Lawmakers in an increasing number of states are attempting to impose restrictions on 3D-printed firearms amid a Second Amendment fight over ghost guns. As a bipartisan slate of states moves to restrict the possession and manufacturing of these weapons—firearms without serial numbers often made or modified with the use of 3D printers—Second Amendment activists argue the restrictions impinge on their constitutional right to bear arms.
At least 16 states have now put 3D gun laws on the books, with seven states adding major legislation this year. States including Colorado, New Jersey, Maine, New York, Virginia, and Washington have imposed various restrictions on weapons manufactured without serial numbers. California's legislators advanced a bill that would require 3D printer manufacturers to equip their devices with technology that blocks the printing of firearms.
In January, former New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed Bill A4975, which requires state residents to own a firearms license to even possess instructions or blueprints to print a 3D firearm. The same month, Maine's legislature passed a bill requiring serial numbers on all firearms, including those manufactured with 3D printers.
New York lawmakers added a similar law to the state's budget that will go into effect by mid-June. Manhattan's Democratic District Attorney Alvin Bragg compared the technology requirements to existing statutes preventing commercial and consumer printers from producing U.S. currency.
Washington state Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a law in March restricting residents' ability to possess serial-free weapons while also imposing constraints on digital blueprints and devices that manufacture 3D guns. Colorado and Virginia passed similar laws against weapons without serial numbers.
What the Right Is Saying
Second Amendment activists and gun rights advocates argue that restrictions on 3D-printed firearms violate constitutional protections for the right to bear arms.
"The gun is not the problem. The individual committing the crime is the problem," William Sack, the senior director of legal operations at the Second Amendment Foundation, told Michigan Advance.
Several states with restrictions are facing constitutional lawsuits. Defense Distributed, a Texas-based company that designs 3D-gun blueprints, is challenging state restrictions in court. The Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs indicated the company's legal team will petition the Supreme Court if their appeal is unsuccessful.
What the Left Is Saying
Proponents for stricter gun laws argue that the rise of 3D-printed weapons increases the likelihood of adverse shootings in American communities. The movement has drawn support from gun safety organizations across the political spectrum.
"As 3D-printing technology becomes more affordable and accessible, young people are increasingly able to manufacture their own firearms—often without the knowledge of the adults in their lives," reads a statement on the Everytown For Gun Safety website. "As schools purchase 3D printers and train students how to use them, the problem of 3D guns is now entering the classroom as well."
Bragg told ABC 7 Eyewitness News that the technology-based approach represents a preventive measure. "We're going to put technology into our machines such that they will not be a 3D gun," he said. "Much like, you know, we don't have, you know, commercial printers that print US currency."
What the Numbers Show
The impetus to restrict DIY firearms coincides with a sharp rise in 3D-printed guns recovered at crime scenes. Data from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) shows the bureau recovered over 27,000 3D-printed ghost guns from crime scenes in January 2023 compared to just over 1,600 recovered in January 2017—a more than sixteenfold increase over six years.
A Minnesota legislative package considering a wide slate of restrictions failed to pass the statehouse in March. The state's failure illustrates that bipartisan support for these measures is not universal among legislators.
In February, a three-judge panel on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled against Defense Distributed in a case challenging New Jersey's restrictions. The court upheld a lower court ruling affirming a cease and desist order from New Jersey's Attorney General directing the company to stop distributing gun-printing blueprints to unlicensed individuals.
The Bottom Line
The legal landscape for 3D-printed firearms remains in flux as courts weigh Second Amendment protections against state efforts to regulate untraceable weapons. With at least seven states adding major restrictions this year alone, the pace of legislation shows no signs of slowing despite ongoing constitutional challenges.
Defense Distributed's planned appeal to the Supreme Court could determine whether existing state laws can survive constitutional scrutiny. If the court agrees to hear the case, its ruling would likely set a national precedent affecting ghost gun regulations across all 16 states with similar laws on the books.