DoD Descends On DEFCAD

First time accepted submitter He Who Has No Name writes "While the ATF appears to have no open objection to 3D printed firearms at this time, the Department of Defense apparently does. A short while ago, '#DEFCAD has gone dark at the request of the Department of Defense Trade Controls. Take it up with the Secretary of State' appeared on the group's site, and download links for files hosted there began to give users popups warning of the DoD takeover." Well, that didn't take long. Note: As of this writing, the site is returning an error, rather than the message above, but founder Cody Wilson has posted a similar message to twitter. At least the Commander in Chief is in town to deliver the message personally. Update: 05/09 21:17 GMT by T : Tweet aside, that should be Department of State, rather than Department of Defense, as many readers have pointed out. (Thanks!)

Comments

Well there ya go

[fustakrakich]

Glad to see that the first amendment is so inviolable...

Re:Well there ya go

[Anonymous Coward]

First amendment only applies to our corporate overlords.

Re:Well there ya go

[Anonymous Coward]

In the debates over abortion, one of the points supporters made was that denial of access to the means of exercising a right was indistinguishable from denying the right itself.

Re:Well there ya go

[h4rr4r]

This is a zip gun not some wonder weapon. How the hell is this a defense article?

Re:Well there ya go

[shentino]

Sadly, it's a defense article because the DoD fucking said so.

Re:Well there ya go

[sycodon]

To paraphrase the fictional Dr. Ian Malcolm:

"Tyranny finds a way".

Re:Well there ya go

[Jane Q. Public]

"In the debates over abortion, one of the points supporters made was that denial of access to the means of exercising a right was indistinguishable from denying the right itself."

So true. Now tell that to the people who want to register and restrict guns, and / or restrict ammo. Especially the latter. They have said in so many words: you have the right to bear arms, but not to shoot them. Which -- as you point out -- is just as injurious to your right as taking the guns away.

The horse has left the barn...

[bfmorgan]

These files have been available for a day and have propagated to many other sites. So much for control.

Re:The horse has left the barn...

[h4rr4r]

Yup, the internet as usual will treat censorship as damage and route around it.

Not that I would ever use those plans, I prefer my guns to be a heck of a lot more safe to operate.

Re:The horse has left the barn...

[h4rr4r]

I could, or I could just buy parts or a lathe like a normal person.

Truly Absurd

[ebno-10db]

There are plenty of parts of the world where they don't have electricity or indoor plumbing, but you can get a local gunsmith to bang out a good copy of an AK-47 (the skills of these guys w/ simple hand tools amazes me, even if I'm not always thrilled w/ their customers). But design files for a plastic zip gun threaten national security?

Re:Oh, don't worry!

[some old guy]

The problem isn't government. The problem is the passive, benighted electorate that tolerates it. We, as a population, get the government we deserve.

Re:hidden weapons

[h4rr4r]

Then you have made an NFA weapon. You will need a tax stamp and lots of paperwork. It will take about 6-8 months for you to get that approval.

Not getting such paperwork will mean you lose the right to own weapons and get to spend many years in a correctional facility.

Re:Sound of dogs baying, getting closer

[ebno-10db]

It's treason to plot the violent overthow of your own government.

Trash talk is hardly a plot. Absent specific and concrete plans to do what you say, there can't be any charges for what he says. Otherwise we'll have abandoned Freedom of Speech, at which point the overthrow would be a good idea.

Its really not about the files

[Anonymous Coward]

Its about preventing the next guy from ever appearing out of fear.

Re:Shock news: first Amendment has limits too

[Charliemopps]

The limits we set on the constitution are chains we put on ourselves. No matter how dangerous you think guns are... or the ability to make them easily... or even terrorists... None of them even approach the dangers of a government unconstrained by a constitution. Hundreds, maybe thousands may die as a result of unconstrained gun rights, I'll not argue that with you. But compare that to the Governments of Germany, Russia, Vietnam, and many others who've murder hundreds of millions of people, tortured even more. Committed genocide, destabilized all of humanity for decades... all because due to lack restraints on government and legal chains put on free people.

An armed citizen may kill a few dozen, but government could kill the world.

Re:Direct download link??

[crutchy]

apparently the state department hasn't heard of the Streisand effect either

Re:That's not at all the point

[CAIMLAS]

What does this have to do with 'arms treaty exports'? As CAD files, absolutely nothing.

This is CAD files, blueprints. Don't let them fool you: it very much is about controlling firearm dissemination.