner said at the time.

Given that Pennsylvania remains a purple state with a Republican Senate, bipartisan traction on a gun control bill like Cephas' remains murky.