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DOJ Reaches Settlement On Publication of Files About 3D Printed Firearms (joshblackman.com)

He Who Has No Name writes: Those who remember Cody Wilson and Defense Distributed -- the self-described cryptoanarchist and his organization that published plans for 3D printable firearm parts, respectively -- also remember that not long after the plans for the printable Liberator single-shot pistol hit the web, the Department of State seized the Defense Distributed website and prohibited Wilson from publishing 3D printable firearm plans, claiming violations of ITAR -- the International Traffic in Arms Regulation, a U.S. law taxing and restricting the distribution of a wide variety of physical goods listed as having military value. Slashdot covered the website seizure here (the Department of Defense was initially misreported in sources to have been the agency responsible).

In both a First and Second Amendment win, the Second Amendment Foundation has settled with the Department of State after suing on behalf of Defense Distributed. Slashdot reader schwit1 shares an excerpt from the report: "Under terms of the settlement, the government has agreed to waive its prior restraint against the plaintiffs, allowing them to freely publish the 3-D files and other information at issue. The government has also agreed to pay a significant portion of the plaintiffs' attorney's fees, and to return $10,000 in State Department registration dues paid by Defense Distributed as a result of the prior restraint. Significantly, the government expressly acknowledges that non-automatic firearms up to .50-caliber -- including modern semi-auto sporting rifles such as the popular AR-15 and similar firearms -- are not inherently military."

50 of 374 comments (clear)

  1. Woot! by Alypius · · Score: 3, Funny

    Finally, a good reason to get that 3D printer!

    1. Re:Woot! by markdavis · · Score: 5, Insightful

      >"Finally, a good reason to get that 3D printer!"

      If you don't mind it exploding in your hand when you target practice. I can think of a million better/more useful things to make with a 3D printer than an unreliable, dangerous, inaccurate, single-shot, plastic "gun".

      Also, just because you can make it yourself doesn't mean it is legal to do so, or possess it, or carry it, or use it. Just like buying a car doesn't mean you can legally drive it, or making your own meth means you can use it.

      At stake was the fact that the INFORMATION ITSELF is not illegal to document/share/know. In that regard, it was a correct decision. It was a win for the 1st Amendment because it is just information. The win for the 2nd Amendment wasn't making plastic guns, it was the statement that the government also correctly acknowledged that "non-automatic firearms up to .50-caliber -- including modern semi-auto sporting rifles such as the popular AR-15 and similar firearms -- are not inherently military."

    2. Re:Woot! by Alypius · · Score: 2

      Like I said in another post, I wouldn't trust the current materials with combustion temps and pressures. Making an extended magazine release, though, is entirely within the realm of possibility. As for the legality, people have been making AR-15s from 80% receivers for years. It's entirely legal per the BATF, though I haven't had a chance/need to catch up on the latest police state law in CA.

    3. Re: Woot! by TimMD909 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Just 3d print a new hand. Problem solved.

    4. Re:Woot! by Alypius · · Score: 4, Informative

      I use mine for 3-gun competitions but I also do Civilian Marksmanship Program competitions...trying to get on a Navy shooting team to go to the national competition in Camp Perry, Ohio.

    5. Re:Woot! by magarity · · Score: 5, Funny

      Out of interest what sport is an AR-15 suited to?

      Shooting.

    6. Re:Woot! by markdavis · · Score: 2

      >"Out of interest what sport is an AR-15 suited to?"

      Generally the same thing as all other semi-automatic rifles, like hunting and target shooting. There are plenty of more "dangerous" older and newer semi-automatic rifles. The AR-15 just "looks" more military-ish. It's main advantages are flexibility, affordability, reliability of the design, and interchangeability of parts and accessories.

    7. Re:Woot! by jittles · · Score: 2

      Out of interest what sport is an AR-15 suited to?

      I'll bet that if my uncle were still running the farm he grew up on he'd use an AR-15 to shoot all the jack rabbits that would get into his crops. He typically used a .22 long rifle cartridge and a 5.56mm or .223 would be more expensive, but it would also be easier to use as the larger powder charge would cycle a semi-automatic more reliably than a .22LR

  2. Re:Lockdown by BitterOak · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This is great news for the school-shooting industry. I expect that the NRA and Second Amendment activists are thrilled at having these new tools to murder children.

    Yeah, because the existing AR-15 and similar weapons which are readily available all across the country are no match for these plastic super weapons, which on a good day, may be able to fire one bullet without exploding and killing the shooter!

    --
    If I can be modded down for being a troll, can I be modded up for being an orc, or a balrog?
  3. Re:Lockdown by Train0987 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Wild hyperbole like that is why fewer and fewer people take the Left seriously about anything any more.

  4. Not exactly a win by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The Government re-categorized common small arms to no longer fall under ITAR, but instead be regulated by standard Dept. of Commerce international trade regulations.
    Since ITAR no longer applies to Defense Distributed, the case is over.

    But it's just an administrative policy change. The next administration could swap it back at any time. It needs Congress to pass a law protecting blueprints and plans, or for the Supreme Court to decide a case in favor of the First Amendment to prevent future victims.

    1. Re:Not exactly a win by blindseer · · Score: 2

      But it's just an administrative policy change. The next administration could swap it back at any time.

      That's true but in the mean time there will be many months or years of people posting these plans on the internet, other people downloading them, and the machines capable of producing firearms getting cheaper and more numerous.

      Any administration that follows that wants to change this rule will have to find a way to put this toothpaste back in the tube. The DOJ obviously stepped out of line in preventing these plans from being distributed. Perhaps they took the steps they did out of an abundance of caution and to have time to decide on where to best draw the line on what the rules need to be. They've made their decision, and going back on it will be very difficult. I assume that they are aware that going back will be difficult.

      It needs Congress to pass a law protecting blueprints and plans, or for the Supreme Court to decide a case in favor of the First Amendment to prevent future victims.

      I wonder if the shifting of the membership of SCOTUS had anything to do with their rule change.

      --
      I am armed because I am free. I am free because I am armed.
  5. Has meaning for Open Source Space research by Bruce+Perens · · Score: 3, Interesting

    There is an expanding Open Source Space community. You can meet them at the upcoming Open Source Cubesat Workshop. This is actually an interesting precedent for us, because satellites and various space technologies are also "munitions" under ITAR or EAR, both laws have a carve-out for Open Source, and here it has been tested.

    Second-amendment issues are out-of-scope for most space research organizations, so nothing said about that.

  6. Re:Lockdown by saloomy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    What a fucking douche. There are millions of people who own firearms and don't shoot children. There are drivers who intentionally run over children. Are you going to forbid kit car plans because someone might use them for killing children? There are legitimate uses of a weapon. Self defense, hunting (legalized and regulated), sport (skeet shooting), and of course on the firing range.

    You and your fucking comment are as sick as the deranged asswipes who shoot at innocent people, children included. Fucking retard.

  7. Re:HALF RIGHT! by markdavis · · Score: 3, Informative

    >"Of course guns are military. What a stupid thing to say. Thanks, Trump!"

    ? The article said:

    "The government expressly acknowledges that non-automatic firearms up to .50-caliber -- including modern semi-auto sporting rifles such as the popular AR-15 and similar firearms -- are not inherently military."

    And that is 100% true. It didn't say "guns are military" or "guns are not military", they said that non-automatic firearms UP TO .50 caliber are not INHERENTLY military (IE, exclusively for military use).

  8. Re:HALF RIGHT! by Alypius · · Score: 2

    That was a really interesting concession, because otherwise the government would've run afoul of U.S. v. Miller, which found that gun control was not a violation of rights if the weapon in question was not militarily useful.

  9. Re:Lockdown by Alypius · · Score: 5, Interesting

    For the upper receiver, sure. The lower receiver houses the trigger group, mag release, and a few other things that don't operate under the firing pressure. Would I trust current filament with this? Maybe, maybe not. I still like that the plans are out, though.

  10. Re:Lockdown by Noishkel · · Score: 5, Informative

    I'm guessing no one told the OP of this tread that you can download free PDFs of all metal machine pistols off of the web off of random public and open websites. Such as http://thehomegunsmith.com/

  11. I can see it now. by BrookHarty · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can see it now, pissed off guy wants to go on a shooting spree.

    Order 3d printer on amazon after hours of research, forgot to order filament, order filament, open cad, sketch rifle, does a horrible job, searches internet for a pattern, downloads pattern, load pattern into 3d printer, hit print, hours later, realizes he has wrong filament, re-order filament, printer pauses ruining print, try printing again, platter not cold enough and ruins print, platter to hot and melts print, after 2 dozen tries, gets a good print. Realizes he needs bullets, drives to sporting store buys bullets. Takes gun into woods, gun shoots 1 bullet at a time due to stress, gun jams, gun breaks after 4 bullets.

    Queue up another print job to print replacement gun, repeat, while waiting for his 3rd print, subscribes to 3d printer forums.

    Over a month late, finally gets a good prototype gun printed, forgets why he was mad, and starts printing 3d printed boats.

    1. Re:I can see it now. by Shotgun · · Score: 2

      Alternatively:

      Buy some bullets. find a piece of steel pipe in which the bullet fits smoothly. Drill a hole in a bloc of wood to hold the pipe. Drive a nail in another block of wood. Attach a rubber band to each side of the first block of wood, after first passing it through a hole in the second block. Put bullet in end of pipe. Pull second block back, so that the rubber band slams the nail head against the bullet.

      Yes, that is actually a gun. Yes, that will actually work. Yes, you do stand a good chance of blowing you fool hand off doing it.

      --
      Aah, change is good. -- Rafiki
      Yeah, but it ain't easy. -- Simba
  12. Re:HALF RIGHT! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    That was a curious ruling in itself, given that at the founding of the United States, the expectation was that most warships would be in private hands rather than government. That's why the Constitution includes a provision for issuing Letters of Marque and Reprisal to charter private citizens to conduct warfare on its behalf.

  13. What Happens When 3D Printers Get Better??? by dryriver · · Score: 2

    Imagine that 10 years from now there are 3D printers that print really strong metal parts which can be assembled into a machine gun or similar. Then what? Just because today's printers can only build crappy one-shot plastic guns doesn't mean that tomorrow's printers won't be able to print far more dangerous DIY weapons.

    --
    Why did the chicken cross the road? Because Elon Musk put an AI chip in its head.
    1. Re:What Happens When 3D Printers Get Better??? by shaitand · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Ummm.... you know there have been plans on the internet since the 90's for guns you could make yourself with regular old metalworking tools from the hardware store right? And there have been books you could send to the military for by mail which explain how to make improvised munitions as well.

      For that matter, you can make an incredibly devastating dust bomb with a bag of flour from the grocery store and a fan with a sparking motor. It has never been particularly difficult to wipe out half a school if you really wanted to. What is new is the number of crazy people willing to do such a thing and that is most likely because people are heavily sensitized and emotionally weak due to lack of dealing with things like every guy bullying every other guy in high school and such. A slightly rougher society and "words will never hurt me" attitude actually results in a thicker skin and words genuinely not bothering you so much.

  14. Re:Lockdown by shaitand · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Not to mention serving as a deterrent for invasion. The AR-15 may not be the best of sniper rifles, especially the lower cal variants but occupation would certainly be uncomfortable with a dozen snipers along every street. This isn't like Iraq or Afghanistan where they could be anywhere, in the US they ARE everywhere.

  15. Re:He's just a troll by DaHat · · Score: 5, Informative

    The left also want Assault Rifle bans (yes, assault rifles are a real thing.

    Except they aren't talking about 'Assault Rifles', or as they are more commonly called... 'machine guns'... which are already heavily regulated.

    'Assault Weapons' are the made up term they use today, which encompasses primarily cosmetic features... unless you want to get to the point of cracking down on all semi-automatic handguns... which at last check SCOTUS has ruled a constitutional right to be able to own.

    It's got to do with the speed of the bullet and how it tears through flesh leaving a wide hole).

    Except the rifles which the left seeks to ban mostly shoot 223... which on average is about half the weight as say... my 270 deer rifle. Both fire a round at about the same speed, however my 270 has about 2x as much muzzle energy.

    Take this comparison of a 223 vs 30-06 against a pair of watermelons: the not at all scary looking 'hunting rifle' has far better wide hole leaving abilities: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

  16. Re:Lockdown by EvilSS · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Well don't tell the urbanites, but hunting rifles are basically sniper rifles. But keep it under your hat or we'll have California dems trying to ban high end optics.

    --
    I browse on +1 so AC's need not respond, I won't see it.
  17. Or just buy a 3D Printed gun by rsilvergun · · Score: 2

    from the guy down the street selling them for $100 bucks a pop. Use it for a one time kill/assassination.

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
  18. Supreme court by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 2

    If you don't mind it exploding in your hand when you target practice. I can think of a million better/more useful things to make with a 3D printer than an unreliable, dangerous, inaccurate, single-shot, plastic "gun".

    Also, just because you can make it yourself doesn't mean it is legal to do so, or possess it, or carry it, or use it.

    One pleasant surprise from the last election is that gun rights are now safe for decades to come - by some estimates, 25 to 40 years.

    Also, it was pointed out that gun rights lobbies have not pressed gun ownership issues to the supreme court in recent decades because it would have resulted in a tossup decision (making precedent that would be very hard to overturn). Now that we have seated actual constitutionalists, the expectation is that after Ruth Bader Ginsburg(*) retires and Trump appoints the next justice, we will see some push back on gun control that gets settled by the supremes, making precedent that will be hard to overturn in the future.

    And lest there be wailing and gnashing-of-teeth from the Left and/or Democrats about this, note that supreme court picks were floated as the most important issue in the last election, said issue going largely unheard amid the torrent of character assassination.

    And also, in the first months of 2016, the Democratic Party moved $60 million from down-ballot races to the Clinton campaign to combat Bernie Sanders in the primary, Bernie having raised $40 million to Clinton's $20 million(**). That action did three things:

    1) It gave the election to Republicans, because Bernie would have won against Trump
    2) It alienated the Bernie supporters, many of whom stayed home or voted against the party candidate
    3) It impoverished all the down-ballot races, which allowed Republicans to take those races/seats as well

    So we're back to "you are responsible for your own distress", and "if you don't like it, field and vote for effective leaders that a majority of Americans can get behind", and "otherwise shut the fuck up because we're tired of all your shit!".

    It's not like you didn't have a fair and equal chance of getting your way the first time.

    (*) Who I personally admire, and respect her views on human rights
    (**) How this is not a violation of FEC rules I don't know. At the time everyone was saying "It's a private organization, they can do whatever they want".

  19. Re:Lockdown by Alypius · · Score: 3, Informative

    Reaching back a bit, but Korean shopowners used them very effectively to defend their shops/homes during the Rodney King riots.

  20. Re:Lockdown by HornWumpus · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Old joke but true.

    They won't ban your grandpa's hunting rifle, they will label it a sniper rifle first.

    --
    John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
  21. Re:He's just a troll by HornWumpus · · Score: 2

    Don't you oppress him with your accurate definitions.

    --
    John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
  22. Re:He's just a troll by blindseer · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It's videos like that which demonstrate the lie that is the "assault weapon". The gun grabbers say they want to take those "evil weapons of war" from the public but leave us with our hunting rifles. That's a lie and if they know anything about rifles or hunting then they know it's a lie. So either they are ignorant or they assume the people are ignorant.

    Oh, and an "assault rifle" is a real thing. An assault rifle is a weapon capable of switching between single shot with each trigger pull (semi-automatic) and multiple shots per trigger pull (burst or fully-automatic). To the DOJ anything that is capable of firing more than one cartridge with a pull of a trigger is a "machine gun". A shotgun fires multiple projectiles with each pull of the trigger but that does not make it a machine gun so long as all the projectiles are in a single cartridge. There are air guns that can fire multiple projectiles but since the projectiles are not contained in a cartridge that is also not a machine gun. State laws vary on this such as my own where any "dangerous weapon" is categorized along with firearms, so even pepper spray or a taser needs a permit to carry concealed.

    The definition of an assault weapon varies by state. There was a big deal made about some insane person murdering schoolchildren with an "assault weapon" which was a lie. Assault weapons, by their definition, are banned and so no one has committed a mass murder in a school with an assault weapon as defined in that state. Now that we've seen a handful of murders done with handguns and pump action shotguns it seems, to me at least, the concept of the "assault weapon" is fading. Banning shotguns will not go over well, and finally people are discussing things that will actually stop murders such as armed guards at schools.

    --
    I am armed because I am free. I am free because I am armed.
  23. Re:Lockdown by Highdude702 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    most of the murders are committed in areas which have harsh gun laws. like Chicago for example. Oh and don't forget LA.

  24. Re:Lockdown by Woldscum · · Score: 2

    Also VERY IMPORTANT point. If you are legally able to buy/own a firearm (AK, AR, BB gun, Shotgun, Pistol, etc). You are 100% legally able to build yourself one or 100 of them.

    https://www.atf.gov/firearms/q...

    Does an individual need a license to make a firearm for personal use?
    No, a license is not required to make a firearm solely for personal use. However, a license is required to manufacture firearms for sale or distribution. The law prohibits a person from assembling a non–sporting semiautomatic rifle or shotgun from 10 or more imported parts, as well as firearms that cannot be detected by metal detectors or x–ray machines. In addition, the making of an NFA firearm requires a tax payment and advance approval by ATF.

    [18 U.S.C. 922(o), (p) and (r); 26 U.S.C. 5822; 27 CFR 478.39, 479.62 and 479.105]

  25. Re:Lockdown by Woldscum · · Score: 2

    The Obama era ATF tried to add ITAR/Non-Sporting BS to home built guns as a back door prohibition/ban.

    ATF FAQs
      Does an individual need a license to make a firearm for personal use?
    No, a license is not required to make a firearm solely for personal use. However, a license is required to manufacture firearms for sale or distribution. The law prohibits a person from assembling a non–sporting semiautomatic rifle or shotgun from 10 or more imported parts, as well as firearms that cannot be detected by metal detectors or x–ray machines. In addition, the making of an NFA firearm requires a tax payment and advance approval by ATF.

    [18 U.S.C. 922(o), (p) and (r); 26 U.S.C. 5822; 27 CFR 478.39, 479.62 and 479.105]

  26. Re:Lockdown by blindseer · · Score: 2

    These plastic guns though... how many children can you murder before it breaks?

    Then bring more than one.

    These plastic guns are small, light, and cost very little. It shouldn't be that difficult to carry multiple plastic guns.

    That's the important bit. I mean, if you're a psychopath that has to surround yourself with guns to feel safe, who knows what could set you off, so you really need that information while you're relatively rational.

    Rational adults need to realize very soon that gun control laws of any kind will not keep children safe. What keeps children safe are armed rational adults.

    Irrational law: Felons are barred from owning a firearm.
    Rational law: Those that cannot be trusted to possess a firearm need to be confined to prison or a mental health facility.

    Irrational law: Parents are barred from being armed while picking up their children from school.
    Rational law: Weapons are to be on the parents in a proper holster, not left in a vehicle or at home.

    I'll see armed men driving armored trucks to bring cash to an ATM. We'll also have our children in buses driven by unarmed drivers and maybe with an unarmed "security officer" on the bus. We're fine with guarding money with lethal force but not our children? That's a fucked up world we live in.

    --
    I am armed because I am free. I am free because I am armed.
  27. Deterrent for Invasion that will never happen by skam240 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Oh good, if America is so well protected we should be able to redirect the billions in defense spending to more productive use.

    --
    I ignore Anonymous Coward posts. If you want to discuss something, that's awesome. Log in.
  28. Re:Lockdown by skam240 · · Score: 2

    "Wild hyperbole like that is why fewer and fewer people take the Left seriously about anything any more."

    Keep thinking that please. Trump has just named a supreme court justice who is likely to help role back abortion and gay marriage which are two issues a current and growing majority of Americans support. American conservatives are currently on the winning end of losing fights just like they once were with slavery and civil rights.

    --
    I ignore Anonymous Coward posts. If you want to discuss something, that's awesome. Log in.
  29. Re:He's just a troll by CrimsonAvenger · · Score: 2

    The left also want Assault Rifle bans (yes, assault rifles are a real thing. It's got to do with the speed of the bullet and how it tears through flesh leaving a wide hole).

    Hmm, so my .30-06 single shot is an "assault rifle"? Because it can put a bullet downrange with the same sort of muzzle speed as an AR-15, and it will make a MUCH bigger hole than an AR-15 does.

    Or my Lee Enfield. Yeah, it can be handloaded to the same sort of muzzle speeds as an AR-15. 100 year-old rifle, but an Assault Rifle! Way cool!

    Note, by the by, that an AK-47 (or the semi-auto civilian version) does NOT have a terribly high muzzle speed. More like a .30-30 than a .30-06.

    Note also that your definition of an Assault Rifle is based on absolutely no knowledge of the subject. Assault rifles were developed and used by the military because they allow soldiers to carry more ammo. Smaller ammo means easier to carry lots and lots of bullets. And a wounded soldier is generally just as out of it as a dead one....

    --

    "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
  30. Re: He's just a troll by sjames · · Score: 2

    Lets put it this way, if you went nuts, which would you choose if you wanted to put a lot of holes in a crowd of people at fairly close range?

    The bolt action is absolutely the correct choice for a single target at 100 yards.

  31. Baby's first invasion by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The "invaders" will be those brainwashed by Russian PR. They are already here and coincidentally, they are gun owners. Putin knows there will never be a Red Dawn, to many guns. So in true KGB style he is using our own strength against us by turning it to his desires. #MAGA

  32. Re:Lockdown by Alypius · · Score: 2
    Bwahaha! Now i know you've been trolling this whole time, well done! Because no one would read that "demons" told him to shoot and conclude that, becaus he was wearing an evil assault MAGA hat, he was a Trump supporter or even a Republican. In fact, his political leanings were nowhere to be found there!

    To be fair, he was featured in a San Diego Padres shirt, so we should look into banning baseball bats. Anyway, again, well done!

  33. Re:He's just a troll by AJWM · · Score: 3, Informative

    Actually a wounded soldier is more out of it than a dead one, because he'll tie up his buddies who are helping him, and tie up medical resources, etc, and the associated logistics.

    In actual combat, most rounds are expended just keeping the other guys' heads down.

    --
    -- Alastair
  34. Don't count on it by aepervius · · Score: 2

    If somebody was going to invade the US, the people having an AR15 are going to do jack shit against it. If only because of the number of tank, jet fighter/bomber, drone and other military material, then a similarly composed army would need to take over the US. You think you could with the AR15 fight agaisnt that ? nope. Best you could do is the partisan fighting, IED, and ambush or lightly armored/lightly protected target. And hope the other guy don't have high caliber or precise weapon. And hope there is no swift retribution with a drone run on the local house from which the attack started , because by that point any civilian attacking an enemy with weapon would immediately qualify as armed force, and their house armed force headquarter with potentially "collateral damage" like the US army name them. Your fantasy of resisting a modern army with AR15 is just that. Look how well the latest conflict the locals resisted with their IED and AK47.

    --
    C. Sagan : A demon haunted world:
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345409469/
    visit randi.org
    1. Re:Don't count on it by blindseer · · Score: 2

      I don't get his argument, since an AR-15 is useless against an invading force then you may as well not have one. Okay then, let's say I agree that an AR-15 is useless. Would not the proper response be to allow the average citizen to own anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons?

      Saying the guns allowed by law are now useless to stop an invasion or a tyrannical government means that the laws have gone outside the bounds of the Second Amendment. The Second Amendment meant that the people could not be disarmed by their government to the point that the government could prevent the people from raising their own militia. If the threat now takes the form of drones dropping bombs on houses then that means everyone should have access to weapons to fight effectively against such an attack.

      "But the invaders will come with supersonic jets and fire missiles at you!" If that's the case then people should be allowed to purchase their own supersonic jets and the anti-aircraft missiles and cannon ammunition to arm them. We should be able to meet them with like force.

      If the government has disarmed us to the point that we cannot defend ourselves then that does not mean they now have an excuse to disarm us further. What that means is that the government has exceeded their authority and the laws need to be repealed to the point the people can defend themselves again.

      --
      I am armed because I am free. I am free because I am armed.
  35. oh and another one by aepervius · · Score: 2

    The US has the distinct disadvantage it is very very wide. Sure , on the surface, one could believe it means a lot more army would be needed to invade, but the reality is that it means only a few soft target would be needed to cripple the US : if you target refinery, fuel depot, and energy infrastructure you cripple the US because of the distance it needs to travel. So your AR15 guys would face the problem they may have as many ar15 as they want, but they would be quickly isolated unable to travel far as an invading army would lock down fuel supply/energy supply. After a week or two the civilian would be unable to travel far , by fact that the US all places are far from each other. So basically you would be screwed.

    --
    C. Sagan : A demon haunted world:
    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345409469/
    visit randi.org
    1. Re:oh and another one by greythax · · Score: 2

      Which is why I have never understood why progressives don't spin solar power and electric vehicles as a defense measure. Worried about that electrical grid? You won't once it has been completely decentralized. Worried about fuel distribution and foreign supply during a time of war? Hey, they can't block out the sun, so no problem!

  36. Re:HALF RIGHT! by markdavis · · Score: 3, Interesting

    >"What then is inherently military?"

    Remember their statement:

    "The government expressly acknowledges that non-automatic firearms up to .50-caliber -- including modern semi-auto sporting rifles such as the popular AR-15 and similar firearms -- are not inherently military."

    They just defined it, in reverse. It would be all automatic firearms, and firearms over .50 caliber. ANY firearm can or may be used by the military, but the previous sentence define those that are inherently military.

    Your followup statements are out of bounds, since their definition only regards firearms. Nuclear bombs, tanks, etc, are not "firearms".

  37. Re:Lockdown by ganjadude · · Score: 2

    you are missing the bigger picture. the government acknowledged that the AR-15 is NOT a military weapon. this blows up the narrative that the "ban assault weapons" crowd is using

    --
    have you seen my sig? there are many others like it but none that are the same
  38. Re:Lockdown by Agripa · · Score: 2

    Trump has just named a supreme court justice who is likely to help role back abortion and gay marriage which are two issues a current and growing majority of Americans support.

    And if the Democrats had not spent 100 years undermining federalism and states rights, this would not be a problem. Of course the Republicans helped also; federalism is only good when the other party is in power.